Licensed Octob. 11. 1678. Roger L' Estrange THE PRINCESS OF CLEVES The most famed ROMANCE Written in French by the greatest Wits of France Rendred into English by a Person of Quality at the Request of some Friends LONDON Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes in Russel-street in Covent-Garden 1679. THE PRINCESSE OF CLEVE GRandeur and Gallantry never appeared in greater splendour in France than in the Declension of the Reign of Henry the Second To the Person and Bravery of this Prince Nature had added warm inclinations to maintain the amorous Fire she had originally kindled in him That the passion he had for Diana of Poictiers Duchess of Valentinois under which he had labour'd upwards of twenty years was so far from being able to abate of its violence it rather seem'd to add Fewel to the Flame He had the happiness to excel in all those noble Exercises he judg'd might merit a place in his Royal thoughts amongst the number of which he was particularly devoted to Hunting Tennis-Balls Running at the Ring and such other generous Divertisements as might suit with the Honour of his Presence Their Appointments were seldom made but colourably to give the King an opportunity to recruit the passion the Duchesses beauty had so many years since created in him She seem'd to parallel if not exceed the fair Model of Madam de la March her Daughter then unmarried in those Graces Nature had been prodigal of to them both The Queens presence still seem'd to authorise hers This Princes though she had out-worn her youthful years her Face yet seem'd to retain the ruines of a Noble Beauty She was pleased to set a value on State Magnificence and her pleasures but to such only she allowed the honour of her presence as might not contribute to any diminution of her greatness She was married to the King when he was Duke of Orleans The Dauphin his elder Brother being then living and who since dyed at Tournon a Prince whose Birth and Merit had design'd him for the succession of Francis the First his Royal Father The ambitious humour of the Queen made him keep a straiter Rein upon the Government He thought she would not so far express her resentment of his passion for the Duchess that the Symptomes of her Jealousie might fall under his notice She was so well read in the practice of dissimulation that it was impossible to pierce further into the Cabinet of her heart than she was pleas'd to allow the Inquisitor Policy obliged her to interpose the Person of this Duchess that she might the more easily insinuate her self into that of the King This Prince was pleased to divert himself in the conversation of Ladies and not always of those for whom he had a kindness He was ever ready to wait upon the Queen at the usual hour they took the Tour which was always honoured with the presence of the greatest and most deserving Never was a Court furnisht with a fairer stock of either Sex Nature seem'd to have taken pleasure to be most lavish of her greatest Graces to the greatest Persons The Princess Elizabeth who had the honour to marry with the King of Spain was pleased to expose to the admiration of the Court that incomparable Beauty that prov'd afterwards so fatal to her The Lady Mary Steward Queen of Scotland who being designed to marry the Dauphin had the honour to wear the Title of the Dauphin-Queen Nature had made her fair Model inferior in no part to that of the Princess she received her Education in France and had taken up an Ambition from her Infancy that in despite of her green years she was resolved not only to love but understand all such things as might contribute to her improvement The Queen her Mother-in-law and the Princess the Kings Sister were much devoted to Musick and Poetry The Veneration King Francis had for those Sciences was not yet extinguisht in France and the King who affected all Exercises of the Body made the Court the Theatre he perform'd them in But that which render'd it so splendid was the presence of so many great Princes and Persons of Merit Those I shall presume to name here were equally its Ornament and its Admiration The King of Navarre had ingross'd the greatest Respect as pretending to the greatest Rank which joyn'd to the Merit of his Person justly allow'd him the Honour of it He was so great a General that the Duke of Guise had an Ambition to serve under him in the quality of a private Volunteer 'T is Truth the Duke had given so great proofs of his Vallour and Conduct that there was not a great Captain that could allow his Merit it s due Character without Envy His Courage was bound up with other great Vertues he had a Soul as brave as generous and a Capacity so great as if Nature had fitted him Tam Marti quam Mercurio either for War or Counsel The Cardinal of Lorain his Brother brought into the World so insatiable an Ambition with him he seem'd to have a Design wholly to ingross her to himself Nature had added to it for its advantage a Tongue whose Eloquence was made up of Charms His Studies and Sedulity had furnisht him with a stupendious stock of Learning which he was not wanting on all occasions to imploy in the defence of the Church The Chevalier of Guise afterwards called the Grand Prior was a Prince whose Affability and Sweetness had justly purchas'd him the respect of all that had the happiness to know him The Prince of Conde under the small dimension Nature had molded him by which she testified the little regard she had for his Person had a Soul as haughty as great and the briskness of his Wit had amply supply'd Nature's unkind usage which could not with all her envy rob him of the Honour that was due to his Merit and Quality The Duke of Nevers who had rendred his Age venerable by the Honour of his Actions These composed the nobler part of the glorious Train of the Court He had three Sons as equally as nobly accomplisht the second was called the Prince of Cleve a Gentleman that truly deserved to support the greatness of his Family he was as good as great and he had so large a stock of Prudence and Discretion such as Nature seldom lodges in green heads The viscount of Chartres descended from the illustrious Family of Vendome whose name the Princes of the Blood think no dishonour to wear presum'd to share in their Gallantry with them He was inferiour to none either in his Person or his Courage or any other rich Endowment that can render a Gentleman truly noble By which he had purchas'd himself so great an esteem in the Court that they thought he might deserve the Honour if any Man might presume to it of having his Merit thrown into the Ballance with that of the Duke of Nemours This Prince seem'd to have been the chief work of Nature that which
