been his Son For all my Duties upon the Guard and the occasions upon which I was commanded excepted I was continually by his Bed side lying with my hand in the stateliest Union that can possibly be imagin'd which also was much augmented upon a new accident which I think my self oblig'd to relate X. The Enemy having made another furious Sally came and set fire to our Powder lam'd the Carriages of two pieces of Cannon to which they set fire also and were endeavouring to nail the rest when I was commanded out with a body of threescore men to repel them where I once more thought I should have been scorch'd to death by a Barrel of Powder they gave fire to in their retreat After having beaten them from this Battery I retir'd with the rest of our Regiment which with great vigour beat the Enemy back even into their own Fort though it could not be done without great loss on our part Amongst the Officers that were kill'd in this action there was one very brave man call'd Captain Robert of whose death the King being inform'd he presently thought of the Officer of Champagne to confer the command upon for besides other occasions wherein I had been particularly taken notice of by his Majesty he had heard of the service I had done Monsieur Zamet and the other Prisoners in rescuing them out of the Enemies hands Calling therefore for Monsieur de Puisyeux he told him that he gave me the Company of Captain Robert commanding him to dispatch my Commission and to send it to me before I knew any thing of it Monsieur de Puisyeux who thought himself highly obligâ—d to me for having without speaking to him or his having entreated me preserv'd a Country House of his that was near the Army from being plundred by the Souldiers by putting into it a Gurrd of six Musqueteers was exceeding glad of this opportunity of serving me to the King and therefore taking the liberty to tell him his opinion concerning the choice his Majesty had made he spoke of me to him the most advantageously that he possibly could so much as unknown to me to acknowledge the little service I had endeavoured to do him The Commission therefore was dispatch'd that night and being deliver'd to me in the morning without my having had the least intimation of it I confess I more valued the King's remembring me of his own accord than I did my preferment to the Command tho I did pretty much covet that too not believing that the Lieutenancy of Monsieur Zamet could be conferr'd upon me so soon I went forth with to carry my Commission to Monsieur Zamet who look'd a little coldly upon it and ask'd me if I had rather have the Company than to be his Lieutenant adding withal that he very well knew that in order and pay a Company was worth more but that he believâ—d it was much more advantageous to me to be Lieutenant to a person who was so absolutely my own as he was who assur'd me no less than his goods and fortâ—ne and therefore entreated me to think onâ—t before I accepted the Command To this I made answer that he very well knew that I had already assur'd him that I was entirely his and that accordingly he should be the absolute Master in this affair that as I had hitherto no hand at all in it being meerly oblig'd to the King's bounty who had thought of me of himself and to the kind remembrance of Monsieur de Puisyeux who had dispatch'd the Commission before I had heard a syllable of it I could not better let him see how much I was at his disposal than by bringing him the Commission to do with it as he himself thought fit He then told me that he had a great mind to inform the King of the particulars that past in that Sally of the Enemy I have mention'd before where I restor'd him his liberty and that being there was no one who had had so great a share in it as my self I was able to give a better account than any one of that action and therefore he should be glad I would go wait upon his Majesty in the afternoon and present him a Letter that he would write I did so where after I had presented Monsieur Zamet's Letter and given an account of his health which his Majesty enquir'd after he immediately fell to speaking of the occasion wherein I had rescu'd him out of the Enemies hands commanding me to tell him the whole story which I accordingly did as well as I could I then took my opportunity to return my most humble thanks for the honour his Majesty had done me in remembring me after a manner so much to my advantage and of which I should retain a profound acknowledgment all the days of my life But the King seeing I took no notice of Monsieur Zamet's design said to me But you have not told me all this while that Zamet would have you for his Lieutenant to which I made answer That I was in the first place bound to let his Majesty know my sence of this very particular favour he had been pleas'd to shew me when I least thought of any such thing and as to the other which Monsieur Zamet sollicited in my behalf it was not for me to mention it to his Majesty and that I should seem not to value the favour he had conferr'd upon me as I ought should I at the same time I came to return my thanks for the one make suit for another But since your Majesty said I obliges me to answer to that affair I can assure you that I am ready with great chearfulness to do whatever your Majesty shall please to command whether in accepting or surrendring the Company in the Regiment of Champagne for the Lieutenancy of Monsieur Zamet which I confess to be to me much more considerable and desireable than many Companies by reason of the tender Friendship I am happy in from a person of his merit which is to your Majesty sufficiently known Being then Sir to receive the one or the other from your Majesties hand I with all my heart resign the Commission your Majesty did me the honour to send me with an humble request that your Majesty would be graciously pleas'd to make for me a choice that I protest I know not how to make for my self At the same time I presented my Commission to the King who very much surpriz'd at my complement and the free manner wherewith I had referr'd my self into his hands for the choice of one of these two Commands left me on a sudden to go to the other end of the room where the Constable de Luines was to whom he told all that I had said to him and shewâ—d him the Commission I had return'd into his hands The Constable had not been very well satisfied with me in the beginning of the War by reason of a little occasion wherein I had not manifested
that an occasion presented it self very advantageous for me such as was likely to make my fortune and bring me to the knowledge of the King in doing him a considerable service 'T is believ'd said he to me that you neither want Courage nor Conduct to carry on this affair and it very much concerns you to make it appear that we are not deceived in our choice How well disposed a young man as I was must be when I heard talk of the Kings service and my own fortune I leave every one to judge I return'd Monsieur de Belingan my most humble thanks assuring him that I should never forget the favour he did me in procuring me so advantageous an occasion of making my fortunes assuring him in the mean time that I would faithfully acquit my self of the commands he should please to give me He thereupon acquainted me with the Kings pleasure which was that I should at night post my self Centinel in some part oâ— the Gallery where I could not be seen and from whence I might see him who his Majesty suspected about eleven of the Clock would go into a certain Chamber of the Castle That I should dog him every where till he came back to the Chamber where he lay to the end one might be certain who he was and because he might open and shut several Doors to hinder me from following him he deliver'd me a key that would open them all adding to his Instructions That I should satisfie my self with following him without saying any thing to him but be sure never to lose sight of him till he was return'd into his own Chamber I again assur'd Monsieur de Belingan that he might wholly rely upon me for this affair and that I soon hop'd to give him the satisfaction he desired I went upon that instant to look out the post most proper for my design and having chosen it returnâ—d expecting the hour that I was to go thither which was when the King went into his Bed-chamber where I was told this Gentleman usually was I return'd then about eleven of the Clock into the Gallery and posted my self in an obscure place where I could not be perceiv'd About an hour after I heard my Gentleman come but being there was no light one could not know him I gave him not time to enter into the Chamber whither he was going because I follow'd him and he hearing me turn'd off into another Gallery into which he slipt so softly and so quick that I had very near lost him in the dark This oblig'd me to mend my pace that I might follow him closer and made him doubt that he was dogg'd so that entring into the Stagge Gallery he shut the door after him hoping there to give me a stop But he was very much astonisht to hear the door presently open again behind him and to see himself follow'd as before To disengage himself then from him by whom he was so closely pursu'd he took a hundred turns in the Courts and base Courts and at last whipt on a sudden into the Garden the door of which he clapt hard to thinking by this means to escape from me and to hide himself in some place or other from my sight His design succeeded well enough at first for having convey'd himself into a great and thick Pallisade that cast a great shade and conceald him from the light of the Moon I saw no creature when I came into the Garden I began to fall into great fears and ran up and down the Garden like mad without being able to discover any thing at all but when I was almost in despair and enrag'd at my self that I should let him escape so returning towards the Garden-door and prying into the thickest of the nearest Pallisadoes I there espied him and resolv'd that I might lose him no more to follow him close at the heels He perceiving himself to be thus discoverâ—d in a great rage came out of his corner making as though he would walk a great pace but on a sudden turn'd about saying aloud Ha! this is too much and at the same time made an offer to draw his Sword I stopt and stood my ground without speaking a word as I had been commanded And withal gave him to understand by my posture that I was resolv'd to defend my self if urg'd to it This Lord judging by my countenance that I was not of a humour to suffer my self to be ill us'd took some few turns more in the Garden after which he came into the Gallery again and from thence retir'd into his Chamber at the door of which I remain'd as if upon Duty But I was not long alone in this place for about two hours after midnight Monsieur de Belingan came to seek me out to know what discovery I had made I began to give him a relation of all that had past when the King himself appeared at the end of the Gallery in his Night-gown with a little Lanthorn in his hand We immediately advanc'd towards him when though I had never before had the honour to speak to the King I endeavour'd to give him the best account of my Commission I could and related to him without any confusion all the walks I had had and all the turns and returns that I had caus'd this Lord to make and when I represented to him in downright terms the fury with which he sally'd out from the Pallisade and had made a shew of drawing his Sword the King interrupting me askt But what wouldst thou have done Cadet if he had faln upon thee I should have defended my self Sir said I for your Majesty had commanded me not to speak 't is true but not that I should not defend my self at which his Majesty bursting out a laughing said I believe thou wouldst by what I see in thee After which he would have me more particularly act before him both the posture and action of this Lord which I also attempted to do after the most lively and pleasant manner that I possibly could and that I thought would best please him Which little Farce being ended he told me that he was perfectly satisfied with my service and promis'd me that he would bear it in mind From thenceforward Monsieur de Belingan had a particular affection for me by reason of the manner after which I had receiv'd and executed the proposition he had made to me and that he might have more room to serve me with the King he askt me if I had not had Relations that had done his Majesty some considerable service To which I nam'd to him amongst others an Unkle I had call'd d'Estoublon who had bravely signaliz'd himself in the Wars of Provence from whence he afterwards took occasion to tell the King speaking of me that this Cadet began to follow the steps of his Unkle who had done his Majesty very particular services and whose name was d'Estoublon The King said he remembred him very well adding that
