end it may be publish'd to the World that this Great Belly of mine is no Fable as they who bereav'd me of my Crown believ'd and gave out O Heaven that know'st the Injustice done me prosecute my Revenge and thou Saint Vaubons who hast given Life to the Infant which I bear be thou for ever on my side Prove but thou faithful to me and I will burn upon thy Altar the largest Tapers I can buy for Money The Count de Lausun who had heard that the Queen was VVith-child Madam said he to her with a Smile I find that you have not been idle in my Absence and that Love has been your Friend Oh Cousin reply'd the Queen with a languishing Aire deride not an Unfortunate Princess that breathes nothing but Grief this Production is only the Effect of my Prayers to St. Vaubons Had yee no humane Assistance Madam said the Count proceeding still in his Jesting Humour None at all answer'd the Queen Then most certainly reply'd the Count St. Vaubons must be a Hermophrodite to get Children alone by her self You do not take the Blessings of Heaven in a right sense reply'd the Queen Let us find some other Discourse How did yee like the Irish Ladies are they as handsom as they are at London How many Mistresses had you during your stay in that Country Faith Madam I was so taken up with the VVar that I had no leisure to discern the VVhite from the Brown besides that I should never court the Irish Ladies they are so little obliging that they will never make any great Conquests Then you have been Visiting 'em Cousin reply'd the Queen laughing yet you would make me believe you never minded ' em I know that Mars and Venus have a great Sympathy together For which reason it is that Ovid shews us those two Deities surpriz'd in an Amorous Familiarity and fetter'd in small Chains that Vulcan had Forg'd to cure himself of his jealous Suspicions The Count would have gone on with his Pleasantries in answer to the Queen when King James arriv'd So that after some few Complements the King and the Count went together to the Fauxburgh St. Antoin to conferr with the Reverend Father La Chaise At what time the Holy Father gave King James a Writing the Contents of which were as follows Francis by the Grace of God and the Holy Apostolick See Archbishop of Paris Duke and Peer of France Commander of the King's Orders Protector of the Sorbonne and Superiour of that of Navarr with the Assistance of our Venerable Brethren Deans Canons of the Metropolitan Church and the Pious Council of Lewis the Great our Incomparable Monarch most humbly supplicateth the King and Queen of Great Britain James II. and Mary d' Este his Illustrious Consort to consent to the means which we have found out in our Holy Assembly speedily to restore Their Majesties to their Throne which is to publish a Declaration to their English Subjects therein desiring 'em not to join with King William with Promise to obtain all their Privileges and to give full Liberty to the English Religion to send back all the Foreign Soldiers so soon as he shall be restor'd to his Throne to let 'em see also that their manner of dispossessing him was unjust by justifying his Conduct desiring also the Lords of the Kingdom to come to Paris to be present at the Delivery of the Queen for the Dissipating of all false Reports that ran about upon the Death of his Son the Prince of Wales and that the Queen's time expir'd the 15th of May assuring those that should come into France all the Liberty they could desire The King and Queen return'd their Hearty Thanks to the Archbishop and all the Holy Society for the Good Counsel they had given Prayers were also appointed to be made in all the Churches for the Blessing of Heaven upon all King James's Enterprizes and Te Deum was sung before-hand there being no Question but that Victory would favour him Some days after all this devout Hurly-burly the Court remov'd to Marli to divertise themselves where the Count Lausun always Courtly according to his Custom gave the most magnificent Regale that ever was seen Balls and Comedies were not omitted for the Ladies to spend their time with pleasure and delight The next day the Count carry'd the Queen together with the Princesses of Conti d' Espiney and Soissons to an Opera where the Queen who is a passionate Lover of Musick was charm'd with a young Damsel's Voice who sung the last Airs of Baptist The Countess of Rourre who was one of those that went to Marli was one of the first that return'd that she might have more time to tast the Sweets of her Engagement with the Prince of Turenne At that time it was that he was so weak as to Sign a little Note with his Blood to that same Charming Countess wherein he promis'd to love her as long as he liv'd and never to change On the other side Madam de Rourre appear'd so charm'd with his Promise that she flung her self about his Neck and tenderly embrac'd him telling him withal That she would be as faithful to him as her Strength would permit For you know my Dear continu'd the Cunning Coquet that Women such as I am are subject to strange Temptations Nevertheless I assure yee I will separate my self from the World to the end I may give my self up wholly to you This was then the Opinion of the Fair Countess who at the same time presented her Illustrious Gallant with her Picture in a little Box