was the least to be admired in him was his Person than which the World could not produce a nobler That which lodg'd him above the common Sphere of others was not only his Courage which had not it's equal but the sweet Harmony that was observed in all his other Vertues they seem'd to have conspired together to render him the Worlds wonder The sweetness of his Converse made him equally the ambition of both Sexes and he was pleased to express that Majesty in all his Exercises that it still purchased him the admiration of his beholders The gayety of his Habit had made him the mode of the Court though all his followers had the Misfortune to fall short of their Pattern In fine there was that Contexture of worth and Honour in the rich Frame that wheresoever he came he had the happiness to ingross to himself the respect of the whole Company There was not a Lady in the Court whose coyness would not abate upon his approach neither was there any could boast her heart proof against his Charms and as few that could forbear to discover a passion for him though he had not the inclination to interchange the flame He had so great a passion for Honour he thought the greatest toils the noblest steps to mount up to her He had his choice of Mistresses but only a Prophet could Divine which of them had the happy Fate to entertain his heart He was often observed to make his visits to the Dauphin-Queen The Beauty of this Princess the Sweetness of her disposition and the Industry she seemed to use to keep up the Honor and Esteem the Court had for her joyned with the respect she was pleased to shew this Prince gave a suspition to some that he might as well love as admire so deserving a Lady The Duke of Guise whose Neece she was had so far advanc'd the Reputation of his Family by the Honour of this Match that his Ambition prompt him to rival it with the Princes of the Blood and share in the Power and Authority of the Constable Montmorency The management of great Affairs the King left to the conduct of the Constable and was pleas'd to treat the Duke of Guise and the Marshal of St. Andre as his Favourites but as for that Grace and Favour they were to expect from his Royal Bounty he never granted them with that pleasure and content as when they came recommended from the Duchess of Valentinois and notwithstanding age had robb'd her of her youth which should maintain the Charms that first captivated him she yet retained that absolute Empire over his Heart she might be still said to be Mistress both of his Royal Person and his Fortune The King had so great a kindness for the Constable that the first moment of his Reign enlarg'd him from that Exile to which Francis the First had condemn'd him The Court was divided between the Duke of Guise and the Constable who was supported by the Princes of the Blood Both Parties made it their ambition to purchase an Interest in the Duchess of Valentinois The Duke of Aumale Brother to the Duke of Guise had married one of her Daughters the Constable seem'd to aspire at the same Alliance He was not satisfied that his eldest Son had married Madam Diana the Kings Daughter by a Lady of Piedmont who had no sooner disburthen'd her self of that mutual Pledge between his Majesty and her but was pleas'd to retire into a Cloyster This Marriage meets with several difficulties occasioned by a Promise Monsieur Montmorency had made to Madam de Piennes one of her Majesties Maids of Honour And notwithstanding the King was pleased to carry himself with an indifferency between them the Constable thought himself not sufficiently propt without the favour of the Duchess whereby he might divide the interest the House of Guise seem'd by that Alliance to ingross to its self Their greatness had already given some disquiet and uneasiness to her she endeavour'd to retard the Dauphin's Marriage with the Queen of Scotland The Beauty and discretion of this young Queen with the advantage this Match must give the Family of Guise she knew not how to rellish She had an inveteracy for the Cardinal of Lorain who had taken the liberty to discourse her in a Dialect she could by no means understand by which she perceived he had possessed the Queen to her disadvantage By this the Constable discover'd a disposition in her which gave him an opportunity of making an Alliance by a Marriage of Madam la March her Daughter with Monsieur d' Anvile his second Son who succeeded him in his Government under Charles the 9th The Constable hop'd he should not meet the same Remora in his second he had unhappily found in his eldest But alas he was mistaken The Duke d' Anvile was passionately in love with the Dauphin-Queen but what hopes he might have that she would vouchsafe to entertain the Flame out-soar'd the Constable's apprehension The Marshal of St. Andre was the only Person in the Court that seem'd to lean to neither side He was a Favourite whose interest seldom regarded any thing above his own advantage The King lov'd him from the time he was Dauphin and since he has been pleas'd to make him a Marshal of France in an Age so raw it could scarce intitle another to the meanest Dignity The Kings favour gave him a great Lustre which he was not wanting to improve on all occasions to endear both his Merit and his Person which he had the happiness to do under the advantages of a splendid Table to which his Majesty was a constant Guest the richness of his Furniture and gayety of his Equipage to the splendor whereof his Majesties Royal Bounty was ever contributary This Prince would passionately espouse the interest of those he loved And notwithstanding he was not inrich't with the noblest Qualities he was not yet barren in them all As he was a great lover of Arms he was no Novice in them Fortune still waited on him with success and barring the battel of St. Quintine his Reign was no other than a continued series of Victory By his Personal Courage he shared in the Honour of the Battel of Renty Piedmont submitted to his Arms to which he added the greatest lustre in chasing the English out of France The Emperour Charles the 5 th found a declension in his Fortune at the Siege of Metz before which he brought the strength both of the Empire and Spain But the disgrace he received at St. Quintine had put so great a stop to his glorious Carreer he was inforc't to suffer his Rival to share his Fortune with him and treat a Peace The Duchess Dowager of Lorain had made the first Overture at the Dauphins Marriage since which there has been held a secret Negotiation In fine Cercan in Artois was the place appointed for the Treaty The Cardinal of Lorain the Constable of Montmorency and the Marshal of St. Andre
were Plenipotentiaries for the King the Duke of Alva and the Prince of Orange for philip the Second the Duke and Duchess of Orleans were the Mediators The principal Articles were the Marriage of the Princess Elizabeth of France with Don Carlos the Infanta of Spain and his Majesties Sister with the Monsieur of Savoy The King during the Treaty continued upon the Frontiers where he received the first news of the Death of Queen Mary of England His Majesty forthwith dispatcht the Earl of Randan to Queen Elizabeth to congratulate with her Majesty her Assumption to the Crown she received him honourably her affairs were in so ill a posture at that time she was not a little satisfied that so great a Prince was pleased to pay his first respects to her The Court discoursed she was well read in the interest of the Court of France and the merit of those that had the honour to compose it But for none she seemed to express so great a value as the Duke of Nemours she was pleased to speak with that Honour of this Prince that the Ambassadour upon his return took the Liberty to declare he thought no Person more valuable in her esteem than the Duke And did not question upon his addresses the Queen might do him the Honour to entertain a Passion for him The King the same Evening communicated it to the Prince where he commanded the Count de Randan to give him the Relation to confirm the Duke in the respect the Queen had for him which