superintendant of the Treasury the Battery of Messieurs de Chevreuse and de Lesdiguieres which a man might also call that of Monsieur de Schomberg he being almost continually there wrought a great effect upon the Bastion of Dumontier so that the breach was thought reasonable for an assault But being they would first be very sure of the true condition of the place an Officer was appointed to go and discover He did so but with very little exactness having seen almost nothing either peradventure because he was afraid or that he did not advance so far as was necessary to make a full discovery The distrust they had of his report made them send another who at his return gave no better account than the first The King then resolv'd upon an Assault he commanded that the Army should be drawn up in Battaile and should go on to the attack when upon the Hill of Pillis which was his Majesty's Quarter they should see him wave a Handkerchief upon the end of his Cane which was to be the Signal All things werâ— ready and they only staid expecting the Sign when Monsieur de Schomberg prompted by I know not what instinct and suspecting every thing told the King that he did not know whether it would not be proper upon this occasion where his Majesty's honour and the safety of his Army were in question to send a third time to discover the Bastion by some exact person and of whose report they could have no reason to doubt at the same time naming me thinking he did me a great deal of honour in exposing me to the utmost peril The King approv'd of the motion being of opinion that in such occasions a great many people see things but by halves by reason of the extream danger and of the little time they have to look about them I was call'd for instantly and Monsieur de Schomberg having acquainted me with the anxiety the King was in and the little certainty they had of the true estate of the place told me withal that he had thought fit to name me to his Majesty and to propose that I might be sent to discover again by reason they could not think themselves sure till I had made my report Nevertheless having a particular affection for me and knowing very well that to perform this with the exactness requir'd I could not choose but expose my self to very great danger he thought fit to tell me farther that though this affair was of the last importance to the whole Army he did not nevertheless pretend to engage me in it contrary to my own liking I return'd him the same answer that any other man would have done upon the same occasion which was That he did me wrong to doubt of the joy I was full of upon such occasions to see my self honour'd with his esteem and the good opinion he had of me that I would go prepare my self and that I hop'd to return and to bring so good an account that nothing should be found in my report that was not exactly true Having then put on a Cuirass and a Cask with a Pistol hanging at my girdle I eat a bit or two and then set out in the sight of his Majesty and the whole Army who had their eyes attentively fixt upon me Being come to the foot of the breach I there kneel'd down and pray'd behind some Stones that were tumbled down and afterwards began to mount creeping as well as I could upon my belly Being got to the top I had a mind to discover the place in the same posture I had got up that is to say lying upon my belly that I might not be too open nor too much expos'd to the Musquet shot that whisk'd round about me on every side but this posture affording me but little advantage of seeing what might be beyond the Bastion I started up on a sudden and exposing my self to a danger from which God alone was able to protect me I ran to the very brink of it from whence I discover'd the bottom which was a dreadful retrenchment and in it a Battalion that seem'd to be of above two thousand men of which the first ranks were all Pikes and the rest Musqueteers At the very instant that I discover'd my self and lookt down they made so furious a discharge upon me that I have ever since lookt upon it as a Miracle that I could escape and yet of all these great number of shots I only reciev'd two upon my arms which made but slight impressions and of which I was not so much as sensible at that time Assuring my self then that I had seen all I return'd with all the haste I could make only observing an eminence near the Kings Quarter from whence I thought I might possibly shew his Majesty himself the retrenchment of the Enemy After which I let my self fall on purpose that I might rowl down to the bottom and be more out of danger of the shot which made all the Army believe I was kill'd and Monsieur de Schomberg turn'd his back that he might not see a thing which gave him a great and real affliction accusing himself of being the cause of my death But I came off at the expence of a great giddiness only out of which being presently recoverâ—d I gave God thanks upon my knees for having preserv'd me from so great a danger After which I presently callâ—d to mind what I had seen and writ it down in my Table book being secure behind the same Stones I mention'd before and presently appear'd again when every one thought I was dead There may be peradventure some Bravo's and especially young men who will look upon it as a weakness that in so perilous an occasion I should rather have recourse to God than to give my self up to a foolish confidence that makes a man run brutishly and as it were blindfold every where where death is most terrible but in my opinion in occasions of this kind where a man hardly discovers any possible means to save both his honour and his life at once though he should forget that he was a Christian to be a man only is sufficient to make him think of him who can take away not only his Life but even Courage too from the man that fancies he has the most And having been for fifty years together in as many hazardous occasions as any man perhaps of my time I can witness this that I have seen very many who have made a vanity of no Religion as if their impiety ought to pass for a mark of their Valour whom I have often found to be rather great Braggadochio's than really brave and that if the danger was on the right hand would turn to the left and that would make use of dexterity where they ought to have staked down their persons and by their actions to have made good their vaunting words XIV After having in this manner escap'd so great a danger Monsieur
de Schomberg as much surpriz'd as overjoy'd to see me made me drink a glass of Wine by reason I was almost quite spent having taken extraordinary pains I then made my report to him which put him into a very great astonishment and when he askt me over again if I was very sure of what I had told him I made answer that I would undertake to shew it him and to assure both the King and himself by his own sight having taken notice of an eminence from whence one might discover what I had seen nearer at hand The King being very impatient to know what I had discover'd I got on Horseback and went with Monsieur de Schomberg to wait upon him at Piccis Being there and they having much ado to beleive me the King would be satisfied by his own eyes which made me guide him to the same place I had observ'd and from thence with the help of a Perspective his Majesty plainly discover'd the Retrenchment and behind it the Battalion of which I had given him account He was very much surpriz'd at it and could not forbear declaring aloud the extream peril to which his Souldiers had been expos'd without this foresight of Monsieur de Schomberg which had sav'd the lives of a great many men After which his Majesty had the goodness to tell me that I had that day done him a very great service and that he would remember it upon occasion I did not nevertheless percieve at that time that I was much remembred and was accustomed to serve without any other interest than that of honour which also sometimes cost me very dear I then returnâ—d to find out Monsieur Zamet who having believ'd me to be dead cryâ—d out so soon as he saw me I protest you shall go no more upon such designs and I will take very good order for the future that you shall receive no more Commissions of this kind For in truth the thing which nettled him the most and made him speak after that manner was that whether I was upon the Guard or no they thus us'd to make me as it were the publick Victim in all perilour occasions He ask'd me whether I was not hurt and I assur'd him I was not but only that Monsieur de Schomberg had shew'd me two shots upon my Arms. XV. The Army upon this was drawn off and they thought no more of an assault Some days after Monsieur de Roban who kept the Field with a little body of an Army for the Hugonots was resolv'd to come and relieve Montaubon In order to this design he gave fifteen hundred men to a very brave Gentleman call'd de Beaufort to try if he could put part of them into the place Upon the intelligence his Majesty had of their March he caus'd the Guards to be doubled and reinforc'd in his Camp which notwithstanding could not hinder Beaufort being come up to his Quarter from forcing the Guard and getting into the Town with eight hundred men the rest having been either kill'd or fled Upon the arrival of these succours they two days after made such furious Sallies as very much discourag'd our men and gave his Majesty occasion to consider that Winter drawing on it was better to retire and preserve his Army for the next Campaign by reason he would have lost too many men after this relief Thus at the expiration of fifteen days namely the first of November 1621 we raised the Siege order having been given throughout the Quarters that upon hearing the first Cannon shot that should be fir'd that night every one should be ready with his