and several other Toys as Pledges of her Love The Prince also Sign'd another Note with his blood that she should never see the Picture again till the Hour of his Death which fell out to be as he said for he was Slain at the Battel of Steenkirk By this time the Queen being deliver'd infus'd a general Joy into all the Court for the Birth of a second Child Our Pious Monarch had desir'd the Dutchess of Orleans his Sister-in-Law to be God-mother But by Misfortune that Princess who had a great Desire to have been at the Queen's Labour came too late tho' she set forth from St. Clou with all speed that might be However every Body congratulated King James for his good Fortune and several Ladies of Great Quality always stay'd in the Queen's Chamber by Lewis the Great 's Order who tenderly lov'd the Princess and took delight in thinking that by his Tillage she had produc'd so fair a Crop And indeed this Infant was compos'd of several Essences which in time will give it a most Admirable Odour in the World and be a means to perpetuate his Memory Monsieur the Archbishop made frequent Visits to the Queen during her Lying-in particularly to give her his Benediction and make her some other Presents of things necessary for the Support of Life Telling her withall to divertise her That he had order'd to be carry'd
However it were our Queen in Tribulation who could not long endure the Absence of Monsieur the Curate sent for him by one of her Gentlemen under pretence that her little Prince of Wales was sick and that she was extreamly afflicted for fear of losing a dear Child upon whose Life all her Hopes depended Now the Curate either out of Respect or for some other Reasons durst not so frequently visit his Princess so that the Priest was over joy'd to find himself sent for To which purpose he called to his Remembrance all the pleasures he had tasted in the Enjoyment of so Adorable a person and the good Fortune which he hop'd to reap from his good Service All these great Ideas made the Lover to go up into his Chamber where he rubb'd himself from Head to Foot with Essence of Jassemine scour'd his Hands with Past of Almonds to make 'em feel smooth and powder'd his Hair more than he was wont to do and after he had thus trickt and spruced himself up he went to visit the Queen about Six a Clock in the Evening For at that Hour she sent him word she should be alone because her Court would be at the Opera or at other Divertisements of the Carneval Season Monsieur the Curate found his Charming Mistress and the little Prince's Nurse bemoaning the Illustrious Infant and scar'd at the thoughts of his Death Oh said the Afflicted Princess must I loose the only Blessing that is left me in this World St. Winifred accept my Offerings and hear my Vows and sanctifie the Prayers which I make to thee Divine Queen of Heaven During this Ejaculation the Queen cast an Eye upon her Gallant then upon his Knees that he might participate in the Devotion of the Frincess who at the same time took him by the Hand and led him into her Chamber There she ask'd him his Advice about the sick Prince and what he thought of his Distemper To which the Curate answered after he had put her in hpes that if he should happen to Die it was a Loss that might be repair'd since her Majesties Youth could not want Heirs to her Husbands Throne Those words re-cheard the Queens Heart who seem'd to be quite cast down and at the same time giving the Curate an Amorous Grasp by the Hand she pull'd him to her and made him write upon her Altar the Prophetic Terms he had made use of to let her understand the Fertility of her Arable Ground After which she thank'd him very civily telling him withal that if all Men did but resemble him in Piety and Natural strength Soldiers would not be so scarce in France as they were I assure ye said the Princess I was in a Disconsolate Condition before you came but you have given me as much Comfort as it is possible for me to receive Persons Sanctify'd to that degree as you are have something extraordinary above other Men. I must confess I find 'em a thousand times more engaging than your Court Minions who boast their fine Complements to the Ladies but have no other Merit but that frivolous Excellency to commend ' em Alas Madam reply'd Monsieur the Curate with a great deal of Humility we poor Abbots know not what Courtship is there is nothing in our Breviaries that tells us how to please Ladies No matter reply'd the Queen with a passionate utterance Nature that acts alone in you is worth all the chicest and most Courtly Manner of forc'd Ability In a word Madam cry'd out the Transported Lover embracing the Knees of his Goddess I may account my self the most fortunate among men since I see my self so highly esteem'd by the most Adorable Queen in the VVorld Let us have no Complaints my Dear reply'd the Princess interrupting him her Eyes all sparkling with Love they are now quite out of season Let us make the best of the pretious minutes that are left us let us loose no time but employ all in confirming to each other the mutual pledges of our Love The words were hardly out of her Mouth when the Marchioness of P s came to give her notice that King James was return'd out of Ireland and come to Paris and that he was gone to the Convent of the