THE LAST WILL and TESTAMENT OF The late Renowned Cardinal MAZARINI Deceased February 27 1660. Together with some Historical REMARQVES OF HIS LIFE London Printed by Peter Lillicrap for William Gilbertson at the Bible in Gilt-spur-street 1663. Licensed October 20. 1663. ROGER L'ESTRANGE TO THE Right Honorable THOMAS LORD VVentworth One of his Majesties most Honorable Privy Council May it please your Lâ—rdship I humbly crave your leave to inscribe your noble name to this Translation of the Late Cardinal Mazarini's Will and Testament with some Remarquer of his life from just though different respects The first is your Lordships knowledge and particular acquaintance with that great and eminent personage while you follow'd our Soverains Fortune in that Court in the same quality of his privy Counsellour which afforded your Lordship in your prudent and serious converse with him an experience of his abilities improved to great advantage in your many Loyal and Noble services to this Crown To do the Cardinal so much right therefore I have presumed to put this last MEMORIAL of him into you Honorable hands 〈◊〉 the fittest and equallest Repository of his Illustrious Name which shall now pass without profanation to the world when sacrated by YOURS The other respect is to signifie and declare to the world the due sentiments the Nation hath of your Lordships Conspicuous worth together with the particular acknowledgements and obligations which I am bound to render for some Favours abroad which your Lordships singular Noblenesse was pleased to vouchsafe me And consulting herein also to my self this further favour from your Goodness as to shelter my meanness under your Lordships patronage which is sufficient to vindicate the Cardinal and to protect My Lord Your most obedient and Devoted Servant J. H. Advertisement to the Reader THe French Original of this Last Will of the Cardinal being Printed at Colen in Germany was so full of faults litterall and others that the sence in some few places could hardly be made out which will make it in some such places seem imperfect but the careful Reader will soon supply such seeming deficiency as I have not adventured on in the translation therein he is likewise desired to understand by the word Substitution 〈◊〉 is a French 〈◊〉 Termâ— a Reversion or kind of Remainder in perpetuum Other Errors and mistakes in Printing the Reader is desired candidly to correct and excuse The Last will and TESTAMENT OF CARDINAL MAZARINE TO Day being the third of March one thousand six hundred and sixty one about nine of the Clock in the morning at the comandment of the most Illustrious and most Eminent my Lord Cardinal Julius Mazarine Duke of Nivernois and Ouziois being at present at the Castle of Vincennes the Notaries Inventory keepers of our Soveraign Lord the King at Paris here under-signed transferred themselves to the said Castle to the appartiment of his Emmenceâ— where they found the said Lord Carelinal Duke a bed sick in body but sound in mind memory and understanding as it appeared to them who said declared and acknowledged that all his goods moveable immoveable of what nature or quality soever they were or where ever they were scituated or remaining and in whatsoever they consisted without exception or reserve did come and proceed from the Liberality and Magnificence of his Majesty For which reason he believed he could not do better then by remitting as he doth by these presents remit and return into his Majesties hands all his said goods moveable and immoveable and all other generally whatsoever of what ever nature or quality they may be where ever being or remaining and in whatever they may consist without any exception or reserve the which present Declaration and delivery his Eminence doth make in favour of his Majesty by Donation and Gift of death Testamentary disposition or any other way in the best form and manner it can or ought to be made willing that his Majesty be und do remain seized of all the said goods from the day of the decease of his Eminence who hopeth that his Majesty will have the goodness and bounty to dispose of the said Goods according to the intentions and designations of his Eminence which his Majesty was pleased to receive from his Mouth Leaving to his Majestie nevertheless full and frank liberty of the said disposition as it shall seem good to him as the Lord and Master of all the said Goods which to that very purpose he hath given and bequeathed by these presents to his Majesty This was done and said by his Eminence to the abovesaid Notaries and by one of them the other being present read and read again to him in the chamber of his Eminence aspecting the Tower of the dungeon the day and year abovesaid and signed by the said Lord the very minute of these Presents The same day the date of these presents at the Commandment of the most Illustrious and most Eminent my Lord Cardinal Julius Mazarini Duke of Nivernois c. The Notaries Inventory Keepers for his Majesty c. being arrived at his Eminences chamber in the Castle of Vincennes found the said Lord Cardinal Duke a bed