Countenance my Dear that it quite deprived me of the forces I had left I beg of you Madam said I to her not to ruine a wretch with reproaches Certainly I am bewitched In stead of giving me an answer she called her Chamber-Maid Prethee tell me Quentine how do I look to day am not I very ugly Do not deceive your Lady there is something about me that does not sit well Quentine not daring to answer seeing her in that rage Madam d' Olonne snatching alooking-Glass from her she held in her hands After having made all the gestures she used to do when she designed to Charm any one to judge if my insufficiency proceeded from her fault or mine She got up and shaked her Petticoat that was something ruffled and went in a fury into her Closet that stood by her Bed-side For my part I was like a Condemned Man I asked my self if all that had passed was not a Dream with all the reflections that one can make in such an Encounter I went to Manicamps House where having related to him all my adventure I am mightly obliged to you my Dear said he to me for certainly it was for the love of me that you were so insensible near so pretty a Woman Tho perhaps you may be the Cause of it said I to him I did it not to oblige you I love you extreamely and I do confess it but with all that I had forgot you in that occasion I do not Comprehend so extraordinary an Obligation by quitting the habit of a Man I had quitted you before but that part is dead in me by which I have been hitherto a kind of Chancellour As I had done speaking one of my Servants brought me a Letter from Madam d' Olonne that one of hers had given him here it is in my Pocket in saying that the Count read this Letter to Vinevil IF I was a lover of Venereal pleasures I should lament my having been disappointed but far from complaining I am obliged to your insufficiency it is the cause that in the expectation of delights you were not able to give me I enjoyed others by imagination that lasted much longer than those you could have been capable of furnishing tho you had been as well provided as an other Man I send at present to know how you do and if you were able to get a foot to your Lodgings It is not without reason that I make this inquiry for I never saw a Man under such sad Circumstances as you were when I left you I Counsel you to settle your Affairs with more natural heat than you had when I saw you for you cannot live much longer Really my Lord you raise my pity and what outrage soever I have received from you I shall not forbear giving you good advice Avoid Manicamp if you are wise you may recover your health if you leave off seeking him for some time it is certainly from him that your impotence proceeds for my part neither my Glass nor my looks belying me I do not fear being either accused or reproached I had no sooner made an end of reading this Letter than that I made her this answer I Confess Madam I have had failings in my lifetime for I am a man and still young but I never had a worse than that last Night It is not to be excused Madam and tho your sentence be never so severe it can be but what I have deserved I have killed I have betrayed I have committed sacriledge for all these Crimes you need only seek out punishments if you please my Death I will bring you my sword if you only condemn me to be whipt I will come naked to you in my shirt Remember Madam that I failed in Power not in Will I was like a Brave soldier who finds himself without Arms when he should engage I should be extreamly puzzel'd Madam to tell you from whence this prov'd perhaps it happend ' to me as it does to those whose stomack is gone when they expect to eat most perhaps the force of Imagination consumed the force of Nature See what it is Madam to be so Charming An Ordinary Beauty who should not have troubled the Course of nature would have been better entertained Adieu Madam I have nothing more to say to you but that perhaps you would pardon me what is past if you would give me the opportunity of doing better herafter to which purpose I only demand till to morrow at the same hour as yesterday After having sent by one of my Footmen these fair promises to Madam d' Olonne's Lacquis who waited for an answer at my House I went home and not doubting but that my offers would be kindly received I resolved to take all imaginable Care of my self I bathed and was rubbed with Essences I eat new laid Eggs and Artichoaks and then drunk some Wine I walked a while in my Chamber and then went to Bed without Manicamp My Head was so full of the design of repairing my fault that I shun'd my Friends as I would have done the Plague I got up the next day brisk both in Body and mind I dined betimes and eat what was Provocative but as little as I had done at Supper and having spent the Afternoon in preparing my little Equipages of Love I went to Madam d' Olonne's House at the same hour as the time before I found her upon the same Bed which made me immediately apprehend that it portended me some ill Fortune but in a word having encouraged my self as much as I could I cast my self at her Knees She was half undrest and held a Fan she played with So soon as she saw me she blusht a little without doubt remembring the late affront she had received and Quentine being retired I placed my self by her upon the Bed The first thing she did was to put her Fan before her Eyes and that having rendred her as bold as if there had been a Wall between us both Ah! Well said she to me poor Paralitick are you come here a compleat Man to day Ah! Madam answered I to her let us talk no more of what is past And thereupon thundering into her Arms I kissed her a thousand times and begged she would let me see her naked after a little resistance that she made to augment my Desires and to affect Modesty which becomes a Woman so well rather than out of any distrust she had of her self she let me see all I had a mind to I saw a curious white plump and the best proportioned Body in the world After that I fell again to embracing her we already made a noise with smacking and Bussing our hands already clasped in one another expressed the utmost tendernesses of love already the mixture of our loves had made the union of our Bodies when she perceived the sad pickle I was in It was then that seeing I continued to outrage her she thought of nothing but vengeance she called me
had for others it did not usually last so long As for example that of Marsillac was not so fixed to Madam d' Olonne and he still loved Mademoiselle de la Rochegayon So that Madam d' Olonne did not spoil Marsillac's Fortune as she hoped to have done and only confirming what he had said of her she deprived her friends of the means of vindicating her Things being in these termes and the Count de Guiche remaining Master in appearance Madam d' Olonne went one Evening to the Countess of Fiesque she prayed her to make her acknowledgments to the Abbot Foucquett for some service she pretended to have received from him and to exaggerate very highly the obligation she had to him But the Abbot being one of the principal Personages of this History it is requisite to describe how he was made The Abbot Foucquett the Treasurers Brother was originally of Anjou his Family were Gown-men till this Man made his Fortune and then as Noble as the King His Eyes were blew and lively a handsome Nose a great Forehead a pointed Chin the form of his Face was flat his Hair was a bright brown his shape was ordinary and his meen base his Conduct in the World was quite contrary to his profession he was active ambitious and haughty towards People he did not love but the most ardent and best Friend that ever was he had engaged himself in an Amourous Intrigue more out of Pride than out of love but afterwards Love became Master The first Woman he had made love to was Madam de Chevruese of the House of Lorraine by whom he was entertained with a very great Passion the other was Madam de Chastillon who in the Favours she had granted him had more considered her Intrests than her Pleasures she being one of the most Beautyfull and extraordinary Women of France it is Convenient to make here the Description of her Life The End LOVES EMPIRE Or The GALLANTRIES Of the FRENCH COURT The Second Part. LONDON Printed for Dorman Newman 1682. LOVES EMPIRE c. THE HISTORY OF Madam de Chastillon HER Grace the Dutchess de Chastillon Monsieur de Bouteville's Daughter who was Beheaded for having fought a Duel contrary to the Edicts of the late King Lewis the Fourteenth's Father Wife of Gaspard Duke of Chastillon had black and lively Eyes a little Forehead a handsome Nose a red Lip and full Mouth her Complexion was as she thought fit but she had usually white and red she was so Charming when she smiled that she set all hearts on a flame her Hair was very black she was tall had a good Aire but long dry and black hands her Arms were flat and of the same colour which made People draw ill Conclusions of those parts they did not see She had a loft and agreeable Wit was insinuating and given to flattery was faithless interessed and uncapable of Friendship and yet what Experience soever Men had had of her ill Qualities when she had a mind to Charm it was impossible for them to forbear loving her she had some ways with her that were very tempting and others that made her be despised by all People for Money and Honours she would have dishonoured herself and have sacrificed Father Mother and Lovers Gaspard d' Coligny and since Duke of Chastillon after the Death of the Marshal his Father and of his eldest Brother fell in Love with Mademoiselle de Bouteville and being the Prince of Condé fell likewise in love with her Coligny desired him to break off his Amour since his Highnesses design was only Gallantry and he intended Marriage The Prince being Coligny's Relation and Friend could not civilly refuse him his demand and as his Passion was of a very fresh date he did not find it difficult to get rid of it He not only promised Coligny that he would think of her no more but that he would serve him in this Affair against the Marshal his Father and his Relations who opposed it and indeed notwithstanding all the Orders of Parliament and all the Obstacles that the Marshal his Father was able to raise against it the Prince assisted Coligny so well then of that Name but since the death of his Father called Chastillon that he made him carry away Mademoiselle de Bouteville and lent him Twenty thousand Francks for his Maintenance Coligny carried his Mistress to Chasteau-Thierry where he Consummated the marriage From thence they proceeded farther and went to Steny a Town of Safety which the Prince whom it belonged to had given them for their abode Whether that Coligny did not find his Mistress so full of Charms as he had fancied in her or that Love being satisfied he had time to reflect on the ill Condition his Fortune was in or that he feared he had given his Wife the Disease he had he fell into a terrible Melancholy on the Morrow after his Marriage And while he was at Steny his Melancholy continued upon him to that degree that he was as constant to the Woods as a Savage Two or three days after he went to the Army and his Wife into a Convent of the Religieuses two Leagues from Paris It was thither that Roquelaure knowing the Necessity she was in sent her a Thousand broad Pieces and Vinevil two thousand Crowns which Sums are still owing to them tho the Dutchess is very rich and that Money was employed to her own use Coligny being under Age when he married his Wife it rendred his Marriage invalid but being of Age at his Return a Contract of Marriage was made in the Hostel of Condé before all the young Ladies Relations and they were afterwards married in Nostre Dame by the Coadjutor of Paris Sometime after Madam de Chastillon being indisposed went to the Wells where she met with the Duke of Nemours who fell in love with her The Duke of Nemours had very white Hair a handsome Nose a little Mouth and of a fine Colour and was the prettiest shape Man imaginable The least of his Actions was attended with an unexpressible Grace his Humour was gay wanton and toying and his Will was admirable brisk and quaint The liberty of seeing one another at all hours which Custom has introduced in Places where the Waters are taken gave a thousand opportunities to the Duke of Nemours of acquainting his Mistress with his Passion But knowing that an Amorous Intrigue was never better regulated at least with Ladies we have some esteem for than by making a Declaration by word of Mouth or by Writing He resolved to speak and being one day alone with her at her Lodgings I have been above three weeks Madam said he to her considering whether I should tell you the impression your Charms have made upon my heart and when I determined at length to acquaint you with it it is after having seen all the Difficulties that I can find in this Design I do my self Justice Madam and for that reason I ought not to entertain