he was pleased to conclude with his advice not to neglect the favourable opportunity that seemed to court him to so much happiness The Duke received it at first as a piece of raillery till his Majesty was pleas'd to undeceive him If Sir says the Duke in obedience to your Majesties commands and for your service I shall embark my self upon so extravagant a design as to presume a Princess whom I have never yet had the honour to know should admit me to her Royal Bed I hope your Majesty will be pleased not to divulge the vanity of the attempt till the success may justifie me to the Publick The King was pleas'd to give him his Royal word that he would depose it in the knowledge of no other Breast but the Constable's concluding with the Duke that Secresie might facilitate the design The Count advised the Duke to take a Journey for England which he refused and dispatch't Monsieur Lignerolle a sprightly Gentleman his Favourite to sound the Queens inclinations and to endeavour to fix some obligation upon her In the interim he takes a Journey for Bruxells to give a visit to the Duke of Savoy who was there with the King of Spain The death of Queen Mary gave several difficulties to the Treaty which about the end of November broke up and his Majesty return'd to Paris At last there broke forth a Beauty in the Court which drew all its Eyes upon her and I cannot without injustice rank her amongst the indifferent that could purchase such admiration in a place that was so richly stored She was of the Family of the Viscount de Chartres and one of the greatest Heiresses of France She had the misfortune to bury her Father in her infancy by which unhappy accident she was left to the Guardianship of Madam de Chartres her Mother She was a Lady of those great Accomplishments that Fortune Vertue and Merit seem'd to have conspired to compleat her fair model After her Husbands death she had for some years made her recess from Court. During her retirement she was not wanting to give her Daughter an Education suitable to her Quality in which she did not so much labour to improve her Person as her better part which she endeavour'd to embellish with Vertue which renders a Lady truly noble The generality of Mothers imagin it sufficient to forbear to discourse of the vanity of Love left their Children should be invited to stray out of the paths of Vertue Madam de Chartres was of a contrary opinion She was pleased to paint out love to her Daughter in all its shapes that she might be the better able to discern that part of her which might be the most dangerous She informs her of the little Sincerity and Candor there is in Man Their Devices their Infidelity and the Domestick Discontents Marriage often plunges those into that alter their condition On the other side she declares the Happiness and Tranquility that attends a Vertuous Wife and what Luster and Esteem Piety in a person of Birth and Beauty may purchase her And concludes in acquainting her with the difficulty to preserve it which cannot be better secured than by a diffidence in our selves and a serious application to those things that can best contribute to our happiness which is to love our Husbands and to merit a return This Lady was at that time one of the greatest Matches of France and notwithstanding she was but in her greener years she wanted not her choice of Proposals Madam de Chartres who was an ambitious Lady scarce thought the noblest worthy her consideration She having now arrived to the sixteenth year of her Age she brought her to Court The first that paid his respects to her upon her arrival was the Viscount who was not a little surprised and you cannot blame him at the Beauty of the fair Lady The delicacy of her Meen in which York and Lancaster seem'd to have contended which of the two should be the most prodigal of his Charms was the Subject of his admiration The Day following the young Lady went to a famous Italian to purchase a Set of Jewels This Gentleman came along with the Queen from Florence and he had raised himself to that prodigious wealth by his Industry that his House appeared rather to be the Palace of a Prince than the Being of a Merchant When she was there in comes the Prince of Cleve He was so transported at the sight of this young Lady that he could not dissemble his surprise Madam de Chartres could not forbear to answer the Princes discomposure with a blush after she had a little composed her self she pays her civility to the Prince suitable to the Character she apprehended he might bear The Prince beheld her with admiration but he was not able to judge who this Lady should be having never had the honour to see her before He perceived by her Person and the numerous Retinue that waited on her that she must be of eminent Quality Her youth perswaded him she might be a Maid but seeing no Mother with her and the Italian giving her the Title of Madam he knew not what to think She seemed to receive his Addresses with a disorder more than usual with young Ladies who take no small vanity in the impression their Beauty may happily make upon a stranger The Prince's applications to her gave her some impatience to retire which she suddenly did Monsieur de Cleve was
The Emperour who had a great respect for the Duke of Orleans had often offer'd him the Duchy of Millan and in the Articles of the Peace that was afterwards concluded he gave him the hopes of the seventeen Provinces and his Daughter in marriage with them The Dauphin neither inclined to the Match nor it he employ'd the Constable whom he ever lov'd to make the King sensible of what importance it would be to leave his Successor a Brother so powerful as the Duke of Orleans must be with the advantage of the Imperial Allyance and these Countries The Constable yielded more easily to the Dauphins design in that it was opposite to that of Madam d' Estampes who was his declared Enemy and who so passionately desired the Dukes advancement The Dauphin at that time commanded his Majesties Army in Champagne and had reduc'd that of the Empire to those extremities he had certainly ruin'd it if the Duchess d' Estampes fearing these great advantages might retard the Peace and the honour of the Dukes Allyance with the Emperour had not advis'd the Enemy to surprise Espernay and the Castle of Rierry which was their Magazine they attempted it and succeeded by which means they preserved the Army This Duchess did not long enjoy the success of her Treason Immediately after dyed the Duke of Orleans at Farmoutiers of a contagious disease He was enamoured with one of the greatest Beauties of the Court who was pleased to entertain the flame I shall forbear to name her for she has since lived under so close a retirement and has with so much prudence disguised the passion she had for him we ought in justice to be tender of her honour The death of her Husband and the Duke bore even date together which gave her the freedom to shew those open marks of her grief and sorrow which otherwise she had been enforc'd to hide The King did not long survive the Prince his Son for he dyed within two years after He recommends to the Dauphin the Cardinal of Tournon and the Admiral d' Annebault without the least mention of the Constable whom he had confined to Chantilly notwithstanding his Fathers commands he calls him home and makes him the grand Minister of State Madam d' Estampes was discarded and