make us repeat that passage in Scripture Verily I say unto you That Solomon in all his glory was never equal to this Triumphant Monarch The Design or Model of the Louvre is to make four spacious Courts where six thousand men may be drawn up in Battalia and besides the regularity of the Buildings and their ingenious Architecture which is supposed shall surpass all that the height of Art or Greatness hath yet produced in the rest of the World They are contriving Apartments convenient and sufficient to lodge the whole Royal Family besides all the Principal Officers of the Crown Thus the Grandeur and Magnificence of the Court will be more conspicuous in such an Assemblage then now as it is divided In the mean while till that Work be compleated I shall trace out a slight draught of it for the benefit of such as desire the knowledge of it This numerous and pompous Train belonging to his Majesty may be comprehended under these three Heads The multiplicity of the Princes or such as the necessary Offices require or those whom for his Majesties pleasure and for the Ornament of the Court are constantly attending Those that are most fixed like some brighter Stars still following the Sun are the Queen the Princes of the Blood and some other forraign Princes who prefer the Honour of being under this Empire above the Command of other Dominions or the subjection of other Monarchs and so highly do our Princes value their condition though but Subjects in this Court that those of the Blood Royal never did nor ever will give precedency to any other Subject Prince on Earth nor to any of his Ambassadours only to a Soveraign when present We have a Cloud of Examples and one very fresh between Monsieur and the Duke of Savoy to whom his Royal Highness would not give the right hand even when he came to his own Lodgings which absolutely hindred the interview betwixt those two Princes It is true that Monsieur yielded to an Equality with the Prince of Denmark but it was in respect of the infallible pretences he hath to be king of his Native Country which is reckoned a Soveraignty But this must be noted that he would not however yield to any more then an Equality and for this cause they never came together This preeminence of the Princes of the Blood shines brighter now after the long contest betwixt the Princes of the House of Lorraine and ours which but a few days since was setled after this manner During the former Reigns of Henry the II Charles the IX and Henry the III the House of Guise had acquired so much credit in the Court of France that besides that they were become the absolute Masters of all Affairs under the Regency of Catharine of Medices they had flatter'd themselves with some pretensions to the Crown a certain Canon of Verdun published in a Printed Book of his that they were descended from Charles of Lorrain who was deprived by the Estates of the right of Succession to the Crown of France and Hugh Capett was substituted in his stead And though this Genealogy was false as divers Authors have demonstrated in clearing out their descent from the Counts of Alsatia Nevertheless the Guises who were very potent in the Kingdom made use of this advantage for the necessity of affairs and the fear of their Authority having obliged Henry the III. to condescend that the Princes of the Blood should yield the right hand to the Chief of the house of Lorrain and that the younger Sons of the House of Lorrain should in the same manner give the upper hand to the Princes of the Blood of France Our Princes have never observed this order but opposed it very vigorously till such time as the King by full Power and Authority and knowing the Justice of their Cause hath ordained That ever hereafter all the Lorrain Princes and even the Head of that Family should give place to the Princes of the Blood and to this purpose he sent an Order by Monsieur Tellier to Monsieur de Guise who is here the Chief or Head of that Family to go and give a visit to the Prince and to give place to him upon all occasions yea even in his own House and to observe the very same towards all the rest of the Princes of the Blood Which order was immediately executed by Monsieur de Guise and afterwards by all the rest of that Family There was another contest of Precedency between Strangers or Forraign Princes and the Dukes and Pairs These pretended a Right as well as the Princes of the Blood to go before forraign Princes especially at great Solemnities where they pretend to represent Soveraign Persons by vertue of their Dignities which are undoubtedly the first and highest in the Kingdom 'T is true they have heretofore been Soveraigns and yet always Subjects or Vassals to the King being obliged to render homage for what they held of the Crown Their rise is attributed to Hugh Capett for that Prince to make himself King agreed to bestow his Dutchies and Pairies to those great Lords who were most able to oppose him in his advancement to the Throne This made them so potent that having once declared to the Duke of Aquitaine that he could not approve of his intents of