Reverend Fathers the Jesuits The Tydings caus'd the Sanctify'd Gallant forthwith to Decamp who was afraid of nothing so much as to be taken Tardy in an Amorous Familiarity King James who was at his Wits end to see himself so coursly handled by Fortune and hopeless of ever re-ascending his Throne was so cast down that nothing could comfort him So that he was no sooner arriv'd but he ran first of all to the Jesuits to tell the Lamentable story of his Misfortune to Father La Chaise his faithful Friend So soon as the Distressed Prince beheld the Reverend Father he cry'd out in a Lamentable Tone Ah Father I am lost beyond Recovery Ireland is totally reduc'd and my Enemies are Victorious The whole sacred Society of Jesuits did all they could to chear up the poor Prince who wept bitterly and told 'em how King VVilliam had pass'd the Boine and Routed his Army and how he had afterwards made himself Master of Drogheda Dundalk Dublin VVaterford and Duncannon All 's lost continu'd the King sighing every thing opposes my good Fortune and my Stars showre down their most Cruel Influencies uon me Upon this the Reverend Fathers La Chaise and Gerard carry'd King James to the Fauxburg St. Antoine to the end they might dispel some part of his grief and buoy up his Heart with a plentiful Collation Monsieur the Archbishop also no sooner heard of his Arrival but he went to wait upon him making him a thousand Offers of his Service and telling him That his Majesty might make use of his Purse as his own and that he would never forsake him King James return'd his thanks with an extraordinary tendrness to the Protector of the Sorbonne assuring him that whatever kindness he did for him should be return'd him when it lay in his power Those last words caus'd the Archbishop to smile at the easiness of that unfortunate Prince who was the Cully and sport of the World This Opinion which the Archbishop had of the King mov'd him to some pity so that raising his Voice Sir said he be of good Courage we shall find a way to succour your Majesty settle your thoughts a little and chear up your self with us With that they drank about several times King James's Health and to all his Friends that should be instrumental toward his Restoration After which they talk'd no more of Melancholy stories but every one spoke of what was most divertising and most proper to spend the time delightfully and merrily At length King James perceiving it was something late took leave of the Reverend Fathers the Jesuits and the Archbishop carry'd him to St. Germains in his Coach which very much surprized the Queen who could not conceive how they should happen to
days afterwards Madam de Maintenon sent for Mdemoiselle de to her Chamber who was the Fair Lady that she design'd for the King and no King a Lady at the same time tenderly belov'd by our Great Monarch So soon as King James saw her he was Charm'd with her Beauty and all the desires of that poor Prince that lay as it were in a Swoon reviv'd at the sight of so Fair an Object and his Fancy was heated after such a manner that he had much adoe to Recover himself from an Agitation so extraordinary But the Fair Lady who could not brook with patience the feeble Caresses of that Prince always contriv'd some excuse or other that she might not meet His Majesty for as she said one day to the Dutchess of Nemours I know not the meaning of Madam de Maintenon to go about thus to Engage me to a Complyance with King James One might think as this Lady orders her Affairs that the Race of Men were at an end My dear Minion reply'd the Dutchess with a smile the Marchioness of Maintenon has her Ends and you must submit to her This Answer afforded nothing of Consolation to our Charming Lady who being at her Wits end to see her self obliged to Entertain a Familiar Commerce with a Lover already come to his Spectacles who had more need of Repose and Ease then of the usual Agitations of Venus resolved to feign her self sick that she might rid her self from the frequent Visits of the King of the Bass and her project took For the King being Enamour'd only by Accident soon laid asleep his Rapid motions in their proper places However Madam Maintenon who thought her self in some measure Revenged for the Inconstancy of her Lover and the Queen's interloping was not a little glad that K. James's Amour had made some noise at the Court and tho the Consequences were such as she expected and desired however she would not seem to be disatisfy'd The Queen who understood that 't was the Marchioness of Maintenon who had laid that Snare for her Husband only made here self Sport with it which nettl'd the Marchioness not a little But the Queen who is infinitely Witty and Politick withal under stood so well how to manage both the Marchioness and our Monarch that she has all along to outward appearance preserv'd her Friendship with those Illustrious Persons All this while the Curate of Saint Martin whom his Modesty had kept silent tho' he thought ne're a whit the less imagin'd the time of his Absence too long and therefore so soon as the noise of the Queen's being With-child was quietly over he went to St. Germains under pretence of paying his Devoirs to King James whom he had not seen since his Return out of Ireland The Queen return'd him her Thanks and in regard the King was not then at Paris our two Lovers made the Best of his Lucky Absence by giving each other a thousand Proofs of their Affection Our Princess made known to her Gallant her great Joy for being big With-child a second time in hopes that this last Infant would utterly overthrow all the Designs of the wretched Huguenots who triumph'd over her Misfortune Ah my Dear continu'd the Princess kissing her Ecclesiastical Adonis had King James undertaken an Affair of that Importance as to beget a Child the Poor Man would have been at a Loss You cannot imagine how uncapable that Prince is to beget his Like So that the Marchioness of Maintenon mistook in her Politicks to choose out a Mistress for a Man that can hardly make Water alas poor Woman she thought to make me jealous but she took a wrong Course I knew too well my Husband's Merits and that there is ne're a Girl i' the Town if she be any thing handsome that will be baffl'd by such a doating Gallant But Madam reply'd the Curate I believe that Lady's Design was to fret and disquiet your Majesty because she knows that our King has a great Esteem and Honour for you and usually the Mistresses of Kings are jealous of their Rivalesses 'T is a strange thing reply'd the Queen that a Woman of her Age should not be satiated with Love yet you cannot imagin perhaps how amorous this Antiquated Bigotess is After she has turn'd about her Rosary an hour or two the good Lady goes to caress the King with a thousand Grimaces which no way suit with a Woman of her Character In short she loves Pleasure better then her Life and when she cannot please her self she produces others Younger and more Beautiful This is the Genius of the Abbess of St. Cyr notwithstanding all her Devotion In truth Madam I never took that Lady to be so given to the World or so addicted to Pleasure However she ought to consider that she is in her wain and that 't is time for her to leave off Ah! Monsieur reply'd the Princess she has been always a Wanton A Friend of mine told me since I came to Paris that when Scarron marry'd her every body told the Poor Man but of Charity that he was going to ally himself to the Family of Acteon To which the Growthead Aesop reply'd that he laugh'd at wearing Horns since he was not the only Man i' the World that did so and that he only took that Fair Damsel to please his Eyes But the Arrival of the Count of Lau. sun who surpriz'd the Queen caus'd 'em to alter their Conversation for now they talk'd of nothing but the Affairs of Ireland and the loss of Limerick Ah! my dear Cousin cry'd the afflicted Princess what think ye of my Misfortune I must confess Madam reply'd the Count rubbing his Forehead I am extreamly troubl'd for all these Misfortunes There is nothing vexes a General more then to be foil'd in his Enterprizes I wish I had never been in Ireland for my Honour's sake The Count of Tyrconnel and I did all that could be expected from stout Soldiers But 't is in vain to toil when Fortune is against us You have given me a sad Protraiture of our Condition my dear Cousin but I had thought that a great Soldier like your self had always reserv'd some Hope nevertheless I see that The Queen could not conclude the rest because a Torrent of Tears that fell from her Eyes would not suffer her to proceed Which the Count beholding and sorry to see her so terribly afflict her self he took her in his Arms to comfort her Swearing that he would try the to'ther Bout and doe his Utmost to restore her Majesty to her Throne After the Queen had dry'd up her Tears looking upon the Count with a tender Eye My dear Cousin said she how much am I oblig'd to your Kindness for interesting your self so much in my Concerns 'T was you that sav'd me out of the Hands of my Enemies as well as the Prince of Wales my little Son Now that I am big With-Child again I have still more need of your Assistance to the
airy Blessings Thus it was that Monsieur the Archbishop flatter'd his Passion in caressing the Queen who assur'd him on her part That she would be faithful to him as long as she liv'd and that she could never love any other but himself for Reasons that her Majesty could not express All these tender Protestations being at an end the Archbishop took his leave of the Queen and went with his Official to meet the Bishop of Meaux at the House of one of the Presidents who liv'd at Lisle Notredam After he had discours'd of Publick Affairs and of the Decrees which our Monarch had issu'd forth the two Prelates went to recreate themselves at Conflans about a small League from Paris where they drank so much of the Archbishop's good Wine that it warm'd the devout Friends of Bacchus to that degree as to tell what Favours they had receiv'd from their Mistresses which put them upon relating several pleasant Stories that held 'em a long time The Bishop of Meaux drank the Queen's Health smiling upon the Archbishop who pledg'd the Company very courteously telling 'em withal That nothing was more acceptable to him then to hear 'em talk of that Princess in whom he had observ'd an Extraordinary Merit and that Fortune was not just to abandon her Cause What you say is true Sir said the President but we are not alway rewarded according to our Deserts wherefore your Artists paint that Deity Blind Upon that the Bishop of Meaux could not forbear desiring his Friends to drink a good Health to the Archbishop's Inclinations naming no Body But in regard the Conquests that Love makes can be no more conceal'd then Fire it self every Body knew that Fair Ladies took up the greatest part of that Illustrious Prelate's time The President laughing at the same time said that Madam de Bourneville had a great Share in the Joy that appear'd in the Bishop of Meaux's Countenance Nor did that Prelate much gainsay it quite the contrary with a Courtly Aire he confess'd that he was as sensible of the Charms of handsome Ladies as another Man and that his Character could not mortifie his Passions and that the Prohibitions of the Church forbidding Matrimony and the touching any Woman did but corroborate the Propensity of Men to that Sex Every Body applauded the Bishop's Opinion which was maintain'd for Truth by several Glasses of Wine which they drank off and then threw over their Shoulders in honour of the Ladies Never was so much Incense offer'd to Bacchus and Venus as that Day which seem'd to be one of their Festivals After this Debauch was at an end which lasted a day or two the Pious Fathers of the Roman Catholick Church return'd to Paris more serious then ever King James whom the bad Condition of his Affairs had cast into a deep Melancholly and who knew not how to imploy himself to dissipate his Trouble and to divert the mournful Idea's that crouded his Thoughts for the Loss of his Crown spent his time in a thousand Trifles Amongst the rest he very frequently went to see his Son the Little Prince of Wales to dandle him and hear his Prittle-prattle which was very Extra-ordinary considering his Years Mademoiselle de Bordage a French Woman who was plac'd about him to teach him the Language and to govern him in the Absence of his Tutor always made a faithful Relation of the hopeful Parts of the Young Prince which made the King often laugh at her manner of Expressing her self But as it is impossible to avoid loving handsome Persons nor to let 'em understand as much King James resolv'd to make a Tryal of his Skill maugre his unwillingness to do it For the Poor Prince had so ill succeeded in his Amours as well as in every thing else that he durst not attempt the making of tender and amorous Declarations Nevertheless the Posture of his Affairs requir'd it to the end he might dispell the Troubles of his Mind as we have said already One day this solitary Prince said sighing to Madam Bordage That he was the most unfortunate of Men in all his Undertakings and that he never prosper'd in any thing which reduc'd him sometimes to that Despair that Death it self would have been welcome to him And indeed the King had no great Reason to take any Pleasure in this Life for every Body look'd upon him with Contempt since his Fatal Fall Mrs. Bordage seem'd to be compassionately mov'd with the King 's bemoaning his Affliction to her so that she endeavour'd to comfort him up the best she could VVherein King James observ'd a great deal of good Nature and thank'd her for her being so much concern'd in his Troubles His Majesty spent some time in Acknowledgment which grw up to Love and which he kept secret in his Heart without speaking a Word for above six Months But in regard that Passion cannot last long without bursting forth the King who was troubl'd with concealing it longer resolv'd to speak of it to her that had given it Birth and Growth but stil in dubious and far-fetch'd Expressions only to sound the Ladies Intentions The Fair Lady who thought the King was talking to her of some Advantageous Match shew'd her self nothing Squeamish in her Answers Which confirm'd our Amorous Prince in his Hopes For which reason he urg'd her one day to tell him Whether she could tenderly Love an Honest Gentleman who should think himself happy to please her Sir said she I know not what to say you puzzle me with your Proposal for I would willingly see the Person you propound You know Sir continu'd she that we must have a Sight of the Objects before we fix our Love that we may have some Foundation for our Passion 'T is very certain Madam reply'd King James but true Lovers are still afraid of being favourably heard and therefore they are not so forward to declare themselves at first If this Person you speak of Sir be a Person of Merit for any thing else you need not fear his being belov'd That Conceit of Madam Bordage's made the King laugh who reply'd I find Madam that you love handsome Young Men that have a great Deal of Wit Yes Sir answer'd she I have always had a Kindness for deserving Gentlemen The King perceiving this Lady would never love a Person who had so little to recommend him as he had she ath'd up his Complements without saying any more leaving the rest to Fortune tho' there is no great likelyhood that she will ever be kind to that miserable Prince The Curate of St. Martin who had not seen his divine Queen in some time went to the Convent of Mercy to visit one of his Kinswomen with a design to meet the Queen there who frequently went to visit the Princesses of Soissons both Prisoners in that place But so soon as the Curate saw her Majesty he chang'd Colour and seem'd to be abash'd which the Company well observ'd tho' they thought him only dash'd