he has rendered his Name Renowned having joyned Mars and Minerva in his own person The second son is Monsieur the Prince of Conty The Daughter Mademoiselle de Bourbon Married Monsieur the Duke of Longueville Anno 1647. In the beginning of the year 1647. though the Winter-season invited our Troops rather into Garrison yet such was the courage of the Mareschal de Gassion that nothing relenting at the extremity of the Weather he undertakes the siege of Ingelmunster the Garrison of which place was no small impediment in our Victualling Courtray This place was Attaqu'd with such fury that she was forced to yield by the end of February The Governour with his Garrison was conducted to Courtray having received no other composition than to remain Prisoners of War Also the Marquiss of Marolles Governour of Thionville a place heretofore taken by the now Prince of Condé presently after his Victory at Rocroy in the year 1643. about the same time defeated a party of the Garrison of Luxemburg by means of an Ambuscade where he killed and took Prisoners above 100 men About the end of the said Moneth of February the Mareschal de Turenne invests Tubinguen in Germany and after a Siege of seventeen or eighteen daies submits the place to the King's obedience This did contribute much to the Treaty of Neutrality not long after concluded with the Duke of Bavaria in which was comprised the Elector of Cologne Since the Arch-Duke Leopold had quitted the Conduct of the Imperial Forces to be General in the Low-Countries he had raised on the suddain a compleat Army with which he Invests Armentieres under the Government of the Sieur du Plessis-Bellievre This Siege being so surprizing made the courage of our party yield to necessity so that for want of Ammunition the place was surrendered the 31 of May. The Garrison remained all Prisoners of War except the Governour and Principal Officers At this time the King and Queen Regent were at Amiens to give their orders more effectually for securing the Frontiers of Picardy The Arch-Duke Leopold having taken Armentieres lays siege to Landrecies where the Garrison not being sufficient to secure their Outworks the Sieur Heudicourt their Governour after a courageous defence of three Weeks was forced to surrender the 18th of July The Mareschal de Gassion finding that he was unable to succour Landrecies joyned with the Mareschal de Rantzau to revenge that loss elsewhere this last in three days made himself Master of Dixmude and the Mareschal de Gassion so vigorously Assaulted la Bassée that he forced the Besieged to surrender at the end of eight daies After this the Mareschal in one day takes the Fort Nieufdan neer Newport and Sluise with several other little Forts all which he Demolish'd During this the Marquiss de Caracene sent to relieve Newport in case of a Siege obliges the Mareschal to an Engagement in which Rencounter the Enemy lost 300 men and we not above fifteen The French Army being now in sufficient condition to oppose their Enemies the King and Queen Regent leave Amiens the 27th of July and take the way of Abbeville passing thence to Dieppe they were received by the Sieur de Montigny who met them in the head of 500 Gentlemen The 9th of August they arrive at Paris The Mareschal de Rantzau considering that the Mareschal de Gassion was necessitated to remain in the midst of his Enemies to keep la Bassée makes a shew of besieging Lens and by that means having diverted the Enemy and brought off Gassion from all danger attaques the Troops of Duke Charles lately arrived from Luxemburg and defeats 800 men of which he took 200 Prisoners Presently after the Armies of these two Generals being united the 10th of September march against the Common Enemy and often Skirmish but always with advantage on our side The 23 of September our Army having past the River Lis the next day arrives before Lens The Mareschal Gassion took the plain of Doway and the Sieur de Villequier the Bridge Avandin the night following they opened their Trenches and the 26th the Cannon began to batter but the Mareschal Gassion being on his way to succour the Sieur de Villequier at the Bridge Avandin and understanding that the Enemy had taken it returns to the Trenches The 28th he hearing that the Besieged had raised a Pallisade neer the Town-gate he gives order that the Posts be immediately pluck'd up and being told it was a matter of extraordinary danger by reason of the Enemies continual firing from that quarter he goes thither himself and as he was trying to move one of the Posts receives a Musquet-shot in the side of his head with which he falls from his Horse and being taken up and carried to Arras deceased the 10th of October in the 38th year of his Age. But the Sieur de Villequier continues the siege of Lens and that with such resolution and effect that the Besieged are forced to surrender the third of the same October and the Comte de Palluau Mestre de Camp of the Cavalry took possession of the place with a French Garrison In the mean time the Enemy thinking to divert the siege of Lens besiege Dixmude which place after a courageous resistance on our part was forced to surrender The Mareschal de Turenne receiving orders from the King to march into Germany understands that Major-General Rose by secret practises had debauched several Souldiers of his Troops hereupon having first endeavoured by all means possible to reclaim him to his duty though ineffectually to prevent a greater