making War upon the Duke of Anjou and the Duke little regarding his resentment the King bidding some body ask him Who it was had made him Duke of Aquitain He replied with much haughtiness Those that made him King And although they are now perfectly submitted to Regal Authority yet they are careful of preserving the remainders of their Grandeur towards forraign Princes whereupon many of them would not appear at the entrance of the King and Queen into Paris after their Marriage because the Count de Soissons of the House of Savoy would not yield them the precedency and rank they claim in all Royal Ceremonies by vertue of their Dignities But what greatness soever these Nobles of France do attribute to themselves yet there are others that do contend with them for precedency and go already in equal rank having no less Authority in the Kingdom then they Our Kings to maintain an equal poise and temperament in the State have always equally considered Valour and Justice and for this respect have made Gentlemen of the Robe as well as of the Sword having allowed them the same priviledges advantages and immunities without any distinction it being indubitable that a State consists equally of Power and Justice the Sword-men however have still attributed something of preeminence to themselves but those of the long Robe have wisely taken the Superiority on their parts of which they do not vaunt though in effect they dispose absolutely of the Estates Lives and Honour of the other by an Authority of the Crown wherewith they shelter themselves sitting upon the Royal Lillies as Judges of the greatest Peers and Princes of the Blood who are bound to
of Longueville THe Count De St. Paul ought to have been ranged before the Duke of Guise but because of the Kings Declaration in favor of the House of Lorrain that they shall go next to the Princes of the Blood of France I observe that Method though it be yet but in Idea and against which this Prince hath made his Protestation which for my part I shall not interest my self in but leave it wholly to his Majesties decision And truly his Family although descended from John Count de Dunois a natural Son of the Duke of Orleans hath been declared capable of succeeding to the Crown having assisted the Pucelle of Orleans more then any one in regaining the Kingdome from the English who had usurped it in the time of Charles the VII He is the Son of Henry of Orleans lately deceased who hath left him Heir of much Wealth and more Vertues he being a Prince of the greatest hopes in the World He is a very graceful Person of much Wit Courage and Learning a great lover of Arts and Sciences Vertuous and in sine one that promises to be nothing less then his great Ancestor who rendred this Kingdom such eminent and extraordinary services But he is yet only learning his Exercises which he begins to perform with that dexterity that the world admires him His eldest Brother is become a Jesuite and hath left him sole Heir of the richest Family amongst the Princes THE Character or Pourtraict OF THE New House of Soissons HE who at present bears the Title of the Count of Soissons is the youngest Son of the decased Prince Thomas of Savoy and the Princess of Carignan Daughter of the true House of Soissons He is well shap'd mild and civil and is as it were the eldest of the Family his eldest Brother being both deaf and dumb He married one of Cardinal Mazarines Nieces by which means he got very much in favor He enjoys the Command of Colonel of the Swissers which is one of the handsomest imployments about the Court. Besides this he is Governour of Champagne and Brie and in a word is one of the best setled Princes in the whole Kingdom He was in disgrace some years since for attempting to draw his Sword upon the Duke of Novailles in behalf of his Wife who contended with the Dukes Lady about the Priviledge of giving the Queen her Napkin but he is now restored again and more then ever respected by his Majesty THE Character or Pourtraict Of the House of Courtenay THis Family though very illustrious and indeed descended from the Kings of France is very low at present and unless the King out of his meet bounty be pleased to raise them again they must be contented to remain as they are the Relicks of a Princely House with onely the bare title of Nobility There are yet extant of this Family a Father and Son called Princes of Courtenay and a Knight of Malta a younger Sprigg of them Nothing is more true then that they were of the Royal stock having lost their right of Succession by their own default and negligence having mis-allied themselves and changed their Coat of the Arms of France which they should ever have preserved as an infallible mark of their Original Thus have they deprived themselves voluntarily of a great advantage and according to Law Volenti non sit Injuria They remain still in obscurity though they have many times endeavoured to raise themselves again and restore their Family to its wonted quality and splendour There are other Lords who take upon them the title of Princes as the Princes of Bouillon