Arms to march where their Officers should lead them and before they went to make extraordinary Fires throughout the Camp This order thus executed made the Enemy expect some new thing and rather a general assault than the raising of the Siege Wherefore contenting themselves with causing their Posts to be well guarded they never thought of commanding out any Troops to fall upon the Rear of our Army that began to file off about the dawning of the day Monsieur Zamet who had been cur'd a few days before was order'd to make good the retreat wherein he was not a little astonish'd to see the precipitation not to say the flight wherewith our Troops march'd away I being with him he made me observe this hasty retreat that savour'd indeed of a pannick fear for they made off as if they had seen the Enemy at their heels And being so good a Christian and a man of so much judgment as he was he began to speak to me a language I had never heard before I assure you said he that reflecting upon the Order of Providence in the management of affairs here below I manifestly discern that the God of Justice is the God of Battels that he gives the Victory to whom he pleases and oftentimes to those that are against him by reason that they who defend his cause do it so very ill and so justly draw upon themselves his indignation by their own Crimes that he punishes them by casting the disadvantage on their side and filling their Armies with unreasonable terrors Thus much is plain upon the present occasion where our Forces run away without knowing any reason why 'T is visibly a stroke from the hand of our good God that contrary to all humane appearances we have not been able to take this place which according to the ordinary course of Arms must have fallen into the King's Possession His judgments are very different from those of men which stop at the outside of events without penetrating into the secret springs of them Our Enemies no doubt will be as much deceived as we for they will magnify themselves for this advantage without ever considering that the Victory that God gives them will at length but render them the more unhappy by a false assurance that it is a mark of the Justice of their Cause and he will at one time or other find means to make them sensible what loss they sustain while they flatter themselves with a thought of winning all Let us admire then and adore the Chastisements he inflicts after so different a way both upon the one and the other I confess I was marvellously surprized at this discourse having never as I said been used to hear the like and acknowledged the obligations I had to him for the insight he gave me into so great a truth And I must also say that I did not reckon this favour among the least I received from him and have since been sensible that it was one of the first God was pleased to confer upon me in order to the giving me some sense of Christianity The virtue and pious conduct that I observed in this great man did in some sort contribute to laying the first seeds in the bottom of my heart and 't is that which hath infinitely increased my acknowledgments to him and value of his memory especially since after abundance
voice presently did He only ask'd them why they were not in bed so long after the Tat-too to which they made answer that they humbly begg'd his pardon but having by his leave been out to forrage and got something they were merry together drinking the King's health and his Whereupon throwing them some Gold and giving them caution to behave themselves more discreetly for the future that they should drink his health after a more decent manner they transported with joy fell down and embrac'd his knees Thus instead of punishing the insolence of these Souldiers who had dared to give him such language for the severity of his discipline he rather chose to win them by gentle ways and vanquish them by his bounty Nor can I forbear in this place to report another action yet more generous than the former as indeed the occasion was more important He was very punctual in keeping his Regiment always full and in this method consulted both the Kings advantage and his own inclination whereupon orders were given that no Skip-jacks or intruders should appear upon the review of the Companies One of the Captains of his Regiment fail'd in this point and upon being reproved took such offence that he broke out into a passion openly declar'd he would not obey the order and was so far transported at last as even to draw his Sword upon his Collonel This revolt needed the Kings authority to suppress it which made Monsieur Arnauld write to Court and represent the dangerous consequences of so rash an action if it past unpunisht Whereupon the King commanded that the Captain should be broken and this great example wrought its due effect upon the Garrison In the mean while the Officer humbled to the last degree by this disgrace was sensible of his fault when it seem'd irreparable Monsieur Arnauld had notice of it and resenting what was past no farther than was necessary to promote the Kings real Interests he writ to Court a second time and conjur'd the Ministers to procure this Captains restaâ—ration entreating them to consider that it was of more consequence to a Governour to make himself lov'd than fear'd and therefore this extraordinary grace which he entreated of them would be of no less service to the King than their Justice had been His reasons prevail'd and all the Officers of the Regiment were so mov'd with this generosity and the consideration they found their Governour in at Court that they ever after took a delight to please and obey him XIV I took my leave of Monsieur Arnauld and went from Fort-Louis to the King whom I found at Compeigne and when I presented my self his Majesty the better to disguise the matter took no notice of me at first and rather seem'd to be angry asking me why I had stay'd so long I who very well understood this language readily answer'd that I had scarce had time to obey his Majesty's orders and had made all the haste I could away upon his Letter The next morning he took me alone with him into his Closet and there lockt himself up demanding an account of what I had learnt in my Journey I gave it him as exactly as possibly I could shewing him the Observations and the Draughts I had taken This Prince who took a singular delight in this noble Diversion spent an hour alone with me in his Closet almost every day for a month together making me set out all that I had done in Companies of Souldiers by knotted Threads or little figures of Lead And after he had learnt all that I my self could learn of Monsieur Arnauld he would command and be commanded in turn as well as I so that we did as it were perform our exercises one after another by the ranging of these figures according to the different methods that I had observ'd XV. This very particular confidence of the King 's put several at Court to a stand who knew not what to make of my being shut up with him so often alone Among others the Serjeant Major of the Regiment of Guards grew so extremely jealous as to tell me one day that I had an ill reputation among the Souldiers and many of them began to suspect I inform'd the King of all they did not being able to guess from what other cause this exceeding familiarity between his Majesty and me should proceed I must confess so rude a complement nettled me much so that I reply'd briskly I thought till then he had known me but what he had said being very distant from my nature and constant course of life he made it plain that he was little read in men that those who understood me better than he could have no such jealousy concerning me and all my acquaintance himself exeepted were satisfy'd I 'd rather dye than do a thing so base and unbecoming a man of honour Must people wonder said I that the King should sometimes talk to me in private and after having sent me into so remote a Province about several affairs require of me an exact account of all I have done there does not all the world know this is his humour and that he delights to discourse over his business very particularly But that which disgusted this Officer was that the King had shew'd him my draught of Battalions without telling him whose it was only he gave him to understand that he liked this method better than his which he had caus'd to be printed He had some suspicion however that I might be the man that had drawn it and question'd me about it but the King having forbidden me to tell or give it to any body I answer'd him so as was likely to take off his jealousies of that kind XVI My life was so checquer'd and mixt that it was one continu'd succession of good and ill adventures I had about this time a gâ—eat contest with a famous Commissioner concern'd in the Salt-Customes grounded upon a Donation from the King For the Duke of St. Simon and I having obtain'd a considerable Grant assign'd us upon this Commissioner and I having need enough to make the best of his Majesty's favour prest upon him for payment and upon his refusal thought my self oblig'd to prosecute him in the Kings Council and obtain'd a Decree against him But he was a Master in his Trade a cruel litigious fellow that car'd not a rush for a Decree and carry'd his pockets always full of Appeals and Injunctions I soon saw he was too cunning for one so ignorant in Law-suits as I and that the safest way was to think of an accommodation To this purpose I apply'd my self to his younger Brother who was my very good friend telling him I was so well perswaded of the Justice of my Cause that I should not scruple the referring the matter between his Brother and me to him He promis'd me to speak about it But the Commissioner little regarding his Brothers recommendation and thinking a Souldier as I was would soon