disorder he secures his person and sends him Prisoner to Philipsburg About this time the Spaniards under the Conduct of Bonichausen Mareschal de Camp Imperial Colonel Frangipani Governour of Frankendal and Colonel Garnier form a designe to besiege Worms the Garrison consisting but of 100 men The Sieur de la Marche Governour of the place perceiving the weakness of the place and being prest by the Enemy who had already struck a terrour into the Citizens engaged to surrender in case he received no relief in two daies Hereupon he sends immediately to the Governour of Philipsburg who dispatches the Sieur de la Poquetiere a Gentleman of Touraine with 100 men who guarded with other Succours pass the Enemy enter the Town and without ever resting Sally immediately at another Gate on the opposite side charging the Enemy in that quarter so courageously that in fine they beat them off and * That is to drive a Nail or Iron-pin into the Touch-hole so that they become useless Nail'd their Cannon in such manner that the Enemy finding no hopes of gaining the place quitted the siege In Catalonia the Mareschal de Gramont by order of the Prince of Condé having pursued the Spaniards who besieged Constantine return'd and joyns with our Army the 12 of October and the 21 Monsieur the Prince of Condé having drawn together all our Troops on advice that the Spaniards under the Conduct of the
which time he had past most of the chief Offices belonging to his robe namely that of the President of Requests of the Palace Attorney-General in the Parliament which place he exercised neer 27 years first President in the said Assembly neer thirteen years and lastly Gard de Sceaux and all these with a marvelous integrity and fidelity to the King's service The next day the Chancelier of France coming to attend the King according to the orders sent him by the Sieur Mancini his Majesty by the advice of his Eminency gave him the Seals in the Queens presence with all possible demonstrations of the just esteem which he had for this so eminent and sage Head of the French Justice In the same year the King having laid siege to Valenciennes where the Mareschal de Turenne commanded in the quality of Lieutenant-General and having now reduced this important place and the Spanish Forces to their very last effort but not being able to prevent the succours he raised the siege Though immediately after his Majestie 's Army in Italy under the conduct of the Duke of Modena took Valence and at the same time his said Majesty forced la Capelle to submission in sight of the Enemy's Army consisting of more than 30000 men On the 8th of September the Princess Christina late Queen of Swedeland after she had abjured Heresie between the Pope's own hands at Rome and resigned her Kingdom to her Cozin Charles Gustavus Prince Palatine arrived at Paris where she was most magnificently received after this and that she had saluted the King at Compiegne she returned to Rome This year ended happily with a Universal Jubile which began the first Sunday of Advent and ended the second of January 1657. Anno 1657. This year begins with the loss of the Town of St. Guillain which the Spaniards recovered from us the Garrison retiring to Guise after an honourable Capitulation The season now approaching to draw into the Campagne Monsieur the Mareschal de Turenne took the way of Flanders there to command our Forces The King followed not long after making his Family immediately set forwards for Compeigne Monsieur le Mareschal de la Ferté having also directed his march towards Luxemburg with a considerable Army Monsieur the Mareschal de Turenne assisting him at a distance with his Troops he invests Montmedy the 11th of June and wrought at the Lines with such a resolution that in spight of all resistance from the Besieged they were compleated the 15th following In regard this place was of such importance to the Catholick King the Spanish Commanders did their utmost to relieve it but with no success and therefore they think of some other way Having then intelligence that the Garrison of Calais had been of late much weakened by the absence of 300 men drawn off from thence to re-inforce that at Ardres they resolve to attaque it at unawares but it resisted with so much glory that the Assailants not able to effect their designes retired with shame The Spaniards unable to relieve Montmedy the Inhabitants were forced to capitulate the 6th of August The Garrison consisting of 300 Musqueteers and 100 Horse left the place and were conducted within sight of the Walls of Arlon The King entred and viewed the Walls round on Horseback He made the Baron de St. Pé Governour to whose place not long after succeeded the Marquiss de Vandy one of his Majestie 's Generals and Camp-Master to the Carabines The Conquest of Montmedy was followed by that of St. Venant from which place the Spaniards desiring to divert our Arms made a shew to attaque Ardres where notwithstanding they were forced shamefully to raise their siege with the loss of the entire Regiment of Persan who were all cut to pieces The rest of this Campagne past in petty Skirmishes in particular the Garrison of Rocroy was soundly beaten in seeking to raise a Contribution among the neighbour Villages Dom John of Austria the Prince of Condé and several Troops with them having put themselves into Dunkirk on some designe the Mareschal de Turenne on his part prepares to attaque Mardike which he did so effectually that it