or Sedan De la Rochefaucalt De Marsillac De Tarante amongst whom the most considerable for his great exploits is the Marshal Turenne younger Son of the Family of Bouillon He is a person of great conduct and admirable judgement prudent in the midst of Battles and fearless in dangers and perils and though he hath not always had the success he deserved yet in the opinion of brave Warriours he is esteemed one of the greatest Captains this Age affords He was ever most fortunate when he commanded for the King as may be observed by the taking of Stenay his relieving of Arras and the gaining of the most important places in Flanders before the conclusion of the last peace On the contrary at the Battle of Rhetel he lost a great number of men and had like to have been taken Prisoner himself He married the Daughter of the deceased Marshal de la Force by whom he hath no Issue He hath no defect but that of his Religion founded upon a false Maxime That a man ought to dye in that Religion he was born in which ought not to be maintained but in the true Church He is a man of Faith and of his word in respect of the world and glories in this that he never failed of his promise to any one which begets a great deal of credit and assurance towards him There is likewise the Marshal Gramond Soveraign of Bidache who is one of the ablest Counsellours about the Court and one that wants not for any courage at a time of need He obeys Authority and Command as it were blindfold and is accused for giving Battle at Honincourt against all appearance of success but when this rashness was objected against him he answered That he had a written Order from the Cardinal Richelieu who then had the sole command and this was when the King was at Perpignan and the Cardinal as it were in disgrace who to re-establish himself in his former power and get an opportunity to revenge himself of those Enemies that had brought him to that condition by the means of his Royal Highness and monsieur de St. Mare he designed to give the King this considerable Chocque being then at a great distance from Paris and the Frontiers of Flanders which succeeded just as he designed it for the King being surprized at this sudden blow and imagining all was lost said aloud Alas then shall I not return to Paris for they had apprehensions for that great City destitute of any Forces and too far from any relief against a victorious Army But Monsieur de Noyers taking his time replyed Sir there is none but the Cardinal that can ward this fatal blow Whereupon the King immediately sent for him and restored all power and commands to him enjoyning him to provide for the safety of the Nation and take a just revenge of his opposers who were immediately seized and Monsieur de St. Mare and Monsieur de Thou executed at Lyons a while after as guilty of Treason against his Majesty in the person of his chief Minister of State THE Character or Pourtraict OF THE Cardinal de Retz THis Cardinal is the Son of the General of the Gallies by name Father Gondy Priest of the Oratory And the reason which moved him to take a Religious Habit was this having informed the King of somewhat he
inclinations a little and reform his expences to the just measure of Decency and the quality of his Illustrious Birth THE Character or Pourtraict OF THE Prince of CONTY HE is mild good natur'd and accomplished in all excellent Qualities He is very Learned in all the Sciences and hath been admired in the most celebrated Academy for his great Wit and capacity in the knowledge of the highest points of Theology but besides his Titles and excellent Qualities he is Master of a very great stock of Bounty and Vertue His life is a fit Exemplar for the best Courts and makes good the possibility of being a very great Lord and a very honest man His Lady is a most vertuous Princess who agrees admirably well with him in his Zeal and Piety and had the Cardinal brought no other benefit to France but the bestowing of so rare a person on us who is so Noble and Charitable to the World he would deserve our eternal thanks and praises since by her means Millions of our lives have been preserved during the Famine besides the many Souls she hath saved by her frequent Prayers and eminent Examples insomuch as this Prince and Princess are the true patterns of Piety amidst the Pomp and Bravery of this Age. I shall not mention the Beauty of this Woman for though she be of an excelling Shape yet that is the least of her perfections she being infinitely good and wise charitable and discreet and in a word a complete Model of Christian Perfection There is a worthy Branch of the Noble Stock who is called Monsieur le Comte who is as yet too young to shew the World the advantages he is like to derive from such a worthy Birth All that is yet observed iâ— his ravishing prettiness and such a Physiognomy as promises he will hereafter keep up the Fame and Reputation of his Illustrious Parents THE Character or Pourtraict Of Mademoiselle de Montpensier MAdemoiselle de Montpensier the elder is of the house Bourbon both by Father and Mother Gaston the