he must have been highly provok'd what think you This was plainly to declare himself for me and to engage this Officer to speak favourably of a man whose cause the King himself had taken upon him to defend but he contrary to all people's expectation had the ill nature to answer the King that though it had been his own Son that had committed such an action he would condemn it as criminal even in his Son The King who look'd for another kind of answer and that his own opinion ought to have met with more respect gave some significations of his being much surpriz'd at so rude a return and went off toward the Window without saying any thing at all This was in effect to condemn a man severely whom his Majesty had by his own question absolv'd and there 's no great doubt to be made but his Vote had been sold against me or he would never have exprest himself at that rate upon such an occasion And indeed after the matter was absolutely determin'd and my Pardon obtain'd he several times made me great excuses which servâ—d really only to aggravate his own Condemnation XIV While my affair lay before the Council Monsieur Hallier then a Captain in the Guards of the Body who hath since been made Mareschal of France and Governour of Paris under the name of de l' Hospital and Monsieur d' Estissac Maistre de Camp of a Regiment of Infantry either came or sent to me every day to give me notice of all that was said in Council or in the King 's ordinary Discourse concerning my business shewing by this good office the particular kindness they had for me even in the time of my greatest disgrace And by this means too I knew who were my true and who my false friends and who my declar'd enemies I knew there were in the Council eight and forty Judges against me Princes and Mareschals of France Dukes and Peers Collonels Mareschals de Camp and Maistres de Camp the reason of which was that these great Officers were willing by favouring Monsieur Canaples to raise the authority of their own Commands and to render themselves more formidable to the Captains Lieutenants and Ensigns Thus were they in some sort both Judges and Parties and had a mind to make me an example for fear if this boldness of drawing upon a Maistre de Camp were authoriz'd by escaping unpunished that they should hereafter find more resistance than submission among the inferior Officers and so be often engag'd to fight like private Gentlemen instead of making themselves obey'd by vertue of the King's authority And I must confess their fear had been just if the circumstances of my action had not absolutely secur'd me from this reproach and made it plain to all the world that if an inferiour Officer is never permitted to draw his Sword upon the person that commands him a Maistre de Camp is no more allowed to break his word with one that is commanded by him and without any manner Justice contrary to the King 's and the Collonel General 's Order to take from him that rank which belongs to him by his Command But at the same time that so great a number of persons declared themselves for my death I had the comfort to see a great many others take my part to the last and make my cause their own Besides those I have named Count Soissons Prince of the Blood sent to invite me to retire at his Lodgings assuring me of his protection and that as long as he had life he would preserve mine Monsieur Thooras Governour of Fort St. Martin in the Ifle of Rhe sent me a tender of his service and begg'd of me to come into that Island where he promis'd me all imaginable security But Mareschal Schomberg advis'd me not to stir out of his house by reason of the favour the King shewed in my concern So that returning my thanks to those Gentlemen with all the respect and acknowledgment due for such honourable and advantagious offers I still continued where I was At last the King being eternally importun'd by Monsieur Schomberg and put forward by his own inclination too sent me word by Monsieur Schomberg that I might retire into his Quarter which he gave me for my refuge But fearing every thing in the condition I was then in and apprehending above all lest I should fall into the hands of Justice I contented my self with staying in the King's Quarter in the day time and retir'd my self at night in the Mareschal's XV. One day as I was walking in the Basse-Court of the King's Lodgings with Monsieur Montigny and Marsillac both Captains in the Guards these two Officers told me they would not advise me to stay any longer in the Camp for a long as I past for criminal I was always in danger and if ever I came to be arrested there would be an end of me Nay Monsieur Marsillac offer'd me an hundred Pistoles and Monsieur Montigny fifty entreating me as I lov'd them to accept the offer I told them I had two hundred left and that their kindness was what I valu'd much more than the Gold they made me a tender of just then the King putting his Head out at Window perceiv'd me and becken'd me to come to him but as unhappy people see every thing by the fear that possesses them and my mind was full of the fright these Officers had put me into I took this sign from the King in the worst sense and believing it to be a manace was perfectly confounded Did you see the King threaten me said I. You told me as much I am a dead man I must flee for it You 'll never see me more At that instant without any farther deliberation I embrac'd them and out I went betook my self to my Heels and fled as if all had been lost I look'd all about for my Man and my Horse but could find neither which made me quite mad and I concluded now that I was deliver'd up into the hands of Justice I repented my self of going into the King's Quarters at all and not knowing at last whom to blame I discharg'd all my anger upon my man who was missing resolving with my self to be very liberal of my Cudgel as soon as ever I could set my eyes on him But while all things seemâ—d to conspire to trouble me more as I was thus running up and down among the Sutlers like a Mad-man to seek my Servant and could not find him I was frighted more than ever to see a man come running and calling after me It was a young fellow call'd Cadet that belong'd to the Kings Chamber whom his Majesty had sent to assure me all was well and to fetch me to him I thought he pursuâ—d me with an ill intent and therefore fell to running faster than I had done before At last however coming a little to my self and beginning to fancy I might have taken a false alarm I
stopt The man came up and told me The King had sent for me to him I askt what people said of me at which he fell a laughing and answer'd merrily Why they say that you have taken a fright and have led me a fine course But what are you afraid of The King would only speak with you I have had this day the satisfaction of seeing Monsieur Pontis run away from me Then I presently resolv'd to go wait upon the King tho the trouble and agitation both of my mind and my body had been so excessive that I had sweat to that degree that it appear'd on the outside of my Doublet I had no great need of consideration what I should say to the King My retirement had given me but too much leisure for revolving in my mind every thing that might serve to prove my innocency And having always hoped that at one time or other the King would give me liberty to justifie my self before him I had meditated and prepared an exact narration wherein following only common sense I had put together all that a Souldier who had liv'd thirty years about Court and had no other Eloquence than what Nature gave him could say that was plausible to render such an action less odious and to cloath it with all those circumstances that could make the Justice of his Cause appear XVI So soon as I came into the Court of the Kings Lodgings the Duke of St. Simon who was looking out at window made a sign to me to come up the stairs by the Wardrobe and when I was there he told me the King had sent for me to learn the truth of the whole matter from my own mouth The King was laid down by reason of some little physick he had taken Being come to the Bed-side I fell upon my knees and in my countenance plainly discover'd the remorse I had for having offended my Prince who had ever been so gracious to me His Majesty then told me he would have me declare the whole truth without any disguise and that he had sent for me purely for the same purpose There was all that time no body present in the room but the King the Duke of St. Simon and my self so that having an opportunity of speaking freely to him I did it after this manner Sir I can never sufficiently thank your Majesty for the grace and honour you are pleased to do me in permitting me to render you an account of my actions for I have ever hoped from your Majesty's goodness that would you vouchsafe to hear me you would judge me rather unfortunate than faulty I dare boldly say that if my Conscience could reproach me with having failed in my duty or ever disobeying your Majesty's orders I should never have had the boldness to present my self before you and that I should voluntarily have banish'd my self both from your Court and Army and have sought death out of your Kingdom for in it I could not have liv'd after I had lost my Honour So that tho those in the Council of War who are either friends to Monsieur Canaples or have not been rightly informed of the truth of the matter have declared against me yet I hope your Majesty being so equitable as all the world knows you to be will judge things as they are and as I shall lay them before you That it was Monsieur Canaples only who acted contrary to your Majesty's orders to the Rules of War and his own Honour and that whereas he complains of my having done him an injury 't is â—e on the contrary who hath injured me Your Majesty knows I have always told you the truth but I protest afresh that upon this occasion I will not utter one syâ—able not only that is not true but nothing except what your whole Regiment of Guards know to be so as well as I and what Monsieur Canaples himself cannot but acknowledge for such Your Majesty may please to call to mind that having brought you the news of the English Fleet 's arrival you commanded me to go give notice to the Officers to go and receive your Majesty's Orders and afterwards to make choice of a sit place to draw up the Army in Battaâ—lle Thereupon I went immediately to carry this Order to the Officers and acquainted Mansieur Canaples with it among the rest He entreated me to go draw up our Regiment my self because our Major was sick I told him I would first execute your Majesty's Orders and when that was done I would not fail to obey his But it being my turn to command the Forlorn-hope that day having never yet done it since I had the honour to be received into the Regiment I entreated him to remember it telling him the passionate desire I had by some considerable piece of service to acknowledge the singular favour your Majesty had done me in commanding me to be near your person and in preferring me of your own accord to be a Lieutenant in your Guards He promis'd me he would and upon that assurance I left him When I had obeyed your Majesty's Orders first and then his I return'd to give him an account of the whole and at the same time to beg the effect of his promise asking him if he had remembred me But he at first made as if he did not understand what I meant and after I had explained my self to him he shew'd me as plainly that he had forgotten me I beseech your Majesty to consider whether it was possible for a man of honour as Monsieur Canaples is to forget in so short a time the promise he had made me but just before and whether this was not plainly to tell me he had forgot me only because he would forget me I confess Sir I was sensible toucht with this injury and found my self netâ—led to see that Monsieur Canaples had not only used me like a pittiful fellow and a Foot-man in breaking his word with me but besides that he usurp'd a power which no way belong'd to him to take from me the rank your Majesty had given me and meerly out of a design to affront me to change the general and establish'd order of your Army I thought Sir that Monsieur Canaples was not allowed to set himself above your Majesty nor by his own private authority to take from me that right which my Command and my Rank made mine and which I have endeavour'd to deserve This aâ—â—ront Sir wounded me more than all the injurious words he could give me in the heat of passion and I humbly beg your Majesty's pardon if I told him that he toucht me in the tenderest part and made me mad For I saw very well that he used me so in cold blood and that the affront he put upon me was a premeditated one I do also Sir confess for I dare conceal nothing from your Majesty who command me to speak freely that in the heat of my passion I could not forbear giving him