received all the ill Treatment she could expect from so powerful and inveterate an Enemy The Duchess of Valentinois was not satisfied till she had glutted her self with her revenge upon this Duchess and the rest who had faln under her displeasure Her interest has been more absolute over the King since he came to the Crown than when he was the Dauphin These twelve years since he has reign'd she has been the uncontroulable Mistress of all his Actions she has had the disposal of all Governments and Affairs she has obliged him to bannish the Cardinal of Tournon the Chancellour and Villeray all that have endeavour'd to eclypse her power have perisht in the attempt The Count de Taix Grand Master of the Artillery who had no kindness for her taking the liberty to reflect upon her Gallants and particularly the Count de Brissac of whom the King had a jealousie she so subtilly plaid her Cards that he was in disgrace and divested of his emply and what renders the thing more strange she procured it for the Count de Brissac who by her means had the honour to be since created a Marshal of France The Kings jealousie began to swell to that degree in him he could no longer endure the test of it but that which in another would have appeared more sharp and violent was strangely corrected in him by the great respect he had for this Lady In so much that he durst not if we may presume to use this saucy Dialect with a Prince remove his Rival but under the pretence of preferring him to the Government of Piedmont He has lived there several years and only return'd this last Winter under a pretext of recruiting the Troops under his command and for other necessary supplies for the Army The ambition to see the Duchess of Valentinois and the fear of being forgotten had certainly the greatest share in that Journey The King was observed to receive him coldly the Family of Guise who loves her not but yet dares not declare the cause imploy'd the Viscount his mortal Enemy to obstruct the Grant of what he design'd himself by his Journey 'T was no hard matter to compass it the King hated him and his presence gave him no small disquiet insomuch that he was forc'd to return without having had the happiness to reap the fruits of his Voyage which was only to give him an opportunity to re-kindle the Flame his passion had made in the heart of the Duchess which he feared his absence might extinguish His Majesty wanted no other subjects of his jealousie but they not being known gave him no provocation to complain I know not Daughter says Madam de Chartres if you may not find that I have instructed you in some things more than you are willing to know I am so far from complaining replyes Madam de Cleve that did I not fear to be troublesom to you I would desire you to enlarge upon several Circumstances which I am ignorant of The passion that Monsieur de Nemours had for Madam de Cleve was so violent in its Original that it seem'd to have robb'd him of all his content and the very thoughts of those he had a kindness for nay even such with whom he converst during her absence 't was his care to frame excuses to disingage himself from them he could not allow himself the patience to give Ear to their Complaints nor make returns to their reproaches Madam la Dauphin for whom he had inclinations not ordinarily passionate yet he was scarce able to confine them within his Breast Madam de Cleve had made that impression there His impatience for England began to cool he seem'd not to pursue with much Zeal his necessary dispatches for that Journey He often made his visits to the Dauphin-Queen that he might have the happiness to pay his respects to Madam de Cleve who was frequently there neither was he concern'd at the liberty some took to imagin what others thought of the passion he had for that Princess Madam de Cleve was of that value with him he was resolved rather to hide from her the sentiments of his heart than expose her honour to the publick He forbore even to communicate it to the Viscount de Chartres who was his Confident and to whom his Bosome lay ever open He used a Conduct so prudent and which he managed with so much care that the Argus's of the Court could not discover the least symptome of any kindness for this Lady but in the Chevalier de Guise Madam de Cleve her self had continued a stranger to them had not the inclination she had for that Prince obliged her to keep a close Watch on all his Actions
which at last convinc'd her She seem'd not to have the same disposition to make an Overture of this adventure to her Mother as she had already done by all the rest she was resolved to lodge it in no other Breast but her own but alas she was mistaken Madam de Chartres was as sensible of it as of her love for this Prince the knowledge of which gave her no small disquiet She understood the danger this poor young Lady was exposed unto by the affection she had for a person of this Prince's Merit Her jealousie was afterwards unhappily confirmed by a passage which suddenly ensued The Marshal of St. Andre who courted all opportunities to make his splendid Treats humbly begg'd of his Majesty that he would with the two Queens do him the honour to take a Collation at his house which was newly finisht 'T was thought he did it colourably that Madam de Cleve might share in the greatness of this Entertainment in which no man could possibly be more prodigal or profuse Some few days before that which was appointed for the Supper the Dauphin King who had not his health was indisposed and admitted of no visits The Queen his Lady had spent the whole day with him the Dauphin being better in the Evening the persons of quality who came to wait upon him were introduc'd into his Bed-Chamber The Queen was pleased to withdraw into another Chamber where she found Madam de Cleve and some other Ladies with whom she was most familiarly pleased to converse It being now late and her Majesty not drest she went not to wait upon the Queen but obliged them to excuse her she gives order for her Jewels to be brought to her that she might give Madam de Cleve her choice of them to wear at the Ball the Marshal was to make In the interim in comes the Prince of Conde his quality gave him a free entrance every where You come says the Queen to him from the King my Husband pray what news have you there They are maintaining Madam replyes the Prince a strong Argument against the Duke of Nemours and he defends the Thesis with that heat and obstinaey as if he himself were the subject of it I believe he has a Mistress that may be uneasie to him at a Ball that he thinks is so troublesome a thing to find her there How says the Dauphin Queen will Monsieur de Nemours be so unkind as to impose upon his Mistress This Power me thinks might better sute with the authority of a Husband than the obsequionsness of a Servant Monsieur de Nemours answers the Prince finds by experience that they are the most insupportable things in Nature to a poor Lover for if he be so happy that his Mistress has a passion for him he must be sure to stand the Test and Tryal of her frowns for several days together He says there 's not a Lady of them all but will be so diverted with the vanity of the Habit she must appear in she cannot be at leisure as much as to allow a thought towards him And concludes the folly epidemical Nay he does not rest here he is sensible that when they are