le Camus and Manchini this last Cardinals Nephew and the other one of the Kings Almoners and having passed there three or four days if not in a great Devotion at least in very innocent Pleasures the Count of Guiche and Manicamp being weary of Paris went to him As soon as the Abbot le Camus saw them knowing them to be very dissolute he perswaded Manchini to return to Paris and that the next day for that the World would say there had passed strange things amongst them And Manchini that very evening declaring this design Manicamp and the Count de Guiche proposed to Vivonne to desire Bussy to come and pass two or three days without them telling him that he was very capable to fill the place of the other two Vivonne having given his Consent wrote a Letter to Bussy in all their names that he was desired to quit for some time the hurry of the World to come to them that they might with the less distraction give them selves up together to the thoughts of Eternity But before I pass further it is fit I describe Vivonne and Bussy The first had great blew Eyes even with his Head whose Balls were often half hid under his Eyelids and contrary to his intention made him look languishingly he had a handsome Nose a little and full Mouth a fine Complexion a fine great and fair head of Hair He was indeed something too fat he had a quick Wit and a good Fancy but he studyed too much how to be pleasant he loved to speak Equivoques and words with a double sence and that he might be the more admired he often made them at home and started them in the Companies where he came as if they had been fresh thoughts he was quickly engaged in Friendship with people without any discretion But whether he found them persons of Merit or no he as suddenly abandoned them What made his inclination last longest was flattery but it was to no purpose for a person to be extraordinary if he did not admire him he would have had no great esteem for him As he fancyed that a signe of a good will was a niceness for all works he found nothing to his mind of all he saw and usually he judged of Books without knowledg and reason In short he was so blinded with his own merit that he saw none in any Body else and to speak like himself he had both a great deal of sufficiency and a great deal of insufficiency he was Bold in War and fearfull in Love And yet if any body would have believed him he had his will of all the Women he had attempted but the truth is he had been denied by certain Ladies who till then had never refused any Man Roger de Rabutin Count of Bussy Major General of the light Horse had great sweet Eyes a handsome Mouth a something hawkish Nose an open Face and a happy Phisiognomy fair clear light Hair His Wit had delicacy and force Gaity and Mirth he talked well he writ exactly and agreably he was of a soft disposition But those whom his Merit had caused to envy him had netled him insomuch that he willingly made merry with people he did not love He was a good and regular Friend he was brave without ostentation he loved Pleasures more than Fortune but he loved Glory more than Pleasures He was Gallant with all Ladies and very civill and the familiarity he had with his best Friends never made him wanting in the respect he owed them This kind of behaviour made it thought that he had a passion for them and it is certain that he had ever some sence of love in all the great intrigues he had had he had been long in the Wars and had done good service but as in this Age it was not sufficient to be of a good Family to have Wit Courage and have done great Services to procure Honours with all these Qualities he was got but half way of his fortune he had not the baseness to flatter those people whom Mazarine the Soveraign Dispensour of Favours put Confidence in or had not been in a Condition to force them from him by making him afraid as most of the Marshals of his time had done Now Bussy having this Letter from Vivonne took Hors immediately and went to his House he found his friends very much disposed to mirth and he not being usually a Disturber of Feasts ordered it so that their joy was altogether Compleat and accosting them I am very glad my Friends said he to find you disengaged from the World as you are a particular Grace from God is necessary to work out our salvation In the hurreis of Courts Ambition Envy Buckbiting Love and a thousand other Passions do usually engage the best People in Crimes which they are encapable of in such Retreats as this let us save our selves then together my friends and as to be pleasing to God it is neither necessary to weep nor to dye of Hunger let us be merry my Friends and make good Chear This Sentiment being generally approved of they prepared themselves for Hunting in the afternoon and gave order to have Consorts of Instruments for the next day After having hunted four or five hours these Gentlemen having got themselves a great stomach eat as heartily as is imaginable supper being ended which had lasted three hours during which the Company had been in that Mirth which alwaies accompanies a good Conscience caused Horses to be brought to walk in the Park where these four Friends finding themselves at liberty to encourage themselves to have the more contempt for the World they proposed to rail against all human kind but a moment after Reflection made Bussy say that they ought to except their true Friends from that general proscription this advice having been approved of by them all Every one demanded of the rest of the assembly Quarter for what he loved This being done and the the signal given for the contempt of things here below these good souls begun a Canticle You may judge that having took this Course all was comprehended in the Canticle except those four Gentlemens Friends but as the Number were but small the Canticle was great and sharp insomuch that should nothing be forgot it would make a Volume Part of the Night being spent in these rural Pleasures they resolved to go to rest Wherefore they left one another very much satisfied to see the progress they had begun to make in Devotion Vivonne and Bussy being got up earlier the next morning than the others went into Manicamps Chamber but not having found him and thinking he was gone a Walking in the Park they went into the Count de Guiches Chambers with whom they found him in Bed You see My Friends said Manicamp to them that I endeavour to make good use of the things you spoke of yesterday touching the Contempt of the world I have already Won my self to despise the half and I hope
LOVES EMPIRE Or The AMOURS Of the FRENCH COURT LONDON Printed for Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms in the Poultry 1682. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF THANET c. My LORD THE present Times being pestered with nothing but Narrative and Narrative Evidence upon Evidence one to strengthen and another to invalidate the Truth of a Plot The Papists Libelling the Presbyterians and the Presbyterians zealously Answering them and both disturbing the Publick Peace Insomuch that Mr. Stationer hath now nothing to Entertain his Customer with but some rare Pamphlet which he is ready to commend as excellently penned and learnedly handled St. Austin 's City of God The Practice of Piety The Whole Duty of Man c. are grown even mouldy upon their Shelves and none but the Advising C and Intelligent V the former furnishing us with News from the Pope and the latter with strange Stories of Things which never were can merit their Favour or be vouchsaft an Acceptance And therefore for me to intrude into his Shop and desire a Place in his Classes under the Notion of a Lover is look't upon as the Superlative Degree of Boldness and Impudence and I am immediately commanded to Retire or if I persist Intreating I am thrust out of Doors and called an Idle Fellow a Toâ—y an Enemy to the Good Old Cause and I know not what Forgetting that Love ought at this time especially to have the greatest Empire in Mens Hearts to Vnite the Dissentingly Reformed to the Truly Reformed Opinion and thus like Ephraim and Manasseh both would agree against Judah the Papists And now my Lord being likely to be kept in Silence and Obscurity and uncapable to appear abroad without a PROTECTION I made bold to enter into your Lordships Presence and casting my self at your Feet humbly implore your Honourable Patronage Your Lordship will perchance be apt to ask me if this be a Time to talk of Love To which I believe I need not study for an Answer when the high Station your Lordship has in the World gives you the affrighting Prospect how little room Love takes up now among Men Nay 't is almost forgot and therefore to give them this Memento of it will not altogether be inseasonable My Lord the Stage whereon Our Gallants acted their several Parts was France and having met with a General Acceptance and Favour in their French I ventured to Equipp them in our English Garb. I hope they may give your Lordship some agreable Diversion when your vacant Hours from more serious Affairs shall permit you Your Lordships Favour and Incouragement is the sole Azyle to which I shall have Recourse with which if I am honoured I shall not value the severe Scrutinies of of the nice Critick nor the Opprobrious Censure of the Sedate Phanatick whilst I think it my Duty to write my self My Lord Your Lordships most humble and devoted Servant R. H. Loves Empire Or The GALLANTRIES Of the FRENCH COURT NOtwithstanding that in the Reign of Lewis the Fourteenth the War had continued above Twenty years yet it did not hinder Love from causing some Amourous Intrigues but as the Court was only filled with old insensible Gentlemen and young Sparks bred up in Armies and whom that Profession had rendred Brutal most of the Ladies were become less modest than formerly and seeing they should have languished in Idleness if they had not made Advances or at least if they had been Cruel a great many grew tender hearted and some very Confident Of this last Tribe was Madam d' Olonne She had a round Face a pretty Nose a little Mouth fine sparkling Eyes and delicate Features yet smiling which embelishes most people had in her a quite contrary effect her Hair was a bright brown her Complexion admirable her Neck Hands and Arms were well made her shape was not to be commended nor would she have been thought Charming had it not been for her Face This much her Flatterers say That when she first appeared at Court she had a handsome Body which is the usual plea of those who would excuse Women who are too Corpulent However this Lady was too sincere in this case to leave people in an Errour for every one that had a mind might be informed of the contrary and it was not her fault she did not undeceive all the World Madam d' Olonne had a quick and pleasant Wit when she was free yet she was something false inconstant bold malicious loved pleasures even to Debauch and there was excess in her least Divertisements Her Beauty rather than her Estate which was but small obliged the Count d' Olonne to endeavour the making her his Wife Which he quickly effected for being a Person of Quality and having a great Estate he was agreeably received by Madam de la Louppe her Mother and had not the leisure to sigh for Charms which for two years had inflamed the desires of all the Court This Match being consummated those Lovers withdrew