us here your person may be in danger since part of your Army is gone to the Isle of Rhe and we are but a few left here I conjure your Majesty retire to Surgeres The King answered without any conceâ—n I wiâ—l â—ot stir from this place but will fight at the head of my Foot in person Bring me my Arms presently In earnest this generous stout answer from the King gave me a joy not to be exprest which made me fall down at his feet and in a great transport say to him Sir when we have our King at the head of us every single man will be as good as twenty and each Company as good as a Regiment no body will presume to spare himself upon such an occasion but we will all serve you with the last drop of blood in our veins The King then armed and gave out necessary orders for sustaining an Assault in case the Enemy should attack him in his Quarter But while every one was preparing to engage the Souldiers I had sent to the Trenches came and assured us that instead of making a Sally the Rochellers had been terribly frighted with a mischance that had befallen them by their Magazine of Powder taking fire which caused that great noise we heard The King received this news as he had done the other without any great concern or discovering any more joy to see himself in safety than he had done fear at the expectation of danger Then Mareschal Brezay made this reflection to me Look you said he if the King had followed the advice that was given him to retreat to Surgeres he would have had us all three tost into the Sea when once he found a false Alarm had made him run away I was of the same opinion too and whatever might have happened I could never have prevailed upon my self to have given him counsel which though it might be for his safety could never have been for the honour of so great a Prince But unexpected accidents do not always leave us the liberty of thinking and the wisest men in such cases may sometimes be mistaken I remember too while every one was in trouble about the King's person which we thought too much expos'd an Officer consulting perhaps his Majesty's safety more than his own after debate what might be the cause of this great noise let this word slip by chance I hope 't is nothing in grace of God Whereupon all that were by and little used to such language fell to rallying him as one who betraid his fear by that expression And tho I was no better than the rest yet I could not choose but be offended at those kinds of Jefts which seem'd to me so ill grounded For is it not brutish to imagine that to appear brave a man must forget that he is a Christian and doubtless if that Officer had called upon the Devil instead of God they would have thought better of him and not have reproved him So little do we know what a man of courage is when men think being impious is enough to make them thought brave In the mean while the affronts there were perpetually put upon this Officer were so severe that not enduring to be the constant jest of all the Hectors and young Bullies he was forc'd a little after to beg a dismission and withdraw from out of the Army Next morning all the General Officers came to pay the King their respects accompanied with great praises his Majesty had ordered me to be about his person and indeed I made my Court that day after a very pleasant manner For the King did me the honour to call upon me every now and then and said Ask Pontis how it was choosing rather to have it told by another than himself And accordingly I represented this action of his Majesty 's with all imaginable advantage and zeal nor was it any hard matter to succeed that way for upon this occasion a man might be a good Courtier without any flattery and there needed only a relation of what I had seen to give the King his due commendation XXIV One day going to relieve the Guard and being to pass through a little Valley that lay expos'd and commanded by a Hill where four or five pieces of the Enemy's Cannon were planted as I rode at the Head of four hundred men marching very leisurely and talking with a Corporal called de la Croix I laid my Leg upon my Horse-neck as men do sometimes to ease themselves though indeed it was no proper time to do it but rather to mend my pace Just then came a Cannon Bullet which exactly took off the Stitrup out of which I had taken my Foot and battered it to pieces The force of the blow beat down my Horse but he got up again presently and attempting to recover my Stirrup I found it was clear gone Then I acknowledged the good providence of God that had thus saved my Leg and probably my Life too fearing nothing more than to be maim'd and out of a capacity to serve the King They made a jest of it to the King and told him I had one of my Legs taken off by a Cannon ball but his Majesty hearing afterward that I had only lost my Stirrup turn'd it into mirth and laught at the oddness of the accident The English had blockt up the passes by Sea so effectually that we could put no provisions into the Isle of Rhe. But the King resolv'd to thrust in twenty light flat-bottom'd Boats and order'd me to go along with Monsieur d' Esplandes who was to conduct them that I might bring him back an account of the expedition When all things were ready and the Wind favourable we embark'd by night and in a short time came very happily ashore in the Island through all the fire and ball that was liberally bestowâ—d upon us and in spight of six great English Ships that made after us but could not come up to us for want of Water The Bullets lighting upon the Grabel of the Beach beat great heaps of Stones into our Skiffs and kill'd us a great many men and sometimes one of them would take off a Sack of Flour from a Souldiers shoulder as they were unlading Monsieur d' Esplandes and I sat down to rest our selves and a Cannon Bullet hit a Portmantua upon which I sat carried away part of the things within it without doing me any other harm than throwing me some fifteen paces off And as Monsieur d' Esplandes urged me to sit down again upon a Free Stone hard by him divining as it were that this was no safe place and better to stand up just in that nick of time which is almost incredible a shot struck this Stone and shatter'd it to pieces There was but little pleasure in being so familiar with great Guns which made me think of hastening back with my report to the King And so going aboard a small Boat with only one Waterman I got
Generals that the Army should march with all possible speed to the relief of Cazal When this resolution was taken and made publick Monsieur de Schomberg order'd me to provide Bisket-bread sufficient for the whole Army for eleven days march which accordingly I did And besides this provision I presented Monsieur de Schomberg with two thousand Aniseed Biskets Monsieur de la Force with eight hundred and Monsieur de Marillac as many and to the Mareschals de Camp Controllers and Treasurers of the Army proportionably The whole Army with all their equipage being come to the plain of Raconis was drawn into form of Battel and divided into three bodies the Van-guard Main body and Rear Thus they continued to march till we advanced within fourteen or fifteen leagues of Cazal when notice was given that the Duke of Savoy had joyn'd the Spaniard to fall upon our Flank This obliged us to alter the method of our march The Army was then ranged in three Columns the Van-guard composed the right the Battalion the middle and the Rear the left Column Between the middle and the right Column marcht all the Cannon Carriages and Ammunition between the left and the middle went the Baggage of the Generals and all the Army so that all was hemm'd in The Horse went upon the wings in front and flank by Squadrons and in form of Battel Marching in this manner through all the plains our Army was continually in a posture for fighting either for the Savoyards who were upon our Rear or the Spaniards that were in Front of us But the Spaniards would not stir out of their Trenches making themselves sure of the Fort of Cazal which they kept close blockt up When we came to the Village of Oximeane about four small leagues distant from Cazal we halted there three days in expectation of news from Monsieur de Thoiras to whom six men had been sent to give him intelligence of our approach and to assure him of relief as also to agree upon a time when our Troops should be drawn on to attack the Trenches But only one of those six that were sent came back to us again All measures being duly adjusted orders were given to lead on strait to Cazal About a league from the Town we halted to stay for the signal from the Cittadel which was to be a great smoak to give us notice that all the Garrison were ready and in Arms. As soon as ever the sign was given all the Troops advanc'd being distributed into three bodies Monsieur la Force commanded the right wing Monsieur Marillac the left and Monsieur Schomberg the main battel because this happened to be his day of commanding in chief Before we came up to the Trenches he gave us a short speech to this effect but with abundance of warmth and such a lively and warlike eloquence as becomes the mouth of a General and is most likely to inspire an Army with courage Fellow-Souldiers said he you have now an occasion of the greatest honour and highest consequence that our age hath ever seen I cannot but expect a good event of it when I observe both the courage and zeal of so many brave men whom the King hath entrusted with the honour of his arms and the confusion of our Enemies that tremble already before they engage us If you have been stout formerly to day you must be Heroes Danger and Death overtake those that fear and fly from them but the man that can look these in the face and fear nothing is half a Conqueror already We have one Army before and another behind us They that flee will be killed shamefully for Cowards and they only that take their enemies lives while they lose their own will dye like men of honour I pardon that man from this minute that falls upon me if he sees me behave my self like a Coward but I will not pardon him that runs away himself Come on then stoutly where honour and duty call and I engage my word to all them that shall signalize themselves in the service of their Prince to give his Majesty a true estimate of their bravery and to take care that their services shall be honoured and rewarded as they deserve These few words with the advantage of that vehemence with which they were uttered and the courage of those that heard them made the whole Army go on as though they were already secure of coming off Conquerors The Forlorn-hope and those appointed to support them advanc'd When they were within half Cannon shot they went to prayers as is usual and all in deep silence expected the discharge of a Cannon from the Town which was to be the signal when we should fall upon the Enemy In the moment we heard it our Troops advanc'd with incredible resolution and heat though we put our selves full upon the mouth of the Cannon that was planted along the Enemies Trenches and must needs make a horrible slaughter among us The Mareschal Marillac who by his Post was the forwardest had began the attack and we were all in the best disposition that ever Army was seen to fight for the honour of our Prince and Country when all on the sudden to the great dissatisfaction of the whole Army Monsieur Mazarin was discovered riding from the Enemies Camp holding a Sheet of white paper in his hand and waving it about for a sign of a Treaty of Peace crying aloud Halt halt Stand stand The Souldiers were so enraged to see themselves checkt in the midst of their Career that some of them were so extravagant as to discharge several Musquets at him Our Generals had much ado to stop them But at last Monsieur Mazarin having liberty to draw near and confer with the Mareschals of France declared to them that the Spanish Generals had sent him to present them that paper that they might propose what terms of peace they pleased Monsieur Schomberg reply'd that this matter was of so great consequence that it was fit the Generals on both sides should personally confer together and that as long as they treated by Messengers and Writing only there would always be some scruples remaining which would only be the seeds of fresh disturbances VIII Then Monsieur Mazarin return'd to the Enemies Camp to agree upon a place where they might meet together One between both Armies was chosen as the best and most secure All the Generals on both sides repaired thither and there formed the Articles of Treaty as was agreed between them that is That the Town of Cazal should be put into the Duke of Mantua 's hands that the French Souldiers should be commanded out and Montferrins who were the Duke of Mantua 's Subjects sent thither in their room That the Kings Army should draw off from Montferrat but yet keep the post where they then were till such time as they had embarked all the Enemies Cannon and Baggage upon the Po and that the Cittadel should be delivered to a