at these Balls they have no other thoughts but to please in general and if once they begin to set a value on their own Beauties he fears the Servant has the least share in their admiration of it He argues yet farther if it be a mans unhappiness to be neglected his torment is the greater in one of these Assemblies where his Mistress takes no notice of them for the more they are honoured in publick the more miserable does a man think himself that 's slighted by them They are jealous that their Beauty gives Birth to passions to their prejudice And affirms there is no greater torment than to see her there Madam de Cleve though she had given Ear to what the Prince had said yet seem'd to take no notice of it She was sensible what interest she had in the opinion of Monsieur de Nemours and above all the uneasieness the presence of his Mistress would give him there where he could not be the King was dispatching him to the Duke of Ferrara The Dauphin Queen could not forbear to smile as well as the Prince who condemned the Dukes opinion There is only one occasion says the Prince in which Monsieur de Nemours can dispence with her presence there and that neither but when 't is given by himself and he was pleased to tell us that the last year he gave one to your Majesty and says his Mistress did him the honour to come under a pretence to wait on you 'T is an obligation a Mistress lays upon a Servant when she is pleased to delight in the Divertiscments he makes her And your Majesty must think it not a little pleasing to a Lover that his Mistress sees him Master of a Place the Court is pleased to do him the honour to compose and which gives her an opportunity to be an Eye-witness of the Gallantry with which he acquits himself Monsieur de Nemours says the Dauphin-Queen had reason to allow it there where the numbers were so great of those who wear the Titles of his Mistresses that had they not been there the Ball had been but thin The discourse the Prince of Conde used in giving her Majesty the sentiment of Monsieur de Nemours concerning Balls diverted Madam de Cleves thoughts from that intended by the Marshal de St. Andre She was easily convinc'd it was unhandsome to receive a Treat from one that lov'd her and was glad of the opportunity to decline it to oblige the Prince She accepted notwithstanding of the favour of the Dauphin-Queen and in the Evening she shew'd them to her Mother she told her she had no design to use them and that she was sensible the Marshal de St. Andre made this splendid Entertainment to give himself the occasion to shew the honour he has for her and questioned not but he would have the vanity to boast his happiness that he made her a sharer in it and I hear says she under that unhappy pretext he may involve me in some trouble and inconvenience Madam de Chartes was pleased to oppose her Daughters Opinion as being singular but discovering her obstinacy she yielded to it and advised her to feign her self indisposed for she believed no other excuse would be allowed but that which she was obliged to disguise with privacy and discretion too lest it should reach the knowledge of the Company and expose her to its censure Madam de Cleve consents to pass the time away with her Mother she had no inclination for the place she thought not happy without the Princes presence who leaves the Court before the day that brought her heart to the test Monsieur de Nemours returns the day after the Ball and was informed she was not there but not knowing whether some might not report to her the discourse
could not tell but what he had heard might have been in a dream so little likelihood was there of the truth of it The only thing seem'd to assure him he was not mistaken was the extreme sadness of Madam de Cleve appearing in spight of all her care to conceal it And peradventure the sweetest looks and most obliging expressions would not have so much heightned the love of Monsieur de Nemours as the severity of her Conduct effectually did One Evening as Monsieur and Madam de Cleve were at the Queens Lodgings it was said there was a report the King would name another great Lord at Court to wait on Madam into Spain Monsieur de Cleve had his eye fixt on his Wife when it was further said the Chevalier de Guise or the Marshal de S. Andre was to be the man He observ'd she was not at all mov'd at either of those names nor at the discourse of their going along with her this made him believe he had no reason to fear the presence of either of them To clear his suspitions he went into the Queens Closet where the King then was Having staid there a while he return'd to his Wife and whisper'd her he had but newly been told Monsieur de Nemours was the person design'd to go along with them into Spain Madam de Cleve was so mov'd at the name of Monsieur de Nemours and the thought of being expos'd to see him every day during a very long journey in the presence of her Husband that she could not conceal the trouble she was in and to cloak it with other reasons No choice says she could have been made more disagreeable for you he will share all your Honours and methinks you are oblig'd to endeavour to procure another choice Madam answers he 't is not on any account of State you are unwilling Monsieur de Nemours should go with me the trouble it gives you proceeds from another cause I learn from that trouble in you what I should have discover'd in another Woman by the joy she would have exprest at the news but fear not Madam what I told you is not true it was an invention of mine to be assur'd of a thing I strongly believ'd Having said so he went out being loth by his presence to increase the trouble he saw his Wife in Monsieur de Nemours came in at that instant and presently observ'd the condition she was in He went up to her and told her softly He had that respect for her he durst not ask her what it was made her more thoughtful and melancholly than ordinary The voice of Monsieur de Nemours brought her to her self again and looking on him without having heard what he had just then said so full was she of her own thoughts and of fear her Husband might see him with her For Gods sake says she let me alone Alas Madam answers he I do it too much what is it you can complain of I dare not speak to you I dare not so much as look upon you I tremble when I come near you wherein have I deserv'd you should speak so to me why do you make it appear thus I am in some measure the cause of the trouble I see you in Madam de Cleve was very sorry she had given him occasion to declare himself more clearly than he had done before she left him without saying a word more and went home more troubled than ever her Husband perceiv'd it and that she was afraid he should speak to her of what was past and following her into her Closet Do not shun me Madam says he I will not say any thing shall displease you I beg your pardon for the surprize I put you to awhile I am sufficiently punish'd by what I have learnt by it Monsieur de Nemours was the man I most fear'd of any I see the danger you are in have power over your self for your own sake and if you can for mine I ask it not as your Husband but as a man whose happiness wholly depends on you and who hath for you a passion more violent and more tender than he whom your inclination prefers before me Monsieur de Cleve melted at these words he could scarce finish them His Lady was