who pretended to Marriage and others came who only aimed at being beloved One of the first who offered himself was Beuvron whom the Neighbourhood of Madam d' Olonne gave the more conveniency of seeing and by this means loved her a pretty while without being discovered and I fancy this Amour would have still been concealed if Beuvron had never had Rivals But the Duke of Candale being fallen in love with Madam d' Olonne quickly perceived what had thitherto remained concealed for want of interessed People Not but that d' Olonne loved his Wife extreamly but Husbands are stupid and so are never Lovers and the jealousie of these is much more piercing than that of the others So that the Duke of Candale saw things that d' Olonne did not and never has seen for he is still ignorant that Beuvron has had an Intrigue with his Wife Beuvron had black Eys a handsom Nose a little Mouth a long Face very black long and thick Hair a fine Shape and Wit enough He was not one of those who talk all in Company but was a Man of good sense and honour tho he had naturally an aversion for War so that being fallen in love with Madam d' Olonne he sought for an opportunity to discover to her his Passion Their Neighbourhood at Paris gave him occasions enough but her Inconstancy made him apprehend an Intrigue with her At length happening one day to meet with her without other Company If I only designed Madam said he to her to let you know that I love you words would be altogether unnecessary my cares and my looks have told you sufficiently what effect your Charms have had upon me But Madam as I expect you should one day make returns to my flames it is requisite that I discover 'em and assure you at the same time that whether you love me or not I am resolved to be your Votary as long as I live Beuvron having ceased speaking Sir answered Madam d' Olonne This is not
the first time I perceived you loved me and tho you did not acquaint me with it I did not fail to think my self obliged to you for all you have done for me since the first moment you saw me and this ought to be my Excuse when I confess I love you Therefore do not esteem me the less having long understood your sighs and tho I should be something blamed for my little resistance it would be a mark of the force of your merit rather than of my easiness It is easie to imagine that after this Confession it was not long before the Lady delivered up her Fort to her Gallant This Intrigue lasted four or five Months without disturbance to either Party but at length the Beauty of Madam d' Olonne was too much talked of and that Conquest promised too much Glory in appearance to him who should make it for Beuvron to be at rest The Duke of Candale who was the handsomest man of the Court fancied that nothing was wanting to his Reputation but the being beloved by the most beautiful Woman of the Kingdom Wherefore he took a Resolution at the Army three Months after the Campaigne to be in love with her assoon he should see her and made appear by a great Passion he had afterwards for her that Love is not always the work of Heaven and of Fortune The Duke of Candale had blew Eyes a handsome Nose irregular Features a great and disagreeable Mouth but very fine Teeth light yellowish Hair both long and thick his Shape was admirable and he dressed so well that the greatest Sparks endeavoured to imitate him he had the air of a Person of great Quality he held one of the first Ranks in France was Duke and Peer Governour of Burgundy joyntly with his Father and sole Governour of Auvergne and Colonel General of the French Infantry His Genius was mean but in his first Amours falling into the hands of a Lady who had an infinite deal of Wit and as they had loved one another extreamly she had taken so much care to polish him and he to please that fair One that Art had surpassed Nature and he was a much better bred man than a thousand others who have more sense than he Insomuch that being returned from Catalonia where he had commanded the Army under the Prince of Conty he begun by a thousand eagernesses to acquaint Madam d' Olonne with the love he had for her thinking she had never had an Amourous Intrigue But seeing she made no returns to his Passion he resolved to acquaint her with it after such a manner as that she might not seem to be ignorant of it but as he had a kind of bashful respect for all Women he chose rather to write than speak to Madam d' Olonne and his Letter was in these terms I Am grieved Madam that all Delarations of Love are alike and that there is sometimes so much differences in Sentiments I am very sensible that I love you more than all the World is used to love and yet I cannot express it otherwise then is done by all the World Wherefore do not take notice of my words that are weak and may be deceitful but be pleased to make reflexion on my Conduct towards you and if you find that to continue it with the same force I must needs be deeply struck yield to these testimonies and be assured that since I love you so much not being beloved by you I shall adore you when you oblige me to have acknowledgment Madam d' Olonne having read this Letter made this Answer IF any thing hinders you from being believed when you talk of Love it is not that it is importunate but that you tell it too well Great Passions are usually more disordered and me thinks you write like a very witty Man who is not in love but would fain be thought so and since it seems so to me who am infinitely desirous that what you say were true judge what People would imagine to whom your Passion should be indifferent they would presently think you had a mind to railly For my part I 'le never make a rash judgment but will accept the Offer you make me and am willing to judge by your Conduct of the Sentiments you have for me This Letter which grateful People would have thought very kind did not seem so to the Duke of Candale As he was very vain he had expected less intricate Favours and this obliged him not to press Madam d' Olonne so much as she was willing he should have done and made her a hard task in spight of her self and the thing had lasted a long time if the Fair One had not gained upon her Modesty to make him so many advances that he fancyed he might make an attack without being exposed to a Repulse The business being done he quickly perceived Beuvron's Commerce Usually a Pretender looks only before him but a Lover well treated looks on the right and on the left and is not long without discovering his Rival Hereupon the Duke complaines His Mistress calls him Caprichious and Tyrant and takes him up so roundly that he asks her pardon for his suspicions and fancies himself too happy in having appeased her This Calm did not long continue Beuvron for his part reproached her to as little purpose as the Duke did and seeing he could not destroy his Rival himself he caused notice to be given under hand to Olonne that his Wife entertained the Duke of Candale for her Galant D' Olonne forbids her to see him that is to say redoubled the Passion of those two Lovers who having the more desire to see one another since it was forbidden found a thousand more convenient oppurtunities than those they had before However Beuvron remaining Master of the field of Battails the Duke of Candale renewed his Complaints against him and used all his endeavours to have him Cashiered but all to no purpose Madam d' Olonne told him that she perceived he only considered his own Interest and that he cared not if he ruined her since that if she should forbid Beuvron to see her her husband and all the world would not doubt but that she made that sacrifice to him Madam d' Olonne did not love Beuvron so much as she did the Duke yet she was not willing however to lose him and as well because One and One make Two as that because Cocquetts fancy they can retaine their Galants better by a little Jealousy than a great Tranquility In the mean time Paget a man pretty well stricken in years meanly born but very rich fell in love with Madam d' Olonne and having discovered that she loved the sport he fancyed that his Money would serve him instead of Merit and founded his greatest hopes upon the sum he resolved to offer her He had access enough to her house to have spoke to her himself if he had durst but he had not the boldness to begin
it true Merille said the Countess that the Duke of Candale was in love with Madam de Castillanne No No Madam said he to her he was two days in Avignon at his return from the Army to refresh himself and there he made two Visits to Madam de Castellanne judge if this can be called Love But Madam added he addressing himself to Madam d' Olonne Who has given you such good Information of all my Master did Alas answered she I only know the publick report but it is so common that this Amour is even said to be partly Cause of his Death And then she fell a crying again more than ever The Countess who only sought to make a Diversion to her Grief asked her if she knew not the Hand of a Superscription of a Letter she shewed her Yes answered Madam d' Olonne it is a Letter from my Steward This must be something very Curious said the Countess I must see what he writes and thereupon opened this Letter LEt my Lady tell you what she will her House is never empty of Normans those Devils would be much better in their Countrey than here I am mad my Lord to see what I see which I do not send you the Particulars of because I hope you will be here very suddenly where you will take order for all your self By these Normans the Steward meant Beuvron and his Brothers Jarry and the Chivalier de Sainct Earemond and the Abbot de Villerceaux who were very assiduous at Madam d' Olonne's House The plainness with which this poor Man sent this News to the Duke of Candale did so move that foolish Woman that after having looked upon the Countess to see how she took it she burst out a laughing the Countess not having so much reason to be afflicted as she had did the like But poor Merille not being able to bear with so unreasonable a Joy redoubled his Fears and went out of the Cabinet in a pet Two or three days after Madam d' Olonne being perfectly comforted the Countess and her other Friends advised her to mourn for her Honours sake her Intrigue with the Duke of Candale having been too publick to make a Mystery of it So that she constrained her self four or five days after which she followed her old Course and that which hastened her laying by her Mask of Mourning was the Carneval which by giving her an opportunity to satisfie her Inclination helped her likewise to content her Husband who had great suspicions of her Correspondence with the Duke of Candale and thought himself very happy in being freed from him Wherefore to make him believe she was no longer concerned she masked herself four or five times with him and being willing to regain entirely his Confidence by a great sincerity she not only confessed to him her love for the Duke not only that she had suffered the Fort to be taken but the particulars of their Enjoyments And as she specified the number He had but little love for you Madam said he insulting the memory of the poor deceased since he performed so seldom with so beautiful a Woman as you are She had left her Bed but a week which she had kept above four by reason of a great hurt she had in her leg when she resolved to mask herself And this desire advanced her Cure more then all the Remedies she had used of a long time So that she went in Masquerade four of five times with her Husband but as these were only little private Masquerades she resolved to have a great and famous One that might be talked of and to that intent she and three more disguised themselves like Capuchins and caused two others of her Friends to be diguised like Nuns The Capuchins were she herself her Husband Jarry and the Abbot de Villerseaux The Nuns were my Lord Crofts an Englishman and the Marquess de Sillery This Troop run into all Companies on Shrove-Tuesday Night The King and Queen his Mother having been informed of this Masquerade were extreamly displeased with Madam d' Olonne and said openly that they would revenge the