Sea which to me seemed to foretell some great raging storm And thus we quickly found it For as I and my Servant were upon the Road we heard of a sudden a loud clap of Thunder attended with mighty Lightnings and immediately upon it fell a fearful shower which continued for four hours with such violence as if Heaven and Earth would come together I had a Bridge to pass over a small Brook and rid full speed to get over before the Waters rose but they were so high in a very little time and there ran so strong a stream over the Bridge just at my going over that it took my Horse up to the Belly and had like to have carry'd him away My Servant who came after was in more danger than I. We had like to have been drowned a hundred times our Horses being forced to swim in many places and the Roads being all like Rivers The King who was then upon the Road too towards Narbonne had much ado to recover the Town all the Court lost their Baggage more than three hundred men drowned several Coaches and some of the Queens were left behind and her Maids had much ado to save their lives A Light-Horse took up two of them and set one before and another behind him I for my own part after a world of hardship getting to my Company saw all sorts of Birds and Beasts nay even the very Rabbets run into Houses and Barns before mens faces I do not at all magnifie the matter for one would have thought a second flood had been coming the Rain continuing as I said for four hours together without any abatement and four and twenty hours in all I never was more put to it in all my life For being much concern'd to observe my order exactly which was to be at Narbonne next day with my Company I resolved not to fail I got them thither at last but fatigued them beyond what you can imagine insomuch that the King chid me and told me I play'd the fool in bringing my Company cross the Country such weather as that was His Majesty went forward to Tholouse and Monsieur Montmorency was brought thither by his order Where he arrived the 7th of October in the year 1632 about noon They carry'd him to the Town-house and put him under the Custody of Monsieur de Launey Lieutenant of the Guards du Corps The streets and publick places from the Gate where he came in up to the Common Hall were lin'd with Souldiers and Swisses and several Guards were set in other places about the Town so very loth was the Cardinal that he man whom he lookt upon as his Prisoner should get out of his hands XIII Some three hours after the Duke's arrival two Commissioners came to the Town-Hall to examine him The Commission given the Parliament to proceed upon his Tryal was first read to him Whereupon he said with a great deal of temper that tho his Peerage made him accountable to the Parliament of Paris and no other Court yet he must cofess his offence was such that if the King was not favourable any Judges had right enough to condemn him that he was very well satisfied therefore to be try'd by the Parliament of Tholouse whom he had ever had a respect for and lookt upon them to be very honest Gentlemen The Commissioners sat at the end of the Table and seated him on their left hand They brought seven Witnesses in against him that is four Officers of the Regiment of Guards two Serjeaâ—â—s and the Clerk of the States of Languedoc He owned all that the Officers of the Guards evidenc'd against him concerning the action of Castelnau-d ' Arry And one of them being questioned whether he knew Monsieur Montmorency in the battle answered with tears that seeing him covered with fire and blood and smoak he had much ado to know him at first but when he saw him break six of their ranks and kill several Souldiers in the seventh he concluded this could be no body but Monsieur de Montmorency and that he knew him perfectly well afterwards when his Horse fell dead under him and he lay there without being able to get off The Commissioners askt him if he had sign'd the debate of the States of Languedoc of the 22d. of July in which they entreated Monsieur to give them the honour of his protection and promis'd to supply him with whatever Money he should want for the support of his Party and that they would never desert his Interests He denied that he had subscribed it and the Clerk being produced against him and affirming that he had he fell into a great passion calling him a forging Knave and charged him with counterfeiting his hand All this while the whole Court was employed in importuning his Majesty for Monsieur de Montmorency's Pardon and every body pray'd to God in his behalf For besides that he was a person extremely to be valu'd his great alliances with the Royal Family having the honour to be Brother-in-law to the first Prince of the Blood and Unkle to two Princes besides and one Princess which is my Lady Dutchess of Longeville and the illustrious reputation of his own Family the eminent renown of which is as old as Religion in France was the reason that all the Kingdom interess'd themselves in his preservation The Cardinal de la Valettâ— exprest an extraordinary zeal above all the rest and when he had done all he could with the King as well as the Pope's Nuntio and all the Princes he betook himself to the Prayers of the Church which he directed to be made every where assisting in them himself and â—everal great persons at Court with him and omitting nothing that so affectionate and generous a friendship as his could inspire a man with upon such occasions The Blue Penitents also made a solemn Procession among whom walked a great many persons of Quality and they went to visit the bodies of St. Simon and Jude on their Feast-day at the Abby of St. Cernin where they sung Mass and abundance of people communicated every one professing those devotions to be perform'd upon Monsieur Montmorency's account and with an intent to beg his life of God Nay Monsieur the Duke of Orleans though a party in that revolt himself having as I said before laid down his arms and return'd to his obedience was not unmindful of the Duke of Montmorency in this extremity But sent a Gentleman who threw himself thrice at the Kings feet and entreated him in his name with all the earnestness imaginâ—ble to spare a person who had ever exprest an exceeding great zeal for his Majesty's service and who had engaged in this unhappy business as he himself had done more out of levity and inconsideration than out of any malicious principle or settled disaffection to his Majesty Among all these persons of Honour that importun'd for Monsieur Montmorency's Pardon my Captain Monsieur St. Preuil had the weakness to
and all this in gratitude for the care I took of his Son But notwithstanding Monsieur Cumans great Civility I who could never endure to be outdone by my friends in the little emulations of generosity and kindness and was desirous to pay off my debts faithfully sold an Estate which I had in Beauce for fifty thousand Livres and paid Monsieur Cumans his Correspondent at Paris what Money I ow'd him At the same time I put two of my Nieces that were poor and had been recommended to my charity into the Habit placing one of them in a Convent of Vrsulines and the other in St. Mary's Monastery both in Provence Thus when I had most occasion for Money my self I was desirous to make some acknowledgment for the charity I had lately received from Strangers and the eminent protection of God over me At my return from Germany I found that the Relation I had trusted with my Money had made use of it for his own pleasure and was extremely enraged to see so base a disposition in him nor would I ever be reconciled till he had restored me my Jewel and engaged to give two hundred Pistoles to my Nephews When this was done I had a mind to let him see that this unworthy behaviour had not alter'd my affection for him and as a pattern of generosity for him to copy after gave him the first Company of the Queen's Regiment which had all this while been reserved for me For I had no inclination to go abroad with Monsieur Vitry the next Campagne being much offended at what I had heard that his Mother Madam de Virty had not spoken so well of me to the Queen as she might have done and finding so ill a return made me for the service I had done her Son at the hazard of my Liberty my Estate and my Life But still I continued to love and honour Monsieur Vitry and he exprest all the Sentiments of a Person of Quality and a true Friend for me I forgot to tell you that when I came back to Paris my honest Picture-Merchant came to see me and congratulate my return I was extremely glad it was in my power to entertain him and express'd by all the possible civilities how much I thought my self obliged by the charity he shew'd me when in a strange Country and unknown to him Afterwards I bought a Case of Pictures very curious ones which cost me four hundred Livres and made him a Present of them But this good Man had a generous Soul and would by no means accept of them telling me in his honest plain way Pray Sir do not oblige me to take this Come I am richer still than you are and your occasions for money are greater than mine So we contested this point of generosity some time I carried the cause at last and engaged him whether he would or no to take what he could not refuse without putting a slight upon me II. Being to receive one of my Pensions I went to Fountainbleaâ— where the Court was at that time to sollicit the Queen for payment Her Mujesty having given me assurance that she would remember me I was in continual expectation of seeing her promise made good But after two months stay at Fountainebleau and a great deal of money spent to no purpose in hopes of receiving my due I grew weary at last of sotedious