sick in body c. as before who said unto them that the length and tediousness of his sickness the uncertainty of life and the necessity of death had obliged him to think of making and ordaining his last Will and Testament which he now made and nominated to the abovesaid Notaries as hereafter followeth First of all He thanks the Author of all good things that he gave him his Birth in the Profession of the Catholick Religion which he acknowledgeth to be the sole true and only way of salvation He thanketh the same Divine goodness for all those Favours which it hath been pleased to bestow upon him during the whole course of his life and particularly for raising him to one of the most Eminent Dignities of the Church among an infinite number of many others of greater merit beseâ—câ—ing the Divine Goodness that the said Elevation turn not to his confusion for not having profitâ—bly enough employed those Talents which it hath been pleased to give him for which he craves pardon from the bottom of his heart of the Divine Majesty to whom he acknowledgeth himself guilty but hopeth for forgiven is by the merit of the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed for our Redemption After his thanksgiving to God as the Author and Beginning of all good things he judgeth it will be no derogati n to his Glory to 〈◊〉 also with disproportion nevertheless of the Creatures to the Creatour those acknowledgements he owes to his good Masters whom God hath given him And first to the King deceased of glorious memory who after his having called him to his service and employed his instances and nomination to the promoring him to the dignity of a Cardinal conferred on him the inestimable Honor of making him Godfather to the King now raigning and in fine to judge
and that they bear the name of Mazarines Giveth and bequeatheth also to the Crown all those pieces of Painâ—ings which are at present within the the Library of his Eminence and two suits of Tapestry the one the Fruits of War the design of Julius Romain given to his Eminence since the Treaty of Peace by the King of Spain the other the Rape of the Saoines the design of Raphael Most humbly thanking his Majesty for all his Bounties and Magnificences and for that not long since he hath caused to be given him fifteen hundred thousand liures upon the Treaty of the Neutrality of the French County and the disposal of the Offices of the houses of the Queen and Monsieur which reward amounts in all to three or four millions The said Lord Cardinal Duke having alwayes regarded Madam Martinessi whose Offices of Piety charity are eminently known hath incessantly procured the advancement of the Daughters by advantagious Alliances having married the eldest with Monsieur the Duke of Modena one of the greatest Princes and of the most Antient and Illustrious Houses of all Italy and the second with Monsieur the Prince of Conti Prince of the Blood Royal of France and therefore no way doubting but that they will prefer his Interests before their Advancement He giveth to Madam the Dutches of Modena the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand liures which shall be paid unto her by the Executors of his Testament hereafter named More three pence making part of eleven pence to receive of the salts of Brouage more half of the Rents upon the City of Paris purchased by his Eminence of Monsieur Charles Armand at present Duke Mazarini He giveth and bequeaths to Madam the Princes of Conti the like summe â—f three hundred and fifty thousand liures which shall be paid her by his Executors more the sum of thirty thousand liures to receive and take upon the Excise or Farnâ—s of Languedock more three pence making part of eleven pence to receive and take upon the said Salts of Brouage more 〈◊〉 other â—â—ity of Rents upon the Town hall of the City of Paris more the Compensation of the Rents of the office of surâ—ntendunt for the House of the Queen Mother amounting to two hundred thousand liures which his Eminence hath purchased of 〈◊〉 the Princess Palatine of which she is at present in possession more the suit of Tapestry Hangings with the story of â—ehoboam He gives to the Lady Martinessi Sister to his Eminence the sum of eighteen thousand liures of a rent for life pavable at Rome monethly by advâ—â—ce and upon charge to her and the said Ladies the Dutches of Modena and Princess of Conti to renounce and quit claim to the succession of his Eminence and to all and such rights which they may pretend to the same In default whereof they shall forfeit their Legacies abovesaid which shall return to the Heires and Legatees General The said Lord Cardinal intends not that Monsieur the Marq ess of Mancini his Nephew shall marry with any person whatsoever without the consent of the King and in consideration thereof gives him the Peerage of Nivernois or Nevers and Ouziois with the appurtenances and dependances purchased by his Eminence of Monseigueur the Duke of Mantua by contract of the 11th of July 1659. with the Decrees obtained since free and quit of all Rights More two thirds of the Subsidies