Injury and Contempt that had been had of Religion in that Occasion Some time after their Majesties were pacified and all these Threatnings ended in their having no more esteem for Madam d' Olonne During all these passages Jeannin peaceably enjoyed his Mistress When she caused the Lottery to be drawn I have already said that of Ten thousand Crowns she had received she had employed but the half at most and the greatest part of this half was distributed to the Capuchins to the Nuns and others of the Cabal The Prince of Marsillac who was young to act the chiefest part upon this Stage had the greatest Lot which was a Silver Cestern Jeannin with all the Favours he received had only a Jewel of very small value The great Rumour that run of the deceit of this Lottery vexed him to see that he was no better treated than the most indifferent He complained to Madam d' Olonne she not thinking fit to acquaint him with her Roguery received his Complaints very ill insomuch that before they parted they both fell to Reproaches the one for his Money the other for her Favours The Conclusion of which was Madam d' Olonne's forbidding him her House and Jeannin told her that he had never obeyed her so willingly as he should do in that Occasion and that this Command would save him both Trouble and Expence In the mean time Beuvron's Commerce with her lasted still whether the Spark was not much in love or that he thought himself happy in having her Favours at any rate he tormented her a little about her Behaviour she also treated as one she made use of when others failed her and her love for him was as little as nothing Shortly after her falling out with Jeannin Marsillac who had Friends who were much brisker than he was himself was advised by them to apply himself to Madam d' Olonne and told him that he was of an Age to make himself talked of that Women procured Esteem as well as War that Madam d' Olonne being one of the greatest Beauties of the Court besides the great Pleasures would likewise be an Honour to him she should love and that it was very glorious to fill the place of the Duke of Candale With all these Reasons they egged on Marillac to make his Visits to Madam d' Olonne but because he was naturally very distrustful of himself his Cabal being also very distrustful of him judged it was not fit he should be left upon his word with her and it was concluded that Sillery should be appointed for his Governour and to assist him upon occasion Marsillac had made great Application to her for two Months for this without having spoke to her of Love otherwise then in general terms He had however told Sillery that it was above six Weeks since he had made an Amarous Declaration to
have care of it above all things and told him that he should judge thereby of the Love he had for her Thereupon they made a thousand Protestations of loving one another all their life-time they agreed of the means of writing and then took leave the one to go to Court the other to the Wells Prince Marsillac went the next day to take his leave of Mademoiselle Cornuelle his good Friend he desired her to perswade his Mistress to be more circumspect in her Carriage than she had yet been Rely upon me for that said this young Lady to him she must be very incorrigible if I do not keep her within bounds Two dayes after Mademoiselle Cornuelle went to Madam d' Olonnes and having prayed her to order her Porter to say she was gone out I am too much your friend Madam said she to her not to speake franckly to you in all that concerns your Carriage and your Reputation you are beautyfull young you are of Quality you have Riches and will you have infinitely Charmed a Prince who loves you extreamly All this ought to 〈◊〉 you happy however you 〈◊〉 not so you know what Reports run of you we have talked of them sometimes together and this being so you are mad you are not 〈◊〉 I do not pretend to consider your weakenesses I am a Woman as well as you and I know by my self the want of our Sex Your Manners are insupportable you love pleasures Madam and I allow them but you take delight to set People a talking and it is that I condemn you for Can you not leave off your Extravagances it is impossible but that you must be in a Rage when you hear of the Reputation you have in the world and Men conceal the love they have for you more out of Shame than Modesty Well my Dear said Madam d' Olonne do you here any thing new does the World renew its Satyr's against me No Madam said Mademoiselle it does only continue them because you still continue to give it new matters I know not what I must do then replyed Madam d' Olonne all the Prudence that one can have in love I fancyed I had and that since I have been concerned in loving I never fruitlesly delayed nor spun out any Intrigue well knowing that the greatest Noise is usually made before the business is agreed on and when Lovers act not in Concert together Pret hee tell me exactly my Dear added she what I must do to love well and entertain a Gallantry that shall do me no injury in the world tho it should be suspected For I am resolved to do my Devoir in the future with the utmost Regularity There are so many things to say upon that point said Mademoiselle Cornuelle that I should never have don if I would neglect nothing however I shall tell you the principal as succinctly as possible First you must know Madam that there are three sorts of Women who make love The Debauchées the Cocquets and the honest Mistresses Tho the first are abominable they certainly deserve more compassion than hatred because they are hurryed away by the force of their Temper and that almost an impossible application is required to reforme Nature however if in any encounter we ought to conquer our selves it is in that wherein no less is concerned than our honours or lives As for Cocquets the number being much greater I shall enlarge more upon that point The difference between Debauchées and them is that in the Ill the former commit there is at least sincerity and in what the Cocquets do there is Treachery The Cocquets tell us to excuse themselves when they give ear to the Courtship of all Comers that how honest soever a Woman is she never hates a person who tells her he loves her But one may answer them that distinctions are to be made either that Lover addresses himself to a Woman who will be either honest for her self or for a Lover allow that she cannot hate a Man for the Sentiments he had for her yet this will not hinder her from being carefull of not having so much Complaisance for him as for another who had never declared any thing to her for fear she should thereby entertain his hopes and that at length it might make a noise and be injurious to the reputation she would preserve If the Woman be prepossessed that the Man declares love to her she will have the same precautions as the other to hinder it from continuing but if he persists I maintain that she shall hate him as much as she shall love her true Gallant it being natural to hate the Enemies of the person we love because love will not allow love to be importunate and because that a Lover well treated may suspect that a Passion that continues in his Rival is atleast nourished by some hopes an honest Mistress considers his Rival as her mortal Enemy who maks her run the risque of losing her Lover whom she loves more than her life This being plain you must likewise know that there are several sorts of Cocquets some take a pride in being beloved by a great many People without ever loving any of them and do not perceive that it is the advances themselves make which invite men and which retain them rather than merit Besides as it is not possible they should dispose their Favours so equally but that some one will seem better treated than others and there being some who will not content themselves with equality but pretend to preference This gives jealousy to the Malecontents and makes them say in quitting them all nay more than they know There are other Cocquets who manage several Lovers that they may save the real one in the multitude and cause it to be said they have no amorous Intrigue since they treat equally all those who visit them but the best luck that can happen to them is to have the truth discovered or at least it is better than by believing they love no Body every one sancies they love All. There are others who by managing several Gallants would fain perswade that if they should love any one of them they should hazard the vexing him In the mean time they vex and lose him by these means For to imagine that it is in the absence of their true Lover that they make love he will know nothing of it or if it is in his presence by acting in concert together he will easily see that is nothing since he is taken for a Witness of what is done or at all hazards if he is troubled their Caressing him and their Promises to do so no more will oblige him to be satisfied All this is very subject to caution a Lover is not long deceived and if he does not discover it to day he will discover it to Morrow And crying 't is well adieu my Dear I find no longer pleasure here And tho his Passion should be so strong that he could not get rid
of it the reproaches and noise he would make would occasion more vexation to the Cocquet Mistress than all those managements could have procured her Pleasure There are Cocquets who fancy they have so ill a repute in the World that they dare not be cruel and rigorous to any man for fear it should pass for a Sacrifice to some other and never think that it would be better for their Honour that they were convicted of Sacrifice This is Madam the Course the Coquets take I must let you see that of honest Mistresses As for them they are either satisfied with their Lovers or they are not If they are not they endeavour to reduce them to their Devoir by a tender and civil Carriage If this cannot absolutely be they break off without noise upon a pretext of Devotion or the Jealousie of a Husband after having got from them if they can their Letters and all that could Convict them And above all things they so contrive it that their Lovers do not fancy they abandom them for others If they are satisfied with their Lovers they love them with all their hearts they are continually telling it them and they write them the kindest Letters they can But as this does not prove their love because Coquets say as much or more every day their Actions and their Carriage does sufficiently justifie the meaning of their Hearts because there is only that insallible We can indeed say We love tho we do not but we cannot seem kind to any one long without having an affection for him An honest Mistress is more afraid of giving Jealousie to her Gallant than of Death and when she sees him alarmed with any Suspicion that the obstinacy of his Rival might give him she does not content herself with the testimony of her Conscience she redoubles her Cares and Caresses for him and her rigours for the other she does not defer the extreamest Severity till another time fancying she could never be soon enough rid of an importunate Person She knows that as many Moments as she defers the chacing away this Rival she should give as many stabs in his Heart she is in love with She knows that as soon as her Lover begins to have Suspicious the least care she should take to remove them would preserve in him the esteem and love he has for her whereas if she neglected to satisfie and cure him he would come again to have so little Confidence in her that she should not be able to recover his good Opinion tho she even offered him to lose her Reputation for his sake She knows that a Lover would ever believe that it would be the fear she was in of him had forced those Sacrifices from her that at another time he would have took for great Marks of love She knows that in the Woman a Man confides in all is excused and that nothing is pardoned in her that is distrusted She knows that at length a Man comes to be fatigued with the trouble a Mistress gives him and the reproaches that he has made her after having pardoned her a thousand considerable Faults that he breaks off upon a Trifle the measures being plain and he not able to suffer any longer so much vexation There are Women who love their Gallants extreamly and yet make them jealous by their ill carriage and this proceeds from their slattering themselves too much with the assurance they have of their good Intentions and for that they do not sufficiently quash the hopes of those men who make Court to them or who only seem to love them by their Cares and their Assiduities and they are ignorant that the Civilities of a Woman one loves are such Favours as all Lovers flatter themselves with sometimes because they have Merit or often because they think they have so Sometimes because they have no good Opinion of the Persons they make their Addresses to and who fancy that the resistance that they make is only to set a greater value upon themselves Insomuch that if a Woman who has never given occasion to be talked of is still very jealous of her Reputation she ought to take care as I have already said not to entertain in any manner the hopes of all that has the Air of a Lover and if it is a Woman who has not thitherto been careful enough of her Carriage but designs to be so for the future which is your case Madam it is requisite that she be more rude than another and especially that she be impartial in her Severity for the least favour she shall let herself loose to does more reingage a Lover than a thousand Refusals does disgust him An honest Mistress has so much sincerity for her Lover that rather than fail to tell him things of consequence she tells him even what are trifles Well knowing that if he came to be informed by other means of certain indifferent things that are rendred Criminal at their being told again it would have the worst effect imaginable She keeps no Measures with him in point of Confidence she tells him not only her own secrets but even those she knew before or what she learns elsewhere every day She calls those people ridiculous Who say that being Mistress of anothers Secrets we ought not to tell it our Lovers She answers to that that if they still love us they will never say any thing of it And if they happen to abandon us we should have much more to lose than our Friends secret but she fancies we ought never to consider them as such as will one day leave off loving us and that otherwise we should be Fools to grant them Favours In a word her Maxim is That who gives her heart has nothing more to manage she knows that there are only two Encounters that can dispence her from telling all to her Lover the one if he was indiscreet and the other if he had any Gallantry before hers For it would be imprudence in her to speak to him in that case at least without he pressed her extreamly and then it would be he himself that occasioned his own Vexation Finally an honest Mistress believes that what justifies her Love even with the most severe Men is when she is deeply smitten when she takes pleasure in making it appear to her Lover when she surprizes him by a thousand little favours that he did not expect when she has no reserve for him when she applies herself to procure him esteem amongst all People and that in a word she makes of her Passion the greatest business of her Life Without this Madam she holds Love for a Debauche and that it is a Brutal Commerce and a Trade by which ruined Women subsist Mademoiselle de Cornuelle having left off speaking Good God! said Madam d' Olonne what fine things have you now said but how difficult are they to be put in practice I even find therein some injustice for in a word since we even deceive
excess of grief had altered in that poor despairing fair One and was so earnest with her to grant him Enjoyment that the fear she had had of her Husband had hindred her from allowing him during his life that she made an Assignation with him on the day of his Burial Bordeaux one of her Women who sancied that the Duke's death would ruin the Fortune of Ricoux who sought her in Marriage was under a real Affliction insomuch that when she saw the Duke of Nemours upon the point of receiving the least Favours from her Mistress on a day that the most dissolute constrain themselves the horrour of this action redoubled her grief and without going out of the Chamber she disturbed the pleasure of those Lovers by her sighs and by her tears The Duke well-seeing that if he did not appease this Woman he should not have for the future in his Amour all the sweetness that he wished for took care to comfort her at his going out and told her that he was sensible of the loss she had of the Duke but that he would be a Friend to her and take care of her Fortune as the deceased had done and that she should find as much good will in him as she had done in the other and perhaps more power and that till he could do something considerable for her he desired her to receive Four thousand Crowns that he would send her on the morrow These words had so much virtue that Bordeaux wiped away her tears and promised the Duke to enteresse herself for him as long as she lived and told him that her Mistress had all the reason in the World not to spare any thing for the giving him marks of her Love On the Morrow Bordeaux had the Four thousand Crowns which the Duke had promised her and since that time she served him preferably to all those who would not give her so much The Peace being made in the beginning of the Spring the Court returned to Paris The Prince who had newly freed the Cardinal out of a dangerous business sold him his Services at a very dear rate that he had done him in that War The Cardinal was not only unable to perform what he daily demanded of him but was not able to support the Insolence with which he demanded Favours The Government of Pont de Letreht that the Prince had forced from him for his Brother in Law the Duke of Longueville contrary to the intention of the Court and the boldness with which he had exacted from the Queen that she should see Gersé after the confidence he had had to write an Amorous Ticket to her Majesty made the Cardinal at length resolve to free himself from the tyranny he was under under pretext of revenging the Contempt that was had of the Royal Authority he communicated this Design to the Duke of Orleans who remembred his Exempt's broken Staff by the Prince and who for that and the jealousie of his great Merit had reasons to hate him and the Cardinal letting him know that Riviere who governed him was the Prince's Pensioner he made him give his word that he would conceal this Affair from his Favourite The Prince of Condé the Prince of Conty and the Duke of Longueville their Brother in Law were took into Custody in the Palace where the King then lodged In the mean time Monsieur Thurenne who for the Engagements he had with the Prince of Condé had reason to fear being taken and who besides was enraged against the Court for the Principality of Sedan which his Family was deprived of withdrew to Sthney where Madam de Longueville arrived presently after and the Prince's Officers cast themselves into Bellegarde Madam de Chastillon applyed herself to the Princess Dowager and engaged the Duke of Nemours her Lover in her Interests Sometime after that the Princes were in Prison The Princess Dowager had leave to go stay at her Cosins Madam de Chastillon's A Priest called Cambiac who had introduced himself to Madam de Bouteville's by the means of Madam Brienne was sent to Madam de Chastillon by her Mother he had not been there long but that he governed her insomuch that he interposed between her and the Duke of Nemours This Commerce giving him occasion of having great Familiarities with Madam de Chastillon he fell in love with her and to that degree as to saint away as he was saying Mass The Princess Dowager falling into that fit of Sickness which she died of Cambiac who had acquired great Credit with her employed it in favour of Madam de Chastillon He procured her a hundred thousand Crowns worth of Jewels and the Lordship of Marlou for her life which was worth two thousand pounds a year The Duke of Nemours whom the cares of Cambiac for Madam de Chastillon had something alarm'd was quite jealous at the News of the Princesses Will. He did not believe that it was easie to resist such considerable Service and though he could not blame his Mistress for having received them he was enraged that she was obliged for them to a Man whom he considered as his Rival And he was not mistaken for what Cambiac had done had cost that fair One Favours for though she loved the Duke of Nemours best she loved Riches best of all However as she had no longer occasion for Cambiac after the Princesses death it was not difficult for her to set her Lovers mind at rest by turning off that poor Priest The Coadjutour of Paris and Madam de Chevreuse who had been in the Plot of seizing the Princess finding that the Cardinal became too insolent caused the Duke of Orleans to take it into consideration and represented to him that if he contributed to the Liberty of the Princess he would not only be reconciled with them but would engage them altogether in his Interests besides the design of weakning the Cardinal's Authority which gave ombrage to the Party called la Fronde every one had still his particular Interest Madam de Chevreuse would have had the Prince of Conty for whom the Court had demanded a Cardinals Cap at Rome to have married her Daughter and the Coadjutour would be subrogated to the nomination of the Prince It was upon this promise that the Princess of Condé and Conty gave under their hands to Madam de Chevreuse that she and the Coadjutour endeavoured to free them out of Prison The thing having succeeded as they had projected and the Cardinal himself having been constrained to leave France the Prince had no moderation in his new Prosperity and this obliged the Court to entertain new Designes upon his Person He withdrew immediately to his House at Saint Maure and sometime after to Monrond and from thence to his Government of Guyenne The Duke of Nemours followed him and Madam de Longueville who was with her Brother being taken with his Merit had so much Complaisance for him that this Prince tho very much in love elsewhere could
not resist her but yielded through the weakness of the Flesh rather than the inclination of the heart The Duke of Rochefoucault who had been for three years the beloved Gallant of Madam de Longueville saw the Infidelity of his Mistress with all the rage that can be had in such like Occasions But she being full of a great Passion for the Duke of Nemours was not at all careful to please her ancient Lover The first time that she saw the Duke of Nemours in private she asked him in the most passionate moment of the Assignation what had passed between him and Madam de Chastillon The Duke having answered her that he had not had any Favour Ah! I am undone said she to him since in the Posture we are in at present you have the power to conceal the truth This Commerce did not last long and the Duke of Nemours not being able to force himself to pretend love where he had none and you may imagine that the Princess who was nasty and had an ill smell with her could not conceal her ill Qualities from a Man who was infinitely in love elsewhere These Disgusts did likewise further the Journey that the Duke of Nemours was to make into Flanders to bring a Succour of Strangers to the Princes Party But the real cause of his impatience was to see Madam de Chastillon again whom he ever loved more than his life whereupon he passed through Paris where he saw her again and put her into that wretched Condition that may be called the Shipwrack of Widows When she perceived her misfortune she sought for the means to be freed from it Des Fougerets a famous Physician undertook this Cure and while he had her in hand the Prince of Condé returned from Guyenne to Paris and brought la Rochefoucault with him The Prince had lively Eyes a Hawks and sharp Nose hollow lean Cheeks a long Face and the Physiognomy of an Eagle frizled Hair his Teeth were ill set and nasty a careless Aire had but little care of his Person but was well shaped his Wit had a great deal of flame but was not exact he laughed much and disagreably his Genius was admirable for War and particularly for Battails On the day of Battail he was mild to Friends and fierce to Enemies He had an unparallel'd neatness of Wit force of Judgment and easiness of Expression he was Roguishly inclined but had Faith and Probity in great Occasions He was naturally insolent and without regard but Adversity had taught him how to live This Prince finding himself disposed to fall in love with the Dutchess La Rochefoucault helped still to inflame him by the great desire he had of being revenged on the Duke of Nemours Rochfoucault perswaded him to give her the Propriety of Marlou which she had only the usu-fruit of telling him that Madam de Chastillon was younger than he and that this Present would only injure his Posterity and that a Lordship of two thousand pounds a year more or less would neither render him richer nor poorer When the Prince fell in love with Madam de Chastillon she was in the hands of Des Fougorests who made use of Vomits to free her of those ill Circumstances The Prince who was continually at her Bed-side asked her what her Sickness was she told him that she believed she was poysoned This Lover being extreamly grieved to see his Mistress in danger of her life told the Apothecary who served her that he would cause him to be hanged This poor man not daring to justifie himself went and told Bordeaux who was married to Ricoux that if he was pressed too much he would tell all In short the Remedies had the effect that they had promised themselves And shortly after this Cure the Prince having given her Marlou Madam de Chastillon was not ungrateful but she only gave him the usu-fruit of what the Duke of Nemours had the Propriety However Rochefoucault took full Vengeance of the Duke of Nemours and gave him displeasures by so much the more cutting that he had not the power to cure himself of his Passion as Rochefoucault had done of that he had had for Madam de Longueville Besides Rochefoucault Vinevil was likewise the Prince's Confident who in serving him with his Mistress endeavoured likewise to be beloved himself Vinevil was the President d' Ardiers Brother of a pretty good Family in Paris had a pleasing Face much Learning and was a well-bred man His Humour was pleasant and Satyrical tho very fearful this had often brought him into trouble he was undertaking with Women and that made him almost always successful he had had an Intrigue with Madam de Montbazon Madam de Movy and likewise with the Princess of Wittembergh And this last Gallantry had so embroiled him with the late Duke of Chastillon that without the Prince's protection he would have suffered some Violences and Chastillons hatred for him had sufficiently disposed his Wife to love him But let us leave Vinevil for sometime and return to the Duke of Nemours His Jealousie so transported him that having one day found the Prince at Madam de Chastillon's whispering with her he all scratched his hands without perceiving what he did and it was one of his Servants who made him take notice of the Condition he had put himself in At length not being able to suffer the Prince's Visits to his Mistress he desired her to go for some time to her Country House She loving him extreamly and not thinking that a short absence would cool the Prince's Passion granted him his request and likewise promised him to turn off Bordeaux who had quitted his Interests for to be for those of his Rival Madam de Chastillon was not long in the Country and at her Return the Duke of Nemours was jealous to that degree that he was twenty times upon the point of causing the Prince to draw and he would at length have been overcome with this Temptation had it not been for the Duel he fought with his Brother in Law in which he lost his Life Madam de Chastillon who of twenty Lovers she had favoured in her life time had never loved any so much as the Duke of Nemours was really grieved for his death One of her Friends who brought her the News of it told her at the same time that it was requisite that she should get out of one of Monsieur de Nemours his Valet de Chamber 's hands a Cabinet full of her Letters She sent for him and upon the promise she made him of giving him five hundred Crowns she got the Cabinet from him but the poor Fellow could never get any of the Money As for the Prince what obligation soever he had to the Duke of Nemours jealousie had so disunited them that he was very glad of his death Glory as well as Love had caused so much Emulation between them that they could not bear with one another and this is so true
dance and being returned to her place which was near me It must be confessed said she to me that the King has great Qualities I believe he will obscure the Glories of all his Predecssors I could not forbear laughing in her face and answering her There is no doubt to be made of it Madam after what he had now done for you She was then so satisfied with his Majesty that I saw her upon the point of declaring her acknowledgment by saying God bless the King There are people who only let holy things put bounds to to their friendship and who would do all for their Friends except offending God These people call themselves Friends to the very Altars the friendship of Madam de Sevigny has others Limits that fair one is only a friend as far as the purse There was never any pretty Woman but she in the World that dishonored her self by ingratitude she must needs be much afraid of necessity since to avoid only the shadow of it she is not apprehensive of shame Those who would excuse her say that she has too much regard to the Counsell of people who know what hunger is and who still remember their poverty Whether this humour proceeds from others or from her self nothing is so natural as what appears in her Oeconomy The greatest application that Madam de Sevigny has is to seem what she is not since she has studied that Course she has already learnt to deceive those who had no great acquaintance with her but as there are people who have interessed themselves in her more than others they have unfortunately for her perceived and discovered that all is not Gold that glisters Madam de Sevigny is unequal to the very Balls of her Eyes and to her Eye-lids her Eyes are of different Colours and the Eyes being the mirours of the Soul these irregularities are as a mark that nature gives to those who come near her not to rely much upon her kindness I know not if it is that her Armes are not very handsome that she is not very tender of them or that she does not think it a favour the thing being so general but in short who will may take and kiss them I fancy that it is sufficient to perswade her that there is no ill in it that she belives they take no pleasure in it Nothing but Custome can now constrain her but she will not stick to show it rather than Men well knowing that having made modes when they pleased Civility is no longer included in such narrow Bounds This is my Dear the Picture of Madam de Sevigny her estate which would have been a great help to mine and had belonged to our family obliged my Father to design I should marry her But tho I was so well acquainted with her then as I am at present I did not answer my Fathers design certain loose Courses I saw her take made me apprehensive And I found her the prettyest Creature imaginable to be the Wife of another This sentiment helped me mightily from marrying her But as she was married a short time after me I fell in love with her and the strongest reason that obliged me to make her my Mistress was that which had hindred me from desiring to be her Husband As I was her near Relation I had a very great access to her House and I saw the vexations her husband daily gave her she complained thereof very often to me and desired me to make him ashamed of a thousand ridiculous inclinations he had I served her in this very happily for some time but at length her Husbands nature being too strong for my Counsels after some deliberation it came into my head to be in love with her more through the Conveniency of the Coniuncture than through the force of my inclination Insomuch that Sevigny having one day told me that he had passed the Night before the most agreable imaginably not only as to himself but the Lady with whom he had spent it You may believe added he that it was not with your Cosin it was with Ninon So much the worse for you said I to him my Cosin is a thousand times a finer Woman than she and I am sure if she was not your Wife you would make her your Mistress All this may be answered he I had no sooner left him then that I went to give him an account of all to Madam de Sevigny This is a fine thing to brag of said she to me blushing for vexation Do not you seem to know any thing of it answered I for you see the Consequence I think you are a fool replyed she to give me that advice or that you take me for one You would certainly be so Madam replyed I if you do not pay him in his own Coin or if you should tell him again what I have told you Take revenge my fair Cosin I will go halves with you in your Vengeance for in short your Interests are as dear to me as my own Hold good my Lord said she to me I am not so vexed as you imagine Having met with Sevigny the next day at the Court he came to me into my Coach as soon as he was in I fancy said he to me that you told your Cosin what I yesterday acquainted you with of Ninon because she has hinted something of it to me I replyed I I have not spoke to her but as she has a great deal of Wit she has said to me so many things upon the point of jealousie that she sometimes hits at the truth Sevigny being satisfied with so good a reason fell to discourse of his good fortune with the Ladies and after having told me of a thousand advantages that there was in being in love he concluded with telling me that he was resolved to be so as long as he lived and likewise that he was so at that time with Ninon as deeply as it was possible for a man to be that he was going to spend the Night at Saint Clouds with her and with Vassé who gave them a Feast and which they laughed at together I repeated to him what I had told him a thousand times that tho his Wife was discreet he might at length by the continuation of his actions so provoke her that some welbred Man coming to fall in love with in the time he played her such pranks she might perhaps seek for in the sweets of Love and in Vengeance what she would not have thought of in love alone and thereupon being parted I went home and wrote this Letter to his Wife I Had reason yesterday Madam to distrust your imprudence you told your Husband what I said to you you may easily perceive that it is not for my own interests that I make you this reproach for all that can happen to me is to lose his Friendship and you have Madam much more to fear I have however been so happy as to undeceive him moreover Madam he
have made of this business the most agreable Intrigue imaginable but he was lodged as I have told you and only loved by starts he did enough to heat his Mistress and too little to engage her When I told that fair One that he loved her extreamly because that Feuillade had desired me before her to speak for him in his absence she drolled upon me and made me observe some parts of his procedure which destroyed the good Offices I would have done him I did not fail to excuse him not being able to save his Conduct I justified at least his intentions We were much upon these terms Darcy and I with the Ladies of Precy and L' Isle that is to say they were willing that we should love them but indeed we did our Devoir better with them than Feuillade did with Madam de Monglas in short three Months being spent during which that fair One found herself more engaged by the things I had said to her in favour of Feuillade than by the love he had shown her this Lover was forced to go serve in the Army with a Regiment of Foot he had This Farewel made her sensible that she had something more kindness in her heart for la Feuillade then she had thitherto beleived She let him perceive something of it but tho it was enough to render a welbred Man happy it could not shock the severest Vertue Feuillade at parting made her a thousand Protestations of loving her as long as he lived tho she should even continue ever obstinately resolved not to make any returns to his Passion and he and I pressed her so much to give him leave to write to her that she gave her consent Sometime before his departure perceiving that the Commerce I had had for my Friend with his Mistress had the more touched my heart for her in making me the better acquainted with her and that the efforts I had made to love Madam de Precy had not cured me of my budding Passion for Madam de Mongl as I resolved not to see her so often that I might not be divided between Honour and Self-love As long as Feuillade was at Paris his Mistress did not take notice that I did not visit her so often as I used to do but when he was gone she perceived a Change in my way of living and this put her in pain thinking that my retreat was a sign of Feuillade's being become indifferent and of whom likewise she had not had any tidings since his departure Some days after having sent to desire me to come to her What have I done to you my Lord said she to me that I see you no oftner has our Friendship any share in your absence No Madam said I to her it only respects my self How said she have I given you any reason to Complain No Madam replyed I I can only complain of Fortune The disorder with which I said this obliged her to press me to tell her more How added she do you conceal your Affairs from me whom I let see all I have in my heart if it be so I should complain of you Ah! how pressing are you answered I her is it discretion to force a Secret from ones Friend ought not you to believe that I should not tell you mine since I do not tell it you in the Circumstances I am in with you or rather ought not you to divine it Madam since Ah! do not proceed interrupted she I am afraid to understand you I am afraid of having reason to be angry and of losing the esteem I have for you No no Madam said I to her be not afraid I am under those Circumstances you are not willing I should be and yet I shall not be wanting in my Devoir but since we are come so far I will tell you all the rest As soon as I saw you Madam I found you very amiable and every time I saw you afterwards I thought you more beautiful than the time before however I was not yet sensible of any thing so pressing as to oblige me to follow you up and down but I was very much pleased when I met with you The first thing which made me perceive that I was in love with you Madam was the trouble your absence gave me and as I was upon the point of abandoning my self to my Passion and of thinking of the means of making it known to you Darcy Feuillade and I drew lots whom we should each of us make our address to of you Madam de Precy and Madam de L'Isle tho what my heart was sensible of for you Madam was yet very weak I should not have left to chance a thing of that Consequence if I had not been thitherto very lucky but in short my Fortune changed in that occasion for you fell to Feuillade 's share and I should have gained more by having lost all my life time than in that unhappy moment all my Comfort was as I have said that the application that I was going to make to Madam de Precy whom I had formerly loved would root out of my heart what was budding there but all to no purpose Madam you may judge that the Commerce that the interest of my Friend obliged me to have with you giving me the opportunity of knowing you more particularly and of observing in you admirable principles for Love I could not get rid of a Passion which your Beauty alone had produced when Feuillade desired me to serve him I felt something beyond the joy we have usually in serving our Friends and I quickly perceived afterwards that without designing to betray him I was overjoyed with being concerned in his Affairs to have only the pleasure of seeing you more nearly but at length it put me into terrible pains this Madam has obliged me to see you less frequently and tho you did not take notice of it but since Feuillade 's departure it is above a fortnight since I retrenched my Visits Not but that you must have observed Madam that I have served my Friend as I would have served my self I have sometimes justified him when he was apparently Culpable and I might if I had had a mind have ruined him with you without seeming unfaithful leaving it to be done by the resentment of a thousand Faults which you pretended he committed against the Love he shewed you But I confess that my Duty makes me suffer extreamly in seeing you and were I out of your sight it would spare me a great many efforts I make upon you my self besides Madam I would never have told you the reasons of my retreat if you had not asked me them Nothing can be more civil my Lord Madam de Monglas replyed to me than what you now do but you ought to compleat your Duty and send your Friend an account of all things that he may not be surprized when he shall learn perhaps by other means that you hardly ever see me and that he may not
a discourse which might be of ill consequence if it was not kindly received so that he thought the best course would be to write to her which he did in these termes I Have often in my life been in Law Madam but I never loved any thing so much as I do you and what makes me think so is that I never gaveth any of my Mistresses above an hundred broad Pieces to purchase the Fruition of them but to enjoy you I am willing to exceed to two Thousand Think of it I beseech you Madam and be mindful that Mony was never so scarce as it is at present Quentine Madam d' Olonne's Waiting-woman and Confident delivered her this Letter from Paget and immediately after this Faire One made him he Answer that follows I Had already perceived you had a great deal of Wit by the conversation I had with you but I knew not that you could write so well as you do I never saw any thing so pretty as your Letter I should be overioyed if I might but receive often such and in the mean time shall be very glad to discourse you this Evening at six a Clock Paget did not fail to be at the Assignation and went thither in a Habit that is to say with his Bag and the appurtenances Quintine having introduced him into her Mistrisses Closet left them together See here Madam said he to her shewing what he brought this is what is not daily met with will you receive it I am willing said Madam d' Olonne and it will help to amuse us Whereupon having counted the two Thousand broad Pieces they had agreed for she shut them up in a little Trunk and placing her self by them upon a little Couch which did not last her long Sir said she to him there is not a Man in France wrights like you what I am going to say is not to shew my self a Critick but it is certain that I find but few people that have so much Wit as you have Most men entertain us only with Fopperies and when they would write to us kind Letters they think they have done Miracles in telling us that they adore us that they shall dye if we do not Love them and that if we will be so gracious to them they will serve us as long as they live we have much need indeed of their Services I am overioyed said Paget that my Letters please you I should not say this elsewhere but to you Madam I shall not mince the matter my Letters cost me nothing This is hard to be beleived answered she you must then have a very great Stock After some other Discourses which Love interrupted two or thre times they agreed of an other Interview and at that of another Insomuch that those two thousand Broad Pieces procured Paget three Assignations But Madam d' Olonne being willing to make advantage of the Love of this Citizen and of his Riches desired him at the fourth Visit to begin again to write to her such Letters of Gallantry as that she had received from him But he seeing that this would come to be of Consequence he fell to reproaching her which did him no good and all that he could obtain was that he should not be drove from her House and that he might come and play when she should send for him Madam d' Olonne fancied that by letting Paget see her she should inflame his desires and that perhaps he would be again so simple as to satisfie them at any rate but tho he was so much in love as not to be able to forbear seeing her yet he was not charmed to the degree of buying her Favours daily Things being in these terms whether spight made Paget blab or that his frequent Visits and the Money that Madam d' Olonne had played away caused the Duke of Candale to make reflexions he desired his Mistress when he departed for Catalonia not to see Paget any more whose Commerce was injurious to her Reputation which she promised him but did not keep her word Insomuch that the Duke being informed by those who sent him News from Paris that Paget went oftner then ever to Madam d'Olonnes House he wrote to her this Letter WHen I took my leave I desired you Madam not to see that Rogue Paget any more and yet he is ever at your Elbow are not you ashamed to give me reason to be Jealous of a wretched Citizen who could never be feared were it not that you your self did make him Confident If you do not Blush Madam I blush for you and my self and for fear of meriting that Scandal you would heap upon me I shall make an Effort upon my love to consider you only as an infamous Woman Madam d'Olonne was much surprized to receive so rude a Letter but as her Conscience reproached yet more sharply then her Lover she did not seek reasons for her excuse and contented herself with answering in these termes MY Conduct hitherto is so ridiculous my Dear that I should despair of being ever loved by you if I could not redeem my Credit by the Assurances I give you of a more honest civil Carriage in the future but I swear by you your self which is what I have most dear in the world that Paget shall never enter my House and that Beuvron whom my Husband forces me to see shall see me so seldome that you shall know that you alone are in stead of all things to me The Duke of Candale was so fully assured by this Letter that he resolved not to condemn his Mistris any more upon appearances which he judged to be all deceitful And for having been as he thought without reason suspicious he fell into the other extremity of Confidence and took in good part all the Cocquetry and Infidelity that Madam d'Olonne committed for six Months together for she continued to see Paget and to give Favours to Beuvron and tho the Duke of Candale had notice given him of it from several parts he fancied that it proceeded from his Father or his Frinds who were desirous to divert him from loving Madam d'Olonne believing that this Passion would hinder him from thinking of Marrying So that he returned from the Army more in love than he had ever been Madam d' Olonne likewise with whom so long an absence made the Duke of Candale passe for a new Galant redoubled her eagerness for him even in the sight of all the Court this Lover took the Imprudences she committed to see him for marks of a passion she was no longer Mistriss of tho they were only Testimonies of the natural Irregularity of her reason when she did any Passionate act that made a Noise he thought her deeply in love and yet she was only silly And he was so perswaded of the kindness she had for him that tho he should dye for her sake he apprehended he should be still ungrateful It is easy to imagine that the Carriage of these Lovers