a delay and thinking I had got a fair convenience of putting her Majesty decently enough in mind of her promise I presented the Ticket for my Pension and told her She was graciously pleased to say she would think of me but since I perceived a multitude of other business of greater concern in which her Majesty was involved had been the occasion of my being hitherto forgotten I was come to return the Grant which my Master the late King had done me the favour to bestow upon me that so she might gratifie some other person with it of more desert than I could pretend to The Queen was a little surprized and said to me in some heat You are very impatient wait a little longer I did so and was resolved to see what would become of this second promise But at last I grew impatient again and seeing my self so long put off in the getting so small a sum as five hundred Crowns that were due to me was resolved to apply my self a third time to the Queen and contrary to the advice of my Friends which I ought to have followed rather than my own opinion went a little too warmly to offer my Grant again She took it but in the sudden passion she was in threw me the Paper back and full of indignation to see me so importunate said Oh! the late King hath often told me indeed that you were hasty and passionate Madam said I the late King was my Master and his taking notice of me though but to reprove my failings was an honour greater than I deserved But Madam I dare assure your Majesty if he found any fault with my humour he never could find any failing in my fidelity The Queen said She did not speak so with regard to my fidelity but she blamed my passion Thus was I paid for my obstinacy and taught to my cost to take my Friend's advice another time And yet methinks there was a great deal to be said in my excuse and some allowance might be made for a Man that finds himself driven to extremities and is mad to see such a return made for his Services Upon this Reprimand I kept aloof off and Monsieur d' Etampes the Master of Requests coming into the Room some time after made up towards me and began to enter into discourse with me I said to him with a smile Have a care what you do Sir do you know that you are talking with a Man in disgrace and one that the Queen hath but just now been in a great passion against Say you so reply'd he very pleasantly Well I would discourse with you for that very reason that I may convince you my friendship for you is not the less for all that III. The Queen who was gone into her Closet came out in the evening with only one light before her and was very intent upon reading a Letter I took her for Madam Senecay because her Majesty did not use to appear so slenderly attended I could be pretty free with that Lady and came behind her as if I would look into the Letter she had in her hand and said Madam Will not you do me the favour to speak for me to the Queen Her Majesty turn'd short at this Compliment and I stood much confounded and most humbly begg'd her pardon for my insolence telling her that seeing her alone which was very unusual I took her for one of the Ladies of her Court The Queen who some way or other was grown calm in three or four hours time and perhaps displeased at her self for having spoken to me in so much
powerfully recommended to his favour yet I would never do it for I knew him to be a person of honour and integrity and a very good Judge I went to wait on him and told him the Reputation he had for justice and honesty made me very confident he would do Madam Poligny right that her Adversary was so great a Villain that he could not pretend to deserve any favour and that for my own part I had no farther concern than meerly what the justice of the cause gave me but after being entreated by that Lady to give her what assistance I could I did not decline to become the Accuser of so base and bold an invasion upon the House of a Lord in the Country and his own Feudatory Lord too Therefore Sir said I I require justice at your hands and ask it against a Villain and a Murderer that is unworthy of all mercy Just as I was pressing the matter thus warmly Richard came into the room where we were attended as he used to be with a company of fellows as bad as himself As soon as I set my eyes upon the guilty wretch I took courage afresh and raising my voice Look you Sir said I I desire you once more to do justice Here 's the very Murderer that hath the confidence to appear before you with a Sword on after having made no better use of his arms than basely and cowardly to sacrifice a man of honour to his own revenge Against this fellow I require justice who tho he be the King's Prisoner and convict of an Invasion hath the insolence to go armed still Pray Sir command him to behave himself like a Prisoner and keep that respectful distance that is due to his Majesty's Councel Tho Richard had been as I said very strongly recommended to this Master of Requests yet so bold an address from one who had no Sword on at that time himself made such impression that both Judge and Criminal stood a while confounded But at last as justice will be heard and the person to whom I spoke being an honest man he could not forbear telling Richard that I was in the right and therefore he forbad him the wearing his Sword before him any more Which made him go away very much down in the mouth and highly enraged at me for getting him to be so shamefully disarmed The Reporter then promised me justice should be done But being desirous still to make more sure of it I set my friends upon him too particularly Monsieur de Lionne who was then at Court and who after some coldness between the Master of Requests and him upon a former quarrel was reconciled to him upon this application that I engaged him in I made use of Mareschal Villeroy too who honoured me with his particular friendship and undertook this business of Madam Poligny with the greatest civility imaginable For having invited me to meet the Reporter at dinner next day at his House when we rose from table to wash the Mareschal said to Monsieur du Gue Well Sir you must needs rid me of the importunate sollicitations of this man meaning me He makes me believe I have some interest in you Does he say true And may I depend upon not being denied by you You do me honour and justice in thinking so Sir said the Master of Requests I can no more deny any thing you ask than you can ask any thing fit for me to deny Very well Sir said the Mareschal all I desire is that you would for my sake take care of Madam Poligny 's business and see that she hath Justice done her They say the fact she prosecutes for is so horrid that the Rascal is not fit to have any mercy shewn him To make my story short I will only add that this Reporter who was a very good Judge in his own disposition saw himself so warmly plyed for justice that Richard's appeal was thrown out and the cause dismist to the Parliament of Grenoble there to be re-heard and he to stand and fall by that Tryal This news confounded him so that finding he had no other evasion left and that he was lost to all intents and purposes he resolved to submit himself and come ask my pardon Accordingly he did and took all the humblest submissive ways to prevail upon me He conjured me not to cast away all pity for him but to write to Madam Poligny in his behalf assuring her from him that he was very ready to make her what satisfaction she pleased that he acknowledged his fault with great remorse and confest the Devil had put him upon committing it I asked him with some indifference whether he considered what he said and if he spoke heartily For said I if you engage me in any promises for you and do not see my word made good I shall then turn your Adversary my self and you will make but a bad business of it He protested he spoke sincerely and was resolved to be true to his promise Upon this assurance I proffer'd to write to Madam Poligny being really moved with compassion at the forlorn condition I saw him in and desiring to put a good end to a Tryal of so horrid a nature Accordingly I acquainted the Lady how I found Mr. Richard disposed and desired her rather to proceed gently and think of some accommodation and do an act of mercy to a wretch that profest a hearty repentance for his fault and a great inclination to make her any manner of satisfaction XIV Some time after this it was that the King sent to me to pass some Troops over into Gatalonia and Italy In the mean while Richard had sent my Letter to Madam Poligny who easily granting his request said They would try whether this man would behave himself any better and keep the promise he had made to me To this purpose they chose four Referees and the Duke of Lesdiguieres for Umpire over them to make an end of this difference But he thinking the summ in which they amerced him too great evaded this arbitration and found a trick to get an Inhibition and appeal without their knowledge pretending to the Kings Councel that he had since found several Papers for his justication which never had been produced in any Court before And growing insolent upon the success of this underhand dealing he dwelt boldly in his own house within three Musquet-shot of Vaubonnes and walk'd every where unconcern'd but still taking care to be attended with six or seven of his friends as fit for a halter as himself The good old Gentleman Monsieur Poligny who was still alive of a peaceable disposition and one that hated Quarrels or Law-suits was much perplexed and was for three days together blockt up as it were in his own house by this Rascal who scowred the Country and was in perpetual readiness to do mischief I was then in Provence near Marseilles taken up in executing the Orders which I was saying the King had given me