arising from the Actions of Mortaine which may be changed for those of Nevers More four pence part of the nineteen pence purchased of my Lord the Duke of Ornanes deceased More three pence part of eleven pence upon the Salts of Brouage More the sum of six hundred thousand liures in ready money which shall be paid by the hands of the Executors of his Will hereafter named All upon charge that the said Lord Mancini shall punctually comply with what is before enjoyned him towards his Majesty and not otherwise in default whereof he shall forfeit his Legacies abovesaid and others that shall be made to him hereafter shall be comprized in the Legacy General And further upon charge that the said Lord Mancini and all his Descendants Males or Femals shall carry the Names and the Arms of Mazarini without joyning other names or quartering other Arms therewith And that the Eldest Son and Male Descendants of the said Marquess Mancini by perpetual and infinite representation from Male to Male and from Eldest to Eldest shall have and take by gradual and perpetual Substitution all these things and sums above mentioned given to him the said Marquess Mancini and in default of Issue male of his body the Substitution shall belong to the eldest Daughter descendent of the male and to the male descendents for ever observing alwayes the right of Eldest to eldest upon condition that in every degree the eldest male and every daughter that shall be called to the Substitution shall be tyed to take the Name and Arms of Mazarini as abovesaid And in default of descendants from the males the Substitution shall belong to the eldest Daughter of the said Marquess Mancini and to her descendants Males and Females and in default of Children of the eldest Daughter or her Descendants to the second third or other Daughters successively and their Descendents preferring alwayes the elder before the younger and Sonnes to Daughters as long as there shall be any Descendants of the said Daughters on the same conditions of taking the Arms and Names of Mazarini Mancini joyntly together In case of default of Issue by the said Lord Marquess Mancini all the abovesaid things and summes above given and bequeathed him shall belong by the same right of Substitution to the high and might Lord Armand Charles now Duke Mazarini and after him in his place to the eldest of his Sons issued from him and the high and mighty Lady Hortense Mancini his Wife No person shall have benefit of this Substitution who shall be an Ecclesiastick or Knight of Malta unless he shall have renounced it before the said Lord Cardinal willing and declaring that he who shall refuse to accept of the said Conditions shall be deprived of all right thereunto and that all shall return to the Legatee General The Lord Cardinal beseecheth his Majesty to receive the said Lord Marquess Mancini in survivency to the Government and Lieutenancy of the King in Brouage and Rochel the profits whereof shall remain in the hands of the Sieur Colbert The said Lord Cardinal giveth unto Monsieur Mancini his Nephew the sum of 30 thousand liures to be imployed for payment of his debts the said Lord Cardinal willeth and intendeth that the administration of the goods of the said Lord Marquess Mancini remain in the hands of the Sieur Colbert untill he shall have attained the age of majority The said Lords Executors may name a person to be Tutor to the said Marquess Mancini under direction of the Sieur Colbert who shall be obliged to give Caution and Security
and whilest the said Marquess Mancini shall attain to the age of major there shall be paid unto him the sum of thirty six thousand liures for every year and if he marry with consent of the King the sum of eighty thousand liures The said Lord Cardinal desiring to perpetuate the name of Mancini at Rome makes and ordains the said Lord Mancini his Nephew Legatee Universal and Heir of all his Goods at Rome willing that he be seized thereof from the day of his Decease which goods shall remain substituted to the second Son of the said Sieur Mancini and to the Children of the second and of his male issue by a perpetual and infinite representation from male to male and from eldest to eldest and in default of male Issue of the second Son to the third and from the third to the fourth and consequently so from male to male from eldest to eldest And in default of Issue male the substitution shall belong to the eldest Daughter Descended of the male of the said second third or fourth Son and consequently to their issue male for ever And in default of Daughters Descendants of the males the said Substitution shall pass to the eldest Daughter of the said Lord Marquess Mancini and to her Descendants preferring alwayes the eldest to the youngest and the Sous to the Daughters as long as there shall be any Descendants of the said Daughters All upon condition that he who shall be called to the Substitution of whatever condition or degree he be shall be obliged to dwell in the City of Rome and to bear the sole Name plain Arms of Mancini without partying or quartering them with any others 