was soon after surrendered to the discretion of our Commanders the Enemy having deferred to capitulate till it was too late We were no less happy in Italy The Castle of Monteri surrendered to the force of our Arms so also did the Castle of Non which was taken before the very face of the Comte de Fuensaldaigne by the Prince of Conty After this we invest Alexandria but the siege there was no sooner formed but raised again and that for the Conquest of Montecalvo and the Castle of Monts places which made us Masters of Monferrat Nothing considerable past this year in Catalonia where at that time the Duke of Candale commanded but died in his return at Lyons The Magazine of Powder in the Town-house at Bourdeaux took fire by some accident which reduced that poor Town into a deplorable condition This misfortune happened on the third of December Innocent the 10th deceasing as aforesaid Alexander the 7th succeeded in the Papacy who desiring above all things to see the two greatest Kings of Europe united in a Peace proposed it first to his most Christian Majesty and endeavoured to incline him but he received for answer that the onely obstruction lay on the part of his Enemies and that he was always most willing Anno 1658. This so generous Declaration thus happily opening the way gave no small hopes for the effecting so great a good but first his Majesty found himself obliged to force the Spaniards to reason by a further pursuit of his Victories beginning with the siege of Dunkirk which soon after being taken he put it into the hands of Milord Lockhart the English Embassador conditionally that he should permit no violence to the Religion of the Inhabitants The taking of this place though of chief concern 't was too small a Conquest for our Invincible Monarch The Battle of Dunes which we gained intirely with the addition of Bergues St. Winox Furnes and Dixmude followed this gallant Enterprize The Spaniards were seized with terrour at the sight of so many Conquests and the consternation was so great among them that at the very name of the French they took their heels before Newport with the loss of 800 Horse and 3000 Cows which our party took without any resistance Amidst so many Lawrels our invincible Monarch was assaulted by a violent Feaver which in a little time reduced him to much extremity but God who is always vigilant for the conservation of Kingdoms restored this young Mars to his people beyond all their hopes His health being thus recovered his Majesty leaves Calais to return to Paris where all the Soveraign Courts and the Burgesses went out to meet him testifying with how great joy they had received the happy news of his recovery of which they had been almost desperate In the mean time the
this for the future to contain the Nobless and Citizens in their duty His Majesty being at Aix with much joy and tenderness received the Prince of Condé at his return from the Low-Countries Their Majesties continuing their Progress through Languedoc were received most magnificently at Thoulouse and then at Bourdeaux passing from thence to Bayonne and so to St. John Luz they arrived in the Isle of Pheasants where was appointed the Interview of the two Kings and the glorious reception of Maria-Theresa d'Austria Inheretrix presumptive to the Estates of his Catholick Majesty The Pomp and Consummation of these so great and splendid Nuptials was very advantageous to the two Crowns The Ceremonies performed their Majesties take the Road of Paris and arrive happily at the Bois de Vincennes where for some daies they rest till the Queens most magnifique entry at Paris the 26th of August And now happens that horrid Earthquake at the Pyrenean-Hills which swallowing the hot Bathes there and several other places caused extraordinary terrour to the Inhabitants of all that Voisinage The decease of the Duke of Orleans at Blois the 2d of February did much abate our publick Joy and Triumphs their Majesties and all the Court being sensible of so great a loss Anno 1661. To put the Treaty of Peace in Execution and to determine the limits of our King's Conquests the Sieurs Courtin Master of Requests Talon Intendant of Artois and Parmentier Substitute to the Attorney-General were commissioned to treat with the Commissioners of Spain Vilteingh Colins and Anglanzey They had laboured much in these particulars a long while first at St. Omers then at Arras and lastly they concluded happily at Metz where they limited the Extents of Flanders Artois Hainault and Luxembourg and having worthily acquitted themselves in their Employ parted the 25th of November 1662. The Cardinal Mazarin did not long enjoy that Peace which he had procured to all France having been almost ever since indisposed The Fire which in the beginning of February happened at the Louvre and consumed the Gallery of Pictures that look'd into the Garden obliged his Eminence to forsake his Bed and retire to his own Palace where his disease continuing he was advised to change the Air which he did to Vincennes but all this was not of force to prevent his death on the 9 of March following to the great regret of the King and all his Creatures But the following Marriages of the Duke of Orleans with the Princess of England and the Prince of Florence with Mademoiselle d'Orleans caused the loss of this great Minister to be almost forgotten The Sieur Fouquet too intent on the encrease of his own Fortune was arrested at Nants the 5th of September and conveyed to Vincennes and from thence to the Bastille He was the first cause of the erection of the Chamber of Justice which has been so advantageous to those people that deal in these affairs by the detection of the wasting of the King's Revenues which they have applied to their own private uses and to the great Purchases which they have made in the Kingdom The extraordinary profusion in the Conduct of this Minister obliged the King to take some pains in the reformation of his own Estate We may say that hereupon he effected two wonderous things and by which he surprized the Polititians The admirable order and Oeconomy which he establish'd in his own house and the Military Discipline in his Armies in all which particulars he raised the Grandeur and Dignity of the Offices and yet made as well the high as low Officers themselves exactly subject to his own Authority and Power who all remain at present in their perfect duty and dependance The other thing is his having made himself so absolute a Master of all the Citadels and Fortresses of his Dominions so that the Princes and Officers of the Crown the Governours of Provinces and of particular places who heretofore made themselves of too great value and consideration are now in a perfect obedience He suppressed the Office of Super-Intendant of the Finances and certain * Officiers de l'Espargue Officers in his Exchequer and establish'd a Council and Treasury Royal where nothing can be proposed nor one single Sol paid out of his Coffers unless it hath been there first resolved and ordered But that which is most admirable is that his Majesty does himself consider and weigh all things as well of great as small concern whether far off or near necessary or superfluous His Manufactures and Buildings at the Louvre Tuilleries and other Houses Royal have found a place in that vast Spirit amidst the Citadels and other important places of his Kingdom War and affairs of State have not absolutely banish'd from his minde Pleasure and Magnificence But having first heard the serious discourses of the Mareschal de Turenne and the Sieur Colbert he is pleased to confer with our Illustrious Artisans le Brun le Nore and all those excellent Spirits who have the very genius and perfection of their several Arts. It seems about this time Spain was minded to try whether his most Christian Majesty's new form of Government would be maintained with force and vigour To this purpose the Baron de Batteville past an affront on the Comte d'Estrade at the entry of the Swede's Embassador Extraordinary at London And the Spaniards being the stronger killed some French on the 10th of October After this perswading the King of England that their Master had always acknowledged him and assisted against Cromwel they endeavoured to draw him into the quarrel of his Catholick Majesty Hereupon our King complains at Madrid and Bruxelles and calls home his Commissioners who were labouring with those of Spain about settling the Limits of Flanders In fine France came off with honour in this action and the Marquiss de Fuentes Embassador extraordinary from Spain made our King reparation and assured him that his Master had given order to all his Embassadors and Ministers to abstain and strive no more with those of France in all such Ceremonies and publick actions where they both happen to assist This was performed in the presence of eight Embassadors and 22 Residents The Nativities of the Dauphin of France and Prince of Spain the first and ninth of November was a new Blessing to both Nations Oh what disputes shall these Illustrious Competitors hereafter manage to maintain the Grandeur and Glory of their Predecessors The King resolving a new promotion of Knights of both his Orders a general Chapter was held at Fontainbleau about the end of December Here to the admiration of all men the Duke of Longueville demanded precedency of him of Vendôme scïlt the next place after the first Princes of the Blood but in regard of those Declarations which Henry the great granted for the Duke of Vendôme the 15th of April 1610 Registred in the Parliament of Paris the 30th of the same the Duke of Longueville's pretensions were utterly defeated The
and the Mareschal de Gassion that of St. Venant both which surrendered not long after and thereby made us Masters of the River Lis. In the mean time the Duke of Guise went to take an exact view of the Town of Armentiers Not long after this the Sieur Mazerin of the Order of St. Dominique Master of the Holy Palace and at present Arch-Bishop of Aix departed from Rome for France The 7 of September the King went to the Parliament At the same happened a difference in the Convent of Reformed Jacobins in the new street St Honoré between the Parisians and Gascons of this Reformation these demanding to be separated from the other The affair was urged to such a point that the Queen Regent gave order to the Chancellor with certain Bishops and Councellors of State to compose it who ordained that there should be no separation that none of the Parisians might be sent into Gasconie and that there should be but 8 Gascons in the said Monastery four of which to be of the Province of St. Maximin and the other four of Tholouse The Town of Armentiers through which passes the River Lis and in which are about 6000 Inhabitants surrendered by Composition to the Mareschals de Gassion and de Rantzau on the 10 of December In the mean while by the mediation of the most Christian King a Peace was concluded between the Kings of Sweden and Denmark the Sieur de la Tuillerie being sent Embassador Extraordinary on the part of his Majestie The 20th of September was concluded at the Castle of Fontainbleau the Contract of Marriage between Vladislaus King of Poland and Lowisa-Maria de Gonzague Daughter to the Duke of Mantua and Aunt to him now living The Contract among other things contained that the Princess Mary should have in the name of Dowâ—y two Millions and one hundred thouâ—and Livres of French money of which sum the most Christian King should pay six hundred thousand Livres in free gift and for the other fifteen hundred thousand Livres was to be valued her Title which she might have to succeed her Father in the Dutchy of Mantua The King Authorized this affair as her Father and the Queen Regent as her Mother who thereupon did signe the Contract On Sunday the 29th of October the Embassadors of Poland made their magnificent entry into Paris at the Gate of St. Anthony The pomp was so full of admiration to the eyes of all Spectators who fill'd the High-ways for the space of two Leagues from Paris insomuch that several Authors have in their Writings left us very ample descriptions of it I shall therefore dwell no longer on this particular of small consequence having so large a Subject of the Exploits of War and our Generals of Armies Let it suffice that the Embassadors were the Bishop of Varuic and the Palatine of Posnanie who the Tuesday following had Audience of their Majesties and afterwards of the Princess the designed Queen of Poland During these Secular Grandeurs the Church Triumph'd in three Conversions One was of Prince Edward Count Palatine of the Rhine Husband to the Princess Anne de Gonzague Sister to the Queen of Poland who abjured Heresie between the hands of Father Fore a Cordelier the 3d of November This was immediately preceded by that of the Marquess de Montausier who was made Governour of Angoumois and Xaintonge Afterwards in the moneth of July at the siege of Bourburg followed that of the Comte de Rantzau who as may be seen in the course of this History after many Exploits of War and in divers Combats having left himself but half a Body had notwithstanding a Soul remaining so sound and entire as to dispose himself into the Bosom of the Church in which affair also was employed Father Fore On the 20th of October the Town of Balaguier submitted to the Comte de Harcour Vice-Roy in Catalonia The 3d of September happened a great fire in the Town of Anger 's which begun in the house of a certain Pastry-Cook the Flame raged with such violence that it did much damage to many Houses this occasioned the concourse of many people to assist During the Bustle somebody advised to cast into the midst of the Flames certain little Scappularies of the Virgin of Mount Carmel with which action the fire was appeased and extinguish'd yet the Scappularies themselves no ways indamaged During this they murmur at Rome to see the Arms of France placed over the Palace-gates of Cardinal Barberin and Dom Thadaeo his Brother Prefect of the City But the Cardinal Barberin gave an account of the action to his Holiness On the 5th of November the Queen of Poland was espoused to the Prince Palatine of Posnanie representing the person of the King his Master The Ceremonies were performed at the Palace Royal by the Bishop of Varuic with permission of the Cardinal of Lions Grand Aumosnier of France and the Arch-Bishop of Paris And after Mass was celebrated the Feast Royal. And now the Mareschal de Gassion who commands the King's Army in the Low Countries cuts in pieces the Spanish Forces takes 19 Ensignes and 8 Cornets of Horse and 4000 Prisoners At the same time the French Army under the conduct of the Mareschal de Turenne takes Treves by Composition of which place the Comte de Laverne was Governour Afterwards the Arch-Bishop Elector of the Empire was restored to his possession This year the Assembly of the Clergy was held at the great Augustins in Paris And at the same time was finish'd that painful Work the great Bible which contains seven several Texts viz. the Hebrew the Samaritan the Chaldee the Seventy the Syriack St. Jerom's Translation and the Arabick The Work consists of ten Volumes and was perfected at the expence of the Sieur le Jay This admirable Piece being now compleated was presented to the King and Qu. Regent in the presence of Monsieur the Duke of Orleans Monsieur the Prince of Condé Monsieur the Cardinal of Mazarine and Monsieur the Chancellor Le Sieur le Jay received for recompence a Brieve to be Councellor of State and 2000 Livres of Pension The 27th of November Loüise-Marie de Gonzague Queen of Poland parted from Paris to finde the King her Husband with the Embassadors the King and Queen Regent accompanied her almost to St. Denis in France and bid her adieu before the Chappel of Clignancourt leaving with her the Sieurs de Rhodes and Sanctot great Masters of the Ceremonies the Sieurs de Berlise Conductor of Embassadors and de Linage Captain-Ensigne to the Regiment of Guards to conduct her to the Frontiers and to cause the same honour to be paid her in all places where she past as to the King and Queens own persons Having remained two days at St. Denis she past on to Senlis Compeigne Noyon and from thence to Peronne where she was received by the Sieur d'Hoquincourt the Governour Passing still further she rested in the middle of a Field where the Sieurs de