made a great Noise they had both of them Enemies but the Fortune of the One and the Beauty of the Other made-a great many envy them tho all the world would have served them they would have destroyed all by their Imprudence and all the world would have done them hurt They made Assignations every where without having taken any measures with any Body They saw One another often in a house that the Duke of Candale kept in the name of a Country Lady whom Madam d' Olonne pretended to visit most commonly by night at her own House all these Rendevouzes did not take up all the time of this perfidious One for when the Duke left her she went to the conquest of some new Lover or at least to reassume Beuvron by a thousand kindnesses for the fears the Duke gave him The Winter passed thus without the Duke of Candales suspecting the least ill in all she did and he left her to return to the Army as well satisfied as he had ever been he had not been there two Months but that he learnt news which troubled his joy His particular friends who took strict notice of his Mistresses Conduct did not dare to say any thing to him as long as they found him prepossessed by that faithless One but something very extraordinary having happened since his absence and not fearing a sight of her should destroy the impressions they would give him they altogether hazarded without making appear any design or concert to acquaint him with her behaviour Whereupon they each of them singly sent him word that Ieannin was deeply engaged with Madam d' Olonne that his assiduities gave cause to believe not only a design but a happy success and in a word that tho she were not culpable he ought not to be satisfied with her seeing she was suspected by all People But while these News are going to put the Duke of Candale in a rage it is fit I should speak of the birth progress and ends Jeannin's Passion Jeannin de Castille was well shaped had a pleasing Countenance was very spruce but had little Wit his Quality and Profession were the same that Pagets and was very rich as well as he He was handsome enough to have it believed that in case he had worn a Sword his Merit alone might have procured him the Ladies Favours but his Profession and his Riches made it suspected that all the Women he had had Intrigues with were interessed insomuch that when he was seen to be in love with Madam d' Olonne it was not doubted but that he would be beloved for his Money The King after having passed the Summers upon the Frontiers usually returned to Paris in the Winters and all the Divertisements of the World possessed his Mind by turns Billiards Tennis Hunting Plays and Dancing had each their times with him At that time Lotteries were so much the mode that every one had them some of Money others of Jewels and Moveables Madam d' Olonne resolved to have One of Money but whereas in the most part of them all the Cash was employed they had received and that Fortune shared it in this which was of Ten thousand Crowns there was not Five employed and those Five too were distributed according as Madam d' Olonne thought fit Jeannin was present when she made the first Proposals of the Lottery and as she asked a Sum of every one according to their Abilities and that she told him he was to give an Hundred pound he made Answer That he was willingly and moreover promised her to procure amongst his Friends wherewith to make it up a Thousand Presently after all the Company being gone except Jeannin I know not Madam said he to her whether you are yet acquainted with my Passion for I have loved you a long time and my sighs already mount to a very great sum but after having given my self entirely to you I must needs ask the confirmation of my Bail which I beseech you to sign Madam and observe that besides the Hundred pound you taxed me I give you Nine hundred more for the having your Affection for what I said of my Friends was only to deceive the People that were here when I spoke to you of this Affair I confess Sir answered Madam d' Olonne I never thought you in love till now not but that I have observed by certain Meenes in you what made me suspect some things but I am so disgusted with those kind of ways and sighs and languishings are in my mind so poor a Galantry and such feeble Testimonies of love that if you had not taken a more gentile Course with me you had lost your pains all your life time Now as for Acknowledgment you may believe that People are not far from loving when we are well assured of being beloved There need no more to make Jeannin believe that he was at the Critical Minute He cast himself at Madam d' Olonne's feet and as he would have made use of that Action of Humility for a pretext to higher Enterprizes No said she you are mistaken Sir In what Country have you heard say that Women make Advances When you shall have given me reall marks of a great Passion I shall not be ungrateful Jeannin seeing that with her Money was to be delivered before the Commodity told her That he had two Hundred broad Pieces and that he would give them her if she pleased She consented and having received them If you think fit Madam said he to her to grant me some favour upon the account of this Money you will extreamly oblige me or if you will stay till you have received the whole Sum give me a Note under your Hand of the value received She chose rather to kiss than write and a Moment after Jeannin went away assuring her that he would bring the rest on the morrow which he did not fail to do and the Moment was no sooner counted then that she kept her word with him with all the Honour that can be expected in such a Treaty Tho Jeannin came in through the same Door that Paget did she used him much better whether she hoped to draw greater Advantages from him at length or that he had some concealed Merit that served him instead of Liberality she did not ask him new Proofs of Love for the giving him new Favours The Thousand pounds made her love him three Months together that is to say treated him as if she had loved him In the mean time the Duke of Candale having received Advice of his Mistresses new Intrigues he wrote her this Letter THo you would justifie your self to me of all the things you are Accused of I can no longer love you tho all that is said of you was done only out of Malice All Lovers are usually overjoyed to hear their Mistresses named as for me I tremble as soon as I hear or read your Name I ever fancy in these Occasions that I shall learn
all manner of ill names she there attended me with the greatest violence imaginable For my part without making either Prayers or Complaints knowing what I had deserved I went home in a fury and having put my self to Bed I turned all my choler against the cause of my Disgrace Fury then seiz'd me patience me forsook A Razor in my hand enrag'd I took But my designe I found was all in vain Being the Author of my shameful pain All in a fright and quite froze up with fear Some wrinckles of it only did appear And towards it's Center seem'd to crow'd I thought And thus for refuge in my Belly sought So that not being able to do any thing the rage I was in made me talk to my self much to this purpose Ah! Traytor what hast thou to say infamous part of my self and really shameful Member for it would be very ridiculous to give thee an other name Tell me have I ever obliged thee to use me in this manner and make me receive the cruellest Affronts in the World to make me abuse the favours that are done me and being but two and twenty make me have the infirmities of old Age while that Choler made me speak thus My Eyes towards Heaven I then did ghastly turn My cruel Fate I did lament and mourn I saw that all reproaches were in vain To talk to it to rocks was to complain I spent the Night in mortal Agonies I knew not if I ought to write to Madam d' Olonne or surprise her by an unexpected Visit at lenght after having been a long time considering I chose to do the last at the hazard of finding an obstacle to our pleasures but I was so happy as to find her a lone just as it grew dark She had put her self to Bed as soon as I was gone from her At my Coming into her Chamber I told her Madam I come either to dy at your feet or give you satisfaction I begg you would not be in a rage I know what I have merited Madam d' Olonne who feared as much as I did such an other mischance as those that had happned to me took care not to daunt me with reproaches on the contrary she told me all that might re-establish in me a good opinion of my self which I had almost lost and faith if I was enchanted as I told her two dayes before I break the Charme the third time you may imagine added the Count de Guiche that she called me no ill names at parting as she had done the other times This is the state of our Intrigue which I begg you would seem to be ignorant of Vinevil having promised him he would they parted the Count de Guiche went to the Countess of Fiesque's House to whom amongst other things he said he had no thoughts of Madam d' Olonne This Gallant 's Intrigue had not continued long with his new Mistress when Marsillac discovered it tho he had so little sence and she had taken all imaginable care to deceive him but jealousy that serves in stead of cunning made him discover in her less eagerness for him than was usual Insomuch that having made her some Modest Complaints in the beginning and afterwards more sharp ones seeing at length they did not at all restrain her he resolved to revenge himself at one blow both of his Rival and his Mistress Whereupon he gave his friends Madam d' Olonne's Letters and desired them to show 'em in all Companies Mademoiselle d' Orleans hated the Count de Guiche extreamly He gave her the Letter the Count had written to his Mistress in which he had spoken ill of the Queen and the Duke of Orleans The first thing the Prince did was to show the Duke of Orleans the Count de Guiche's Letter thinking to animate him so much the more against him for that she knew that Prince had had a great kindness for him however that Prince was not in so great a passion as she hoped he would have been and contented himself with telling Pequelain that his Cosin was ungrateful that he had never given him reason to talk of him as he did and that all the resentment he should have of it was to have no longer the same esteem for him he had had but if the Queen knew after what manner he had talked of her she would not certainly have so much moderation as she had The Princess not being well pleased to see his Royall highness so favourable to the Count de Guiche resolved to tell the Queen and having acquainted one of her Confidents with her design the Marshal of Grammont came to hear of it He went and beseeched her not to ruine his son she promised him she would not and kept her word This Princess was haughty and did not easily pardon People who had not for her all the respect her illustrious Birth and extraordinary Merit obliged all the World to but when she was once perswaded they loved her nothing was so good natured as she While that the Marshall and his Friends were endeavouring to stifle the Noise that Marsillac had made with the Count de Guiche's Letter Madam d' Olonne was known to show this for the breaking of a Marriage that made Marsillac's fortune You do not think Madam of the constraint I am in I am sorced to go two or three times a Week to visit Mademoiselle de Rochegayon to talk to her as if I loved her and to this purpose must spend that time I ought only to employ in seeing writing and thinking of you and in what Condition soever I may be it would be a great trouble to me to be obliged to keep company with a Child but now that I live only for your sake you may very well imagine that it is to me the cruellest of Tortures that which makes me take patience in some manner is that I hope to revenge my self on her by marrying her without loving her and after that seeing more nearly the difference there is between you and her I shall love you all my life time yet more if it was possible than I do at present This at first surprized all the World Thitherto indiscreet Gallants had only been found and never Mistresses They could not imagine that a Woman to revenge her self of a Man she no longer loved would help one in that manner to convict herself This indiscretion had not however the effect that Madam d' Olonne had promised herself Monsieur de Liancourt Mademoiselle de la Rochegayon's Father knowing that Madam d' Olonne was desirous to incense him against Marsillac answered those who spoke to him of that Letter That were it not for offending God Marsillac could not do better than apply himself to gain the Heart of so beautyful a Lady as Madam d' Olonne that this was not the first time that Wives were spoke ill of at Mistresses Bed-side But as the passion Men had for her was more violent than that they