〈◊〉 upon condition also that if there be any Daughters of the males which are excluded by the males in a direct or collateral Line the said Substituted shall be holden to give them Portions sutable to their quality In default of Posterity of the second third or other son and of the daughters of the said Lord Marquess Mancini the Palace moveables Rights and other effects which are in the said City of Rome belonging to his Eminence shall appertain by the same right of Substitution unto the eldest son of the said Lord Mazarini Mancini and to the male Jssue of the said eldest son and in default of the males to the daughters and to their male children from eldest to eldest as long as there shall be any male or female issue of the said Mazarini Mancini or of his descendants on condition that the right of Primogeniture be always observed as abovesaid And if there shall be but one of the said House of Mancini to whom the Dutchy of Nivernois shall appertain by the same right of Substitution and that the goods at Rome shall belong to him likewise by the same right of Substitution He shall be obliged to dwell in France And if it shall so happen that the said Lord Marquess Mancini decease without issue the said goods at Rome shall remain and belong to my Lord Armand Charles Duke Mazarini and his youngest descendants from male to male and eldest to eldest Observing always that Mazarini is Praferrible before Mancini The said Lord Cardinal intreateth my Lord Cardinal Mancini to take the Administration of the goods at Rome and because they consist mostly in his Palace and a number of Offices places and the publick stock which may be put into money he requesteth the said Cardinal if he thinks fit to convert into the Purchase of some Land in the Ecclesiastical Stae which shall carry the name of the Substitution The said Cardinal Mancini in case of Death may appoint another to the said Administration who nevertheless shall not sell nor engage any of the things above named And if the Sieur Mancini be more then five and twenty years old at the death of the Lord Cardinal he may name an Administrator but not dispose of the said Goods which shall remain substituted as already said Further the said Lord Cardinal gives and bequeathes to the said Marquess Mancini the Tapistry of the Acts of the Apostles made in Paris with the rich Furniture of green Velvet to be sent to Rome to Cardinal Mancini which shall be part of the said substitution In lieu whereof the said Marquess Mancini shall renounce the Rights which he may pretend to the succession of the said Lord Cardinal Mazarini and if he fail to do so he shall absolutely forfeit all his said Legacies which shall return to the Legatee General The said Lord Cardinal giveth and bequeatheth to the eldest Son of my Lord Duke de Mercoeur and de Ferie his Spouse the Demesne of the Dutchy of Auvergne the Demesne of Languedock the third part of the Subsidy of the Election of Mortaigne and the sum of three hundred thousand liures in money which shall be employed towards the payment of the debts of the House of Vendosme As to the second Son of the said Duke de Mercoeur the said Lord Cardinal prayeth him to be content with that which he hath procured him from his Majesty on condition also that both of them renounce their Succession to his Eminence and all those Rights which they may pretend to by reason of these said Legacies which in default of renunciation shall be forfeited and returned to the Legatee general even although the eldest shall make the said renunciation if so be it be not done joyntly by the youngest The said Lord c. giveth and bequeatheth unto Madam the Countess of Soissons besides the sum of three hundred thousand liures in money the Subsidy or Imposition on the Election of Verneuil and the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand liures payed by his Eminence to Madam the Princesse Palatine for the purchase of the Office of Surintendent in the House of the Queen for which she hath at present a Patent on condition that the said Lady Countesse of Soissons dorenounce any Caim or Title she may pretend to the succession of the said Lord Cardinal In default whereof she shall forfeit her said Legacy which shall return to the Legatee General The said Lord Cardinal giveth bequeatheth to Damoiselle Mary Mancini now married to the Constable Colonna all that which he hath assigned her for her portion willing that she content her sell with the part he hath given her on condition she renounce all Claim and Title to the Succession of his Eminence He gives and Bequeathes to Damoiselle Anne Mary Mancini the sum of six hundred thousand liures which shall be paid to her or put out at Interest by his Executors they notwithstanding not to be responsible for the employ and profit thereof on condition likewise that she renounce all Claim to the Succession c. otherwise to forfeit as aforesaid The said Lord Cardinal nameth for Trustees and Governour of the said Damoiselle Anno Macini the Executors of his Will hereafter mentioned If there shall not be found ready money enough to discharge all
those Legacies above mentioned the said Lord Cardinal Willeth that it shall be equally divided among the Legatees penny for penny upon the liure excepting the Legacy of Dame Mary and Mary Anne Mancini who shall be paid in full and which Legacies shall remain substituted to the Heirs of Dame Mary and Mary Anne Mancini The said Lord Cardinal having alwayes had a most particular affection for learned men continues to them during their life the Pensions he was accustomed to pay them according to a catalogue or Memoyr which shall be given in by Sr. Colbert The rest of all his said moveable Goods Debts Obligations Rents and other Effects whatsoever in Lands of Inheritance or Custome the said Lord Cardinal giveth and bequeatheth to my Lord Charles Armand now Duke Mazarini and the Lady Hortense his Spouse whom with his own mouth he appoints to be his Heires and legatees General they to defray his Funeral charges and to accomplish his present Testament declaring that he intends not to comprise within this general Legacy his Palace his other Jewels Rings moveable and immoveable Goods Painting Pictures Vessels of Silver with his Statues and Figures of Marble or Brass being within his Palace and his appartement in the Loruve and in France nor his Governments which he hath not disposed of reserving to himself the disposition by Codicil or otherwise as shall seem good unto him on charge of the said Goods with a gradual perpetual and everlasting Substitution and nevertheless all that which shall come and provene of his Legacy General shall be in the nature of propriety to the said Lady Dutchesse Mazarini the said Lord Cardinal barring in both the said Substitutions as well in France as in Rome any alterations but such as shall be permitted Forbidding likewise all distractions of quarter parts in the one and the other Substitution As to his Dispatches Letters Missives Negotiations Treaties and other Papers concerning the State and Domestique affairs in what place soever they are nothing being more dear or precious to him he humbly prayes his Majesty that they may be put into the hands of the Sieur Colbert without making any Inventory and that the said Colbert dispose them in order and if there be any difficulty he may demand the clearing of it of Monsir the Bishop of Freins for the Affairs of Rome and Mounsieur de Lyonne for the affairs of State so to communicate them to the King or to whom his Majesty shall please to order them upon occasion The said Lord Cardinal not being able to give sufficient Testimony of the fidelity of Mr. Colbert which he hath experienced for more then twelve years last past doth approve all that hath been done by him to this present and willeth that it be believed upon his bare word The said Lord Cardinal willeth and intendeth having been hindred by great Affairs from examining the Accompts of the Sieur Picon for some years as he was accustomed to do that the said Accompts which shall be given of his house be examined by the Sieur Colbert and signed and firmed by him alone The said Lord Cardinal most expresly forborbiddeth any Inventory or Description to be made of his moveable Goods or Effects or of any Titles or Papers and if the Legatees whether particular or general shall offer to demand them His Will is that they forfeit their Legacy all which shall be vested in the person of the first Substitute without that that any disposition thereof may be declare penal or comminatory Furthermore the said Lord Cardinal entreateth his Majesty in case of contravention to interpose his Authority that his Will may be followed and that the said Accompts and Papers may not be seen nor Inventory nor description made thereof it being necessary to keep them secret for the interest of the State and many Families as well within as without the Realm He prayeth also the Messieurs of the Parliament and other Judges to forbear here not doubting but that they will prefer the Interests of State to that of particular mens The said Lord Cardinal giveth and bequeatheth to Don Louis de Haro a rare piece of Titian representing Flora by reason of the friendship which they have Contracted in the Treaty of Peace He giveth and bequeatheth to my Lord the Count of Fuensaldigne a great Watch in a Gold Case And for the execution of the present Will and Testament the said Lord Cardinal nameth my Lord the first President of Parliament my Lord Fouquet Counsellour of the King in all his Counsels Procurator General of the Parliament and Intendant of the Finances My Lord le Tellier Counsellour of the King in all his Counsels Secretary of State My Lord the Bishop of Freins and Monsieur Colbert Counsellour of the King in his Counsels and Intendant of the Houses Finances of his Eminence whom he intreateth not to suffer any Inventory to be made of his moveables or papers nothing being more necessary to be kept then secrecy and to acknowledge in some manner the pains which they shall take in the Execution of his present Testament He gives and bequeathes the sum of forty thousand liures in money or in goods at their choice to be equally divided among them The said Lord Cardinal willeth and ordaineth that if death or any other considerable hinderance shall happen to any of them the Survivors shall name such others as they shall chuse to supply the places of the deceased willing that the number be compleat He giveth and bequeatheth to each of his three Secretaries a Diamant of four thousand livres beseeching his Majesty to protect them and to continue them their Assignments He giveth and bequeatheth to the building the Parish Church of St. Enstache the sum of six thousand liures He gives and bequeathes to the St. Chappel of Bois de Vincennes the sum of ten thousand liures on condition they cause to be said and celebrated every year on the day of the decease of his Eminence an Anniversarie for the Repose and weal of his Soul My Lord the Cardinal declares that whereas he had left all his goods to the King by his Will of the third of the present moneth and that his Intention was alwayes such that his Majesty should dispose of them as he pleased and that now the King was pleased to testifie to him that his Majesty desired he should dispose of his own goods He had therefore caused this present Will to be made which was so said and named one word after another to the abovesaid Notaries by his Eminence and read and repeated to him by one of them the other being present in the Chamber of his Eminence before declared one thousand six hundred sixty and one the sixth day of March and signed by his Eminence THE CODICILL ANNEXED TO day the sixth day of March one thousand six hundred and sixty one afternoon at the commandement of the most Illustrious and most Eminent the Lord Cardinal Duke Mazarini the Notaryes Inventory Keepers
c. as before found the said Lord Cardinal a bed sick in Body but of sound mind and understanding as it appeared to them who having caused the Will and Testament by him made to be shewed him again and adding thereunto Gives and bequeathes the sum of seventy thousand liures which he wills to be distributed to his Officers according to their Rank and Seniority of their services by the Executors of his Will without any of their complaining against that which shall be given them by the said Executors on pain of forfeiture of each their part which in this Case shall be distributed among other the said Officers within the said 70000. livres besides the sums bequeathed by him to the Sieurs de Fontenelle Bernouin and Pronti who may not pretend to the said sum of seventy thousand liures He gives and bequeathes to Madam de Revel Governess of the Ladies Mancini his Neices the sum of thirty thousand liures as a reward for those paines she hath taken with them He gives and bequeathes to the Sieur de Gaumond Advocate to the Parliament besides his other Assignments the sum of twelve thousand liures He gives and bequeathes to Monsieur Colbert Intendant of the houses and Finances of his Eminence the house where at present he dwells adjoyning to the Palace of his Eminence As concerning the Palace of his Eminence Appurtenances and Dependencies Statues and Figures therein being others then those before specified he gives and bequeathes them by Moity to the said Lord Duke Mazarini and Marquess Mancini to be equally divided between them the said Lord Cardinal willing that the Choyce of the Lors shall be given to my Lord Duke Mazarini And the said Lord Cardinal Duke having reserved to himself by his Will his Moveables Jewels Rings and other things besides those which he hath disposed wills meaneth and ordaineth that they be prized at the rate and sum of three hundred and sixty thousand liures which shall thus be distributed viz. Six score thousand liures which he gives to the said Lord Mazarini Mancini of which sum one half shall go to the Substitution the other shall be the proper money of the said Seigneur Mancini and the sum of forty thousand liures to every of the other his said Heires on promise and condition that all and every of them do quit those claims they may have to the Succession of my said Lord Cardinal which claimes they shall renounce in favour of my said Lord and Lady the Duke and Dutchess Mazarini who may also dispose of that part which shall fall to them of the said Palace and Appurtenances but as to the Statues Figures they shall remain in Substitution as likewise shall the sum of six hundred thousand liures which shall be taken upon the Estimate that shall be made of the Rings Jewels c. which shall be divided the which sum of six hundred thousand liures shall be in the nature of a Provenue for the said Lady Dutchesse Mazarini The said Lord Cardinal more expressely prohibiteth any Inventory to be made of his goods and papers upon the Penalties imposed by his last Testament Giveth and bequeatheth unto Cardinal Sachetti the Tapestry hangings of D'esnee The said Lord Cardinal giveth unto my Lord Cardinal Albis the Hangings of Tapestry of Verduire of Brussels hanging at present in the Appartiment of his Eminence at the Louvre He gives and bequeathes unto Sr. Lezio Disnio a Diamant Ring worth eight thousand liures To Sr Paul Manarani a Carkanet of Diamants of one thousand Crowns Further my Lord Cardinal having reason to gratifie the services of the Seiur Lepidio Benedicti he prayeth his Majesty to be pleased to continue to him the Pension which he gives him at present This was done said and named to the Notaries and by one of them the other present read and repeated in the Chamber the sâ—id day and year above said To day the sixth of March 1661 the King being at Vincennes caused the last Will and Codicil of the Lord Cardinal to be shewed unto him and having approved thereof His Majesty renounced and quitted all that was done to his advantage by the said Cardinal the third of this Moneth and willeth and intendeth that the said Will Codicil shall take their plain and full effect and that they be executed from point to point according to their Form and Tenour His Majesty commanding for a testimony of his Will to dispatch this present Breviate which he would sign with his own hand and to be countersigned by me his Secretary of State and of his Commands and Finances To Day the seventh of March 1661 at the Commandment of the most Illustrious and Eminent my Lord Cardinal Duke Mazarini the Notaries ut supra came to the Castle of Vincennes in a Chamber there where they found the said Lord Cardinal a bed sick in body but sound c. who said that he thanked God for the prolongation of his Disease for that by lengthening his days he had given him more means to consider of his Salvation hoping of the Divine goodness the remission of his sins and that God would shew mercy to him and that if he should desire any other further length of life it should be only to employ it in those reflections which he ought to have upon those Favours he hath received of God and the King and to sacrifice it wholly in the acknowledgement of so many benefits of which he judgeth himself altogether unworthy The said Lord Cardinal approveth confirmeth his Will and Codicil heretofore made reiterating his Donations and Bequeastes made by him and adding thereunto most humbly beseecheth his Majesty to accept of two fair Cabinets He also humbly supplicates the Queen Mother to accept of a large Diamond of the Rose of England a large Diamond Brute weighing 14 Caracts a Ruby Ring Caluchon perfect 2 great Cabinets of the Peace and of the War one Cabinet of Peace war which came from Rome thanking her for her Favours and requesting her to vouchsafe her protection to his Nephewes and Neices He gives and bequeathes to Monsieur the Duke of Orleans the only Brother of the King sixty Marks of Gold thirty and one Emeraulds of which many are great one of the fair Cabinets of Jasper brought from Rome and the Tapestry Hangings of Leander beseeching him to accept this small acknowledgement and to accord his Protection to those of his House He giveth and bequeatheth unto my Lord the Cardinal of Colonne a great Watch of Gold which came from the Queen Mother Deceased and is at present upon the Table of his Eminence He giveth and bequeatheth unto Monsieur the Marshal of Grammont the sum of 100000 liures which he owes him by Obligation and which he willeth to be rendred to him as paid and acquitted He gives and bequeathes unto my Lord the first President a Bason with its Ewer Vermillian and Gold made at Augsburg or as much in value as he hath given him
as Executor of his Testament He giveth and bequeathes unto Monsieur the Archbishop of Arniuzi a great Watch in a Case of Gold My Lord the Cardinal refers himself to his Heirs and Legatees to give presents to his principal friends He gives to Monsieur de Massat Advocate in Parliament a Diamond of fifteen hundred liures He gives and bequeathes to Sr. Poisson his Apothecary four thousand liures To the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome a Lamp of three thousand Crowns He gives another Lamp of the same price to the miraculous Crucifix of St. Briget at Rome He giveth and bequeatheth to the Church of St. Roch in St. Honory's street a Chalice of the sum of eighteen thousand liures He willeth and ordaineth that after the sharing of the Palace of his Eminence together with the Statues and Figures which shall be therein and that the said Lord Duke Mazarini hath chosen the part which best likes him that then it shall be lawfull to the said Marquess Mancini to take the sum of three hundred thousand liures for his part of the said Statues and Figures which sum in the said Case the said Lord Mazarini shall be bound to pay him for which payment all the said Statues and Figures shall be comprized in the said Substitution of the Legacy general without comprizing neverthelesse the Palace and Appurtenances which shall remain in his disposition If the said Lord Marquesse Mancini receive the said sum of three hundred thousand liures my Lord the Cardinal willeth and intendeth that it shall be imployed in the purchase of a House fit to receive him the which purchase shall not be made without the advice of Monsieur Colbert My Lord Cardinal giveth unto Madam the Princess Colonna besides that which he hath assigned her as abovesaid by his Testament the sum of 15 thousand liures as well for the buying her Horses Caroach and Equipage as for the expences of her voyage into Italy All which was so spoke and said to the said Notaries and by one of them the other being present read and repeated Monday the seventh day of March about nine a clock in the morning the same year 1661. TO day the seventh day of March 1661. the King being at Vincennes after the reading to his Majesty by Francis le Foin Notary c. of the Testament and Codicils made by my Lord Cardinal Duke Mazarini His said Majesty divers times renounced and renounceth that made to his advantage of the third of March instant and Willeth and Ordaineth that the said Testament and Codicils be executed according to the Form and Tenour at which said reading were present my Lord the Prince of Conde by and at the request of Madam the Princesse of Conti Monsieur the Duke of Mercoeur Monsieur the Count of Soissons the Sieurs Duke and Dutchesse Mazarini the Sieurs Premier President Fouquet the Bishop of Freins and Colbert Executors of the Testament of my Lord the Cardinal His Majesty commanding me for the the testifying his pleasure to dispatch the present breviat which he hath signed with his own hand and caused to be Countersigned by me his Secretary of State and of his Commands and Finances Signed Le TELLIER SOME HISTORICAL REMARQVES OF THE LIFE Of the Famous CARDINAL MAZARINI London Printed by Peter Lillicrap for William Gilbertson at the Bible in Guilt-Spur-Street 166â— Some Historical REMARQUES OF THE LIFE of the Famous Cardinal MAZARINI IT might pass for no great misadventure in imitation of Philosophers and those Mathematicians who to describe the Globes and the Government of the Universe have assigned Termes and Names to the great and Principal Parts thereof if in the Elements of Humane Policy which hath ordered and disposed the Affairs of Christendome in its Modern Administration we give to its chief Motion the Name of MAZARINI whose Designes and Actions were the Supreme Intelligences the Poles and Hinges by which so many wonderful changes and vicissitudes have been Rolled upon the World And he may properly be also called that Altern Luminary which upon the setting of the Glorious Richelieu arose in the French Horizon and with Vniversal Splendor pierced into the most Recondite and Abstruse Mysteries and Cabals of State and influenced and Governed their Transactions Like the Moons Opacous Body his Gleamings and Glitterings and uncertain lights dazled the Eyes of the World while his dark Intrigues were reserved and concealed in himself He was Fate it's self in a Humane shape which dispensed Events and favoured or crossed all Counsels and Designes according to his Pleasure nothing succeeded without his Concurring advice and assent and nothing failed with his auspicious Encouragement To so near a resemblance herein that he was able to clue glorious and most wonderful Effects through dark Labyrinths of Time and Adversity and appoint the hour and minute of their Termination He was a dark Lanthorn whose Lucidations discovered all before him and concealed his own Mysterious Practises the Oracle of State which no Sword or Wisdome could resolve He could turn the Edges of the sharpest Steel and blunt the Points of the acutest Wits neither Mars nor Mercury could prevail against Him In vain therefore it is to think to give any competent Character of Him who surmounted the capacity of the ablest Personages Christendome e're enjoyed and who may be reckoned for one of the Wonders of the World As he may in some sort also be said to have been a Monarch himself having governed France absolutely in the Regency and Minority of the Present King and Queen Mother in very difficult and perplexed Times and yet he was but a stranger and a new commer to that Court and Country in a very private condition which His Fortune and Mâ—â—it equalled after to the highest Advancements any Publique Minister ever attained It 's true he had an Excellent Master and Pattern the aforesaid Richlieu who doubled his Faculties upon him at his death commending him to the King as he had done before to the Queen as the only fit and able person to undertake His Affairs The main Scope whereof was the Ruine of the House of Austria and the Advancement of the French Greatness upon it to an Universal Soveraignty And it will not be ungrateful I suppose to the Reader to shew the Parallel and Differences between these Eminent Statesmen the latter exactly treading in the steps of the Former without any ambitious Hope or design of expressing them in their due proportions but only to serve an ordinary Curiosity Cardinal Richlieu was born at Paris and so a Native of that Kingdom and of Noble Extraction which rendred him to the observation of the Queen Mother who took him into her service and preferred him to the Bishoprick of I uzon where at her command he wrote a Book of Conâ—roversies and Therafter to the King who procured him a Cardinals Cap from the Pope Paul the fifth is reported upon viewring him to have said that he would one day would prove the