so mov'd she burst into tears and imbrac'd him with a tenderness and sorrow that put him into a condition very different from hers They continued silent a while and parted without having been able to say a word one to the other All things were ready for the Marriage of Madam the Duke of Alva was arriv'd to Espouse her He was receiv'd with all the Ceremony and Magnificence usual on such occasions The King sent to meet him by the way the Prince of Conde the Cardinals of Lorrain and Guise the Dukes of Lorrain Ferrara Aumale Bouillon Guise and Nemours They had a great number of Gentlemen and many Pages in Livery The King in Person attended with two hundred Gentlemen his Servants with the Constable at the head of them waited the Duke of Alva's coming at the first Gate of the Louvre When the Duke of Alva was come up to the King he would have imbrac'd his knees the King would not suffer it but made him walk by his side to the Queens Lodgings and to Madam's for whom the Duke of Alva brought a magnificent Present from his Master He went thence to the Lodgings of Madam Margaret the Kings Sister to Complement her on the part of Monsieur de Savoy and assure her he would arrive in few days There were great Assemblies at the Louvre to let the Duke of Alva and the Prince of Orange who accompanied him see the Beauties of the Court. Madam de Cleve durst not absent her self for fear of displeasing her Husband who commanded her to appear there though very loth to do it Yet she was the rather induc'd to it by the absence of Monsieur de Nemours He was gone to meet Monsieur de Savoy and after his arrival was oblig'd to be in a manner always with him to assist him in what concern'd the Ceremonies of his Marriage This prevented her meeting him as often as she us'd which gave her some satisfaction The Vidame of Chartres had not forgot the discourse he had had with Monsieur de Nemours It ran in his mind that the Adventure the Prince had told him was his own and he watch'd him so narrowly 't is very probable he would have found out the truth of it had not the arrival of the Duke of Alva and Monsieur de Savoy fill'd the Court with so much business that it took away the opportunities of a discovery of that Nature The desire he had to know the truth of it or rather the natural disposition we have to make those we love acquainted with all we know made him tell Madam de Martigues the extraordinary Action of that Person who had confess'd to her Husband the passion she had for another He assur'd
from publick notice The Queen-Dauphin spoke but by the by to Madam de Cleve of the discourse they had had with Monsieur de Nemours and Monsieur de Cleve industriously shunn'd speaking to his Wife of what was past so that her trouble prov'd less than she expected The Espousals were solemniz'd at the Louvre and after the Treat and the Ball the King's Houshold went to ly at the Bishop's Palace according to Custom In the Morning the Duke d' Alva having till then gone very plain appear'd in a Habit of Cloth of Gold mix'd with fire-colour yellow and black all cover'd with Jewels with a close Crown on his Head The Prince of Orange richly Apparell'd with his Livery and all the Spaniards with theirs came to attend the Duke from the Hostel de Villeroy where he was lodg'd and march'd four a-breast till they came to the Palace As soon as he arriv'd they went in order to the Church The King led Madam with a close Crown on her Head and her Train born up by Madamoiselles de Montpensier and Longueville The Queen follow'd next but without a Crown Next came the Queen-Dauphin Madam the King's Sister Madam de Lorrain and the Queen of Navar their Trains carry'd by Princesses The Maids of Honour belonging to the Queens and Princesses were all richly drest in the same Colours the Queens and Princesses had on so that it was known by the colour of their Habits whose Maids they were They mounted the Scaffold prepared in the Church and there the Ceremony of the Marriage was perform'd They return'd to Dinner at the Bishops and went thence about five a Clock to the great Palace where the Feast was and the Parliament the Soveraign Courts and the Corporation of the City were desir'd to assist The King the Queens the Princes and Princesses eat at the Marble Table in the great Hall of the Palace The Duke of Alva sat by the new Queen of Spain below the steps of the Marble Table At the King's right hand there was a Table for Embassadors Arch-Bishops and Knights of the Order and on the other hand a Table for those of the Parliament The Duke of Guise in a Robe of Cloth of Gold Freez'd serv'd the King as Lord Steward of his Houshold the Prince of Conde as Parmetier and the Duke of Nemours as Cup-bearer When the Officers had taken away the Ball began and was interrupted by Ballets and extraordinary Machines then they resum'd the Ball and after Midnight the King and all the Court return'd to the Louvre As sad as Madam de Cleve was all that saw her and particularly Monsieur de Nemours thought her beauty incomparable Though the bustle of the Ceremony offer'd him several opportunities he durst not speak to her But he appear'd so sad and exprest so much fear to approach her that Madam de Cleve looking on it as proceeding from his respect for her began to think he was not so much to be blam'd though he had not said a word to justifie himself His Conduct was the same the following days and wrought the same effect on Madam de Cleve At last the day of the Tournament came the Queens stood in the Galleries upon the Scaffolds prepar'd for them The four Champions appear'd at the end of the Lists with a number of Horses and Liveries the most magnificent sight ever seen in France The King's Colours were Black and White which he always wore on the account of Madam de Valentinois being a Widow Monsieur de Ferrara and his Retinue had Red and Yellow Monsieur de Guise Carnation and White being the Colours of a young Lady whom he had lov'd when a Maid and lov'd her still though he durst not make it appear Monsieur de Nemours had Black and Yellow why he wore them was not known but it was no hard matter for Madam de Cleve to guess at it she remember'd she had said before him she lov'd Yellow and was sorry it suited not with her Natural Complexion which was the reason he thought he might appear in that Colour without indiscretion because Madam de Cleve not wearing it there could be no suspicion he wore it on her account The Champions perform'd with incomparable address Though the King was the best Horseman in his Kingdom they knew not who had the advantage Monsieur de Nemours had a Grace in all his Actions won him the favour of Persons less interess'd than Madam de Cleve she no sooner discover'd him at the end of the Lists but she felt her self under extraordinary Emotions and every Course he made she could scarce hide her joy when he had well finish'd his Career In the Evening when all was almost over and the Company ready to break up the King provok'd only by the ill Fate of the State would needs break another Lance He commanded the Count de Mantgomery who was very dextrous at it to appear in the Lists the Count begg'd his Majesty would excuse him alledging all the Reasons he could think of but the King half angry sent him word he commanded him to do it The Queen conjur'd the King not to run any more that he had perform'd so well he ought to rest satisfi'd and that she intreated him to come to her He answer'd it was for love of her he would have another Course and enter'd the Barriere She sent Monsieur de Savoy to pray him the second time to come back but all to no purpose They ran the Lances were broken and a Splinter of the Count of Montgomery's hit the King in the Eye and stuck there The King fell His Gentlemen and Monsieur de Montmorency Marshal of the Camp ran to him They were astonish'd to see him so wounded but the King was hearty he said it was a very slight hurt and pardon'd the Count. You may judge the trouble and affliction so sad an Accident occasion'd at a time wholly dedicated to Gayety and Mirth As soon as the King was laid in Bed and the Chyrurgeons had search'd the Wound it appear'd very considerable The Constable presently thought of the Prediction that the King should be slain in Duel and made no doubt but it would be accomplish'd The King of Spain then at Brussels having news of the Accident sent his Physician a Man of Great Reputation but he jug'd the King past hope A Court so divided and full of contrary Interests could not but be in extraordinary disorder and factiously busie in such a Conjuncture Yet all was conceal'd and the whole Court seem'd employ'd only about the recovery of the King the Queens Princes and Princesses scarce stirring out of his Anti-Chamber Madam de Cleve knowing her self oblig'd to be there that she should see Monsieur de Nemours there and should not be able to conceal from her Husband the disorder that sight would put her to and being sensible the very presence of that Prince would justifie and clear him in her thoughts and destroy the resolutions she
had taken against him she pretended her self sick The Court was too busie to mind what she did or to enquire whether her indisposition were real or feign'd Only her Husband knew the truth of it That troubled her not she continu'd at home little concern'd for the great Change that was shortly expected and full of her own thoughts which she had liberty enough to give her self up to Every one ran to Court to enquire of the King Monsieur de Cleve came at certain hours to bring her news he observ'd the same method of proceeding towards her he us'd to do save only when they were alone they were a little less free and more cold towards one another than formerly He said not a word of what was past and she had not the power nor thought it convenient to resume the discourse of it Monsieur de Nemours who waited an opportunity of speaking to Madam de Cleve was surpriz'd and troubl'd he could not have a sight of her The King was so ill that the seventh day the Physicians gave him up Her receiv'd the news of the certainty of his Death with extraordinary constancy which was the more admirable in that he lost his Life by so unfortunate an Accident that he was to die in the Flower of his Age happy ador'd by his People and belov'd by a Mistress he was desperatly in love with The day before he dy'd he caus'd Madam his Sister to be marry'd to Monsieur de Savoy without Ceremony You may guess the condition the Duchess of Valentinois was in The Queen would not permit her to see the King but sent to demand of her the King's Signet and the Jewels of the Crown she had in her Custody The Duchess enquir'd if the King were dead and being told no I have no Master yet then says she and no body can oblige me to part with what he trusted in my Hands As soon as he expir'd at the Chasteau de Tournels the Dukes of Ferrara Guise and Nemours conducted the Queen-Mother the King and Queen-Consort to the Louvre Monsieur de Nemours led the Queen-Mother As they began to walk she step'd back a little and told the Queen her Daughter-in-Law it was her place to go first but it was easie to see there was more sharpness than civility in the Complement The End of the third Book THE PRINCESSE OF CLEVE BOOK IV. THE Queen-Mother was now wholly govern'd by the Cardinal of Lorrain the Vidame of Chartres was quite out of favour with her and the love he had for Madam Martigues and for liberty made him less sensible of her displeasure than a matter of that consequence might seem to deserve The Cardinal the ten days the King continued ill had leisure to form his designs and prevail with the Queen to take Resolutions suitable to his Projects so that as soon as the King was dead the Queen order'd the Constable to stay at the Tournels with the Corps to perform the usual Ceremonies This kept him at distance and out of the Scene of Action He dispatch'd a Courrier to the King of Navarr to hasten him to Court to join with him in opposing the Rise of the House of Guise The Duke of Guise was made General of the Armies and the Cardinal of Lorrain Sur-intendant of the Finances The Duchess of Valentinois was expell'd the Court. The Cardinal of Tournon the Constable's declar'd Enemy and the Chancellor Olivier declar'd Enemy to the Duchess of Valentinois were both call'd to Court In a word the Court had intirely chang'd Face The Duke of Guise rank'd himself with the Princes of the Blood to carry the King's Cloak at the Funeral He and his Brothers were absolute Masters at Court not only through the credit the Cardinal had with the Queen but because she thought it in her power to remove them if they should give her Umbrage and that she could not remove the Constable who was upheld by the Princes of the Blood The days of mourning for the deceas'd King being over the Constable came to the Louvre but had a very cold reception from the King He would have spoken with him in private but the King call'd for Messieurs de Guise and before them told him he advis'd him to take his ease that the Finances and the Command of the Armies were dispos'd of and when he should stand in need of his Counsels he would send for him to Court The Queen-Mother receiv'd him more coldly than the King had done and did not forbear to reproach him with his having said to the late King his Children were not like him The King of Navarr arriv'd and was no better receiv'd The Prince of Conde more impatient than his Brother complain'd of it aloud but all to no purpose He was remov'd from Court under pretence of being sent into Flanders to sign the Ratification of the Peace They shew'd the King of Navarr a forg'd Letter from the King of Spain wherein he was charg'd with designs to surprize some strong places belonging to that King they told him it was high time to look about him and prepare for defence and in a word perswaded him to resolve going for Bearn The Queen-Mother to furnish him with a pretence gave him in Charge the Conduct of Madam Elizabeth to Savoy and made him take his Journey before her so that there was not a Person left at Court to ballance the Power of the House of Guise Though it fell out unluckily for Monsieur de Cleve he had not the Conducting Madam Elizabeth yet the greatness of the Person preferr'd before him took from him all cause of complaint But the loss of the Employ griev'd him not so much for depriving him of the honour he should have receiv'd by it as for robbing him of so fair an opportunity to remove his Wife from Court without suspicion or the least appearance of design Soon after the decease of the late King a Resolution was taken the King should go to Rhemes to be anointed Madam de Cleve having all this while kept home on pretence of being ill no sooner heard this news but she pray'd her Husband to dispence with her following the Court and to give her leave to go take the Air at Colonniers for her health He told her he would not enquire whether she desir'd it on the account of her health but he was ready to consent to what she desir'd and it was no hard Task to consent to what he had already resolv'd As good an Opinion as he had of his Wife's Virtue he thought it imprudent to expose her longer to the view of a Man she was in love with Monsieur de Nemours quickly knew she would not go along with the Court and could not find in his heart to be gone without seeing her The Night before the Court was to remove he went to her House as late as in decency he could that he might find her alone Fortune favour'd his Intention as he enter'd the