Son of France yonger brother to Lewis the XIII was her Father and Mary de Montpensier his first wife derived her Birth from Henry Duke of Montpensier and that Henry from a third Son of the house of Bourbon whose direct line failed at the death of the Constable revived again in Charles the Second Son of that Family the third Son having begotten the Prince de la Roche Suryon and the Duke of Montpensier from whom Mary the Mother of Mademoiselle was descended The Princess being of the blood of Kings and Princes is haughty daring and of a more then feminine courage It may be truely said she is an Amazon and fitter to manage the Sword then a Distaff which she made apparent at the business of St. Anthonies where the Princes fortunes being desperate and her Father not daring to appear to save the Prince of Conde's party who were at the brink of destruction She went to the Town-hall and took the Provost of the Merchants and the Governor of Paris by the Beards using great threats to oblige them to arm and raise the Citizens for the defence of the Prince from whence she went to her Father his Royal Highness in his Palace whom she in a manner constrained to go with her to the Bastille that so his presence might support the staggering forces and all that rising of the Citizens an enterprize too rugged and daring for that foster Sex especially against a Royal Army and in presence of their Majesties was an action hardly to be excused but upon the consideration of the rashness of a woman the Kings minority and the general aversion at that time against Cardinal Mazarine For she commanded them to fire their Cannon upon the Kings Army and facilitated the Princes retreat opening the City-Gates to him which saved both him and his whole party from evident ruine She is passionate resolute and active free in discourse and endures not to be contradicted in her opinions She never cared for the Kings nor her Fathers Minsters because that obliged her to some condescention towards them She had formerly some thoughts of marrying the Arch-Duke Leopold of Austria without the Kings consent which obliged his Majesty to have a Guard attending her and to secure all the passages into Flanders lest she should throw her self into his Arms who then made War against France It is said she otherwhile refused the King of Englands courtship during his misfortunes which is a fault of youth not to be repaired I hold it somewhat difficult to believe that her great heart could submit it self to any mans commands how potent and noble soever he might be She is the richest Princess in Europe for she enjoys above eight hundred thousand Livres revenue in Lands yearly She is of a very tall and handsome proportion of a Masculine aspect a confident and free garb and pace a majestick presence and yet a pleasing and graceful conversation Her humour is somewhat impatient sprightly and forward to undertake whatever she designs and being a stranger to any kind of dissimulation speaking her minde freely without disguise not caring who listens It is thought they apprehended at Court that she would express some discontent by reason of the Marriage of her younger Sisters before her who were by another Mother or else upon some resentment written or spoken she was commanded to withdraw her self from the Court to her own Estate where she remains in a great deal of freedom and liberty and not without much hopes of being suddenly recalled to Court where some advantagious propositions are on foot for a fit match for her but with what Monarch is not so well known THE Character or Pourtraict Of the House of Vendosme THe Duke of Vendosme named Caesar of Bourbon is the natural Son of Henry the IV and the Marchioness of Estree called the beauteous Gabriele The excessive tenderness which the King his Father had for this Lady and for this Son had almost caused his legitimation by a Marriage which the King had given his promise for in favour of that Mistress which promise in writing Monsieur de Rosny tore in pieces in her presence as Monsieur de Sully mentions in his Memoires He does very much resemble that great Prince his Father is well shaped and of a good meen He is something jovial and hath wit enough but above these he is really good natured mild and extraordinary affable He was a long while absent from Court with his Family in the late Kings days but since this Mans Reign he returned again with all the honour due to his birth and quality nay his Majesty conferred the office of high Admiral upon him which is one of the highest in the Kingdom and hath bestowed the reversion upon Monsieur de Beaufort the youngest of his Sons insomuch that he is now higher at Court then ever his age and experience making him capable of that great imployment which he executes with