leave as I told you before first to acquaint his Highness To which Monsieur Comminges made answer Well Sir then I go and make my report to the King You may do as you please for that Sir reply'd the Count. Thus we took leave of him and went back to his Majesty who declar'd he did not take Count Verrue's answer ill at all but said he answer'd like a wise man and a good Commander and he would prepare to act like a great King So orders were presently given for attacking the Pass What was most remarkable upon this occasion which hath been so much talkt of since was that the Enemy standing firm to expect us at this streight which it had been impossible for us to force was very much surpriz'd to see the Count de Saux who had shovell'd away the Snow and crawl'd up those high Mountains come fall on them on a sudden and enclose their Rear upon which they fled immediately and left all their Fortifications so that our Souldiers had leisure to make them feel the weight of the King of France's Arms to whom they had the boldness to deny a passage There were however a great many of our men kill'd by the Cannon of Suza which scowrâ—d all the passage after a strange manner Mareschal Schomberg was wounded there but his wound only servâ—d to render him more glorious and more hardy against the Enemy Suza presently surrendred to his Majesty and a Peace soon after being concluded the King was visited there by his Highness and the King resolving to pay his visit did all he could to surprize him but he could not For the Duke having notice of his coming came down stairs to meet the King who said I had a mind to surprize you and have got into your Chamber To which his Highness very pleasantly replyâ—d So great a King as he could not easily be conceal'd And as the King and the Duke were passing with a great crowd over a Gallery that was not very strong the King saying That they had best make haste lest the Gallery should fall under them The Duke return'd this complemental answer That one might see that every thing trembled under so great a King His Majesty then shewed him all his Army and gave him the pleasure of contemplating the French Nobility after having made him some time before feel the force of their Courage While our Army lay in Piedmont before the Peace they plunder'd by right of War and I having three very beautiful Neapolitan Coursers for my share Count Soissons sent to entreat me to sell him one of them to restore it to the Duke I sent him word that having given thirty Pistoles for one of them he should have him for the same price if he thought fit but for the other two which cost me nothing I would freely send them to him without taking any thing for them The Count was a little surpriz'd at my answer and sent me a Purse full of Pistoles with this Message That he would not have my Horses unless he might pay for them but though I was not so rich as many others yet my Soul was as great so that I sent him back his Purse with the Horses without ever taking any more but the thirty Pistoles that the Horse I mention'd cost me XII The King while at Valence after having repast the Mountains understood there that several Cities had revolted by the inducement of the Religionists and therefore went to besiege Priras which was one of the strongest Here I lost a very good friend a Captain of the Guards who was unfortunately kill'd by one of our own Centry's as he was going to discover some works And what was most deplorable of all in this accident was that his best friend was the cause of his death against his will For as he was climbing up the side of a little Hill this Officer taking him for one of the Enemâ— commanded the Centinel to fire which he did discharging a great Musquet shot upon him by which he was slain I miss'd but little of sharing in his misfortune having offer'd my self to go along with him but he would go alone and so perisht alone Who can in such cases but acknowledge and admire that Providence that rules and ordains so many different events as best pleases him who parts two friends to take away one and save the other and permits that one who would have given his blood for his friend should himself be innocently the cause of his death But my Eyes at that time were too much fix'd upon the earth to raise me up to this principle and went along as other people with the stream of the age lamenting the loss of a person whom I lov'd and improving that thought no farther I shall say nothing more of this Siege nor of the other Towns that surrendred to the King my design being not to compile a History which were an undertaking above my abilities but only as I said to observe the different accidents and circumstances that occur to my mind such as may be useful to manifest the Government of the Almighty in the course of this mortal life or may afford some light into a profession that I have addicted my self to so many years with more than common assiduity and application XIII At the King's return to Paris there befel me what the world would think a great fortune especially for such a one as I who seem'd to be cut out more for the acquiring Honour than Wealth while I saw so many others advance and enrich themselves in a short time One day as the King was at St. Germains and coming very nimbly down stairs to go a hunting I happen'd to be there and his Majesty leaning upon my arm that he might go faster and surer I thought to snatch this opportunity of begging a considerable Escheat of a Sempstress of the Queen's one Rachel de Viaga a Spaniard by birth one who had not been naturalized and then lay extremely sick I contented my self at that time with giving a very short account of the matter and beg that his Majesty would please to remember me as he had done me the favour to promise he would His Majesty assur'd me he would not forget it and accordingly hearing some days after that the woman was expiring and could not live till morning he promis'd me the Escheat I was sensible I should not want Competitors and beggâ—d the King's protection representing to him that a great many would attempt to deprive me of his bounty as being more worthy than I. To which the King reply'd Go go take you no care I 'll support you against them all And his Majesty shewed afterwards that he had taken me into his protection preferring me before several Lords who would fain have been nibbling at this Escheat which was indeed very considerable and what I might very well look upon as a reward his Majesty's bounty intended me for all my past services The
Sempstress dying that night next morning by break of day several great persons as the Duke of Elbeuf the Marquis de Rambouillat Great Master of the Wardrobe and some others came to beg this Escheat of the King but his Majesty mindful of the promise he had made me told them all It was not in his power for he had dispos'd of it already He explain'd himself no farther as yet but presently after told the Duke of Elbeuf all who had a great kindness for me and declared himself very well satisfied with my having it protesting that had he known his Majestyâ—s inclination to do me that favour he would have joyned with me in the request but the rest were not of his temper and especially a great Officer in the Houshold who shew'd himself too importuning and troublesome when it was too late and after he knew it was given to me charged the Usher of the Chamber not to let me in the next day So that when I thought to prevent the ill offices which I knew very well were design'd me and came to present my self betimes in the morning at the Chamber-door to have audience one of the first the Usher a little roughly bad me stay till the King was up I guest whence this came and knew the shutting me out of the Kings Chamber was to shut me out from his bounty too But I believed that a Prince when he had declared himself as his Majesty had done would soon stop his Subjects mouths and that no one could be so bold to ask or so successful to obtain a Grace that his Majesty had so frankly bestow'd upon me I waited then till the Crowd came and went with some Lords into the Chamber as soon as I was in the room I made my reverence to the King and pray'd him to remember me to which his Majesty replyed I have remembred you I give you what I promised and what others have tryed in vain to take from you Go presently to la Vailliere and bid him from me draw up your Bill of Donation for this Escheat I entreated his Majesty to send some one immediately from himself telling him that Monsieur la Vailliere might otherwise make some difficulty of the thing I see said the King you are used to take your securities go you before and I will send some body after you I went away immediately and it fell out as I had foreseen for Monsieur la Vailliere told me he would speak to the King about it first that he was going to the Louvre and would discourse him about it I had a mind to be by and therefore going into the Coach with him we went together to the King There I found Mr L. and St. G. who not judging so favourably of me as his Majesty had done and thinking this gift more fit for them were so bold as to ask him If he knew what this Escheat was worth The King told them he thought it might be worth fifty thousand Francks How Sir said they Yes above two hundred thousand whereas if your Majesty had given Monsieur Pontis fifty or threescore thousand Livres would not he be well enough rewarded This confident answer very much displeased the King who not liking to have his actions so controul'd said with a voice of Authority Kings govern themselves by their own wills if this Escheat were worth a hundred thousand Crowns I would give it Pontis with a much better will You think because he has but little I should give him but little and I quite contrary would give him much more than I do because I know he hath a great deal of Merit tho but a small Estate This answer out of the mouth of a King and pronounced with a more than ordinary Emphasis struck them all dumb and gave me a joy past my power to express to see his Majesty take my part so warmly against the great ones who thought they had a right to oppose his favours to me My Bill being presently dispatched a Courtier who had a considerable Office made me this pretty Complement Sir You are not acquainted with affairs of this kind if you will give me one half of this Escheat I will quickly put you into secure possession of the rest without any trouble or dispute at all I knowing him a very cunning man and a little concern'd in the business thankt him civilly for his kind proffer to do me or rather indeed himself that good Office telling him the burden was not so heavy but that I both would and could bear it all my self I sent away some Souldiers of my Company into the Country-houses that belonged to this Sempstress whose Heir I was constituted and being desirous to acknowledge in some measure his Majesty's liberality toward me I sent him a Present of all the Holland and Baptiste which was in her Shop at Paris and among other things a great Pointâ—bed which the King gave the Queen valued at ten thousand Crowns The Hollands he gave among the Queens Maids of Honour But I afterwards found I had been too free thus to give back again a good part of what the King had given me For after I had cleared my hands of the rich Cloaths and sumptuous Bed and had taken posâ—ession of the Lands and other Estates of this Sempstress one of her Kinsmen presented a Request to the Parliament in pursuance of an old Letter by which he pretended to shew that this Spanish woman had been naturalized I was basely down in the mouth at this news and resolved to send one on purpose into Spain for more particular information but all the service that did me was only the throwing away five hundred Crowns more which this mans journey cost me For after the matter had lain a long time before the Parliament at last Judgment was given against me that all the Land should go to the Kinsman and the Movables should be mine Thus after I had given the best of the Goods away I was dispossest of the Land and that which should have been worth to me above two hundred thousand Livres was not worth above ten thousand all charges born The King not being able to forbear laughing at me said one day Well Pontis thou wert born to be a man of Honour but not a man of Fortune Sir rereply'd I smiling it has depended upon my self to make me a man of Honour but it will depend only upon your Majesty to make me a man of Fortune and that may be done whenever you please But how comes it to pass said the King that thou couldst not keep this Escheat Sir said I your Majesty gave it me but your Justice hath taken it from me but you have it in your power always to repair this loss of mine with advantage by some other Grant The King only laugh'd at what I said and I remain'd the same I was before For most certainly God who knew that Riches might have been my ruine by tying me faster to