Grandeur and Fortune and without imploying that power but for things that were just and honourable for the King 't is confest a person could not without some injustice have blamed the passion of this Prince If I did believe I should not lye under the unhappy censure Women of my years undeservedly do which take pleasure to relate the passages of the Age they dwell in I would give you the Relation of their Amours and several other intrigues of the Court of the deceased King which do not a little sympathize with those practicable at present I am far from those reflections replyed Madam de Cleve that I am sorry Madam that you have not been pleased to instruct me in the present and that you have not learnt me the distinct Interests and Cabals of the Court I am so ill read in them that I believed there was not a day wherein the Constable was not in her Majesties Favour Your Opinion is infinitely remote from the truth of it answers Madam de Chartres the Queen has a perfect Hatred for the Constable and if ever she has a power he will be sure both to know and feel it She is sensible that he has often informed the King that of all his Children none resemble him more than his natural ones I never suspected a misunderstanding here replies Madam de Cleve after I had been an Eye-witness of the care her Majesty took to solace him in his Confinement the joy she was pleased to express at his inlargement and especially after she had treated him in the familiar phrase of Gossip with the King If you shall measure says Madam de Chartres things by their appearances you will often lye under a mistake you must know that Hearts and Tongues keep here no correspence together Give me leave to assume my story of the Duchess says Madam de Chartres and proceed You must understand that she is called The Diana of Poictiers her Family is noble she is descended from the ancient Dukes of Acquitain her Grandfather was the Natural Son of Lewis the Eleventh in fine her whole composition is made up of greatness her Father had unfortunately engaged in the quarrel of the Constable of Bourbon of which you have so often heard he was condemned to lose his Head and in order to it was conducted to the Scaffold his Daughter who had a charming Beauty and which had already kindled a Flame in the Kings Breast interposed her interest and obtained his pardon 'T was brought him in the fatal moment he expected the bloody stroke the fear and terror he lay under had so far disordered his thoughts he was not sensible of his Majesties Grace and favour so that the day following put a period to his life His Daughter appeared at Court as the Kings Mistress the Expedition for Italy and the Kings Imprisonment gave some diversion to this passion After his Majesties return from Spain and that Madam the Queen Regent went to meet him at Bayonne she took all her Daughters with her amongst which number was Mademoiselle de Pisseleu afterwards Duchess of d' Estampes The King saw her and became her prize she was much inferiour both in her Quality Wit and Beauty to Madam de Valennois and she had nothing but her youth to recommend her to his Majesties favour I have often heard her say that she was born the same Day the Diana of Poictiers was married but her mallice not the truth obliged her to speak it For if I am not mistaken the Duchess of Valentinois married Monsieur de Breze Grand-President of Normandy at the same time the King had first a passion for Madam d' Estampes There was never a greater picque in Nature than between these two Ladies The Duchess of Valentinois could not in her heart pardon Madam de Estampes notwithstanding she had divested her of the Title of The Kings Mistress Madam de Estampes had an inveteracy against the Duchess because the King still kept her company This Prince was not always constant to his Mistresses there was one 't is true which wore the Title and the Honour of it but the Ladies of the lesser Faction as they stile them had the happiness sometimes to take their turns in his favour The death of the Dauphin who dyed at Tournon and not without a suspition of poyson gave him no small Disquiet He had not that tenderness and affection for his second Son our present King He discovered not in him those inclinations to vigour and courage He was pleased to complain to Madam Valentinois and told her he would endeavour to create a passion in him for her that she might infuse into him something more noble and generous It had the success you see 't is upwards of twenty years this passion had its Birth and yet has stood the shock of all difficulties and alterations His deceased Majesty endeavour'd to oppose it in its in fancy and notwithstanding he had a kindness for the Duchess either prompted by his jealousie or Madam de Estampes who was now upon the point of despair seeing her Enemy in the Dauphin's Arms was pleased to look upon this passion with some indignation of which he was not wanting to give his symptomes his Son neither regarded his Anger nor his Hatred nothing could oblige him either to lessen the value he had for her nor yet hide it At last his Majesty was forc'd to connive the Dauphin's stubbornness much abated of his Royal favour which he conferred in a greater measure upon the Duke of Orleans his third Son He was a Prince on whom Nature had been lavish of her Grace but he was swelled with so much heat and ambition and of a spirit so fierce that it wanted a Curb He had been a Prince of great worth and honour had his Age been so kind as to have ripened his understanding The quality the Dauphin held and the favour the King was pleased to shew the Duke of Orleans had created so great an envy between them it almost amounted to a degree of hatred It took its being from their infancy and has continued to this day The Emperour when he came through France gave the precedency to the Duke of Orleans which so much incensed the Dauphin that he would have obliged the Constable to arrest him without his Majesties Command The Constable durst not obey the King blamed him that he took not his Sons advice and when he bannisht him the Court his reasons for it wanted not their different Interpreters The difference between these two Brothers gave fresh thoughts to the Duchess de Estampes to endeavour to prop her self with the interest of the Duke of Orleans against the Duchess It had its success This Prince without having the least passion for her did as zealously espouse her quarrel as the Dauphin had done the Duchess This created two Cabals in the Court such as you may easily imagine These Intrigues were not limited within the management of the weaker Sex