ill will of any to do his Master service relying wholly upon the justice and power of a Monarch able to protect him against all his adversaries It is reported that he hath assured his Majestie that in three years time he will redeem and clear all his Demesnes which when accomplished will make him the richest Potentate of Christendom which he is indeed already in the reputation of all stranger-Nations THE Character or Pourtraict OF Monsieur Tellier HE is descended of a Family of the Long Robe and raised himself to the height he is now at as much by his own diligence and conduct as by the favour of the Cardinal Richelieu who made him chief Master of Requests He is of a friendly discreet and prudent temper and one that understands Military affairs better then any man in the Kingdom I mean as to the manner how to keep up and maintain an Army what the charge will amount to according to the numbers raised and the like which knowledge he hath acquired by a very long experience He hath maintained himself unblameable in his Office and was but feignedly disgraced or set aside during the Intestine Troubles For the Prince complaining that the Cardinal though banished still ruled at Court by means of his Creatures amongst whom Monsieur Tellier Monsieur de Lionne were counted the principal the Queen to take away all cause of jealousie caused them to be sent out of Paris and promised to admit no more of them to her Council which Order within a month was again reversed and the policie of this Court-turn apparent He is a person nothing tainted with the vanities of the times having no ambitious thoughts but performing his duty meerly out of a principle of honour and honesty not minding either concurrences nor enmities not aiming at higher preferments or greater profits being already in a condition indeed so good in these respects that there is little left him to wish for He hath a son the Marquis de Louvais very much in favour with the King to whom his Majestie has granted the reversion of his Fathers Office of Secretary of State for Military affairs THE Character or Pourtraict Of Monsieur de Lionne HE is of a Noble Family and was formerly chief Secretary to the Queen-mother and when she was Regent he was employed in State-affairs and the Cardinal a while before his death recommended him to his Majestie in particular as a man fit for the employments he holds He is one of the most prudent men in Europe one that hath the most flegme and reservedness of temper as the Italians themselves confessed when he was amongst them they endeavoured by all the ways imaginable to make him discover himself but with all their subtilty they could not make themselves Masters of the least of his secrets The Great Duke and the whole House of Medices treated him to that very end and laid all the plots snares they could but all their diligence and cunning could not entice him to utter one sillable but what was meerly indifferent He went since joynt Ambassadour with the Marshal de Gramont into Germany at the Election of the Emperour and we may truly say that the two subtillest and wisest Politicians of France did then share together in that Illustrious Negotiation He is a person of much honesty and conscience and one that will not make use of any one that is not good and vertuous though it were his misfortune a while since to have a person in his Family who was a Traytor both to him the King and the State but this was a fellow taken in by his other servants not of his chusing and having found that his Secrets were divulged to Forraign Ambassadours by his infidelity he caused him to be chastised according to his deserts having made him confess that he had never spoken so much as one word to him He is a lover of Vertue and Arts is milde affable of a good presence and exactly faithful in the Kings concerns and though he be Secretary of State for all Forraign affairs which he understands incomparably well yet in the Cardinals Will he is preferred before all others to inform the King of all the concerns of Lorraine and whatever is to be transacted with the Duke Charles who is one of the subtillest and wary Princes of this Age of whom the Duke said that he was a fit man to be treated with but it must be onely for three days Which words he taking hold of did indeed finish his Negotiation within that space of time as is apparent by the Treaty mutually Signed to by each of them THE Character or Pourtraict OF Monsieur Foucquet HE is the son of a Citizen and pretends the original of his Family is Noble He rose to his Fortune by his Brother the Abbot Foucquet's means who was much in favor with Cardinal Mazarine He borrowed a sum of money to buy the Office of Attorney-General and in that quality did the Cardinal many good Offices in the Parliament and the Government of Paris He was very exact in prosecuting any that wrote against that Minister Yet all these Services could not exempt him from being suspected which obliged him to draw up that Project found amongst his rifled Papers to defend himself in case he were attaqu'd The Cardinals favour procured him the employment of Superintendant which he managed alone after the decease of Monsieur Servien who during a time shared it with him He hath a vast and lofty spirit and was the profusest and most magnificent man in the Kingdom His ambitious minde made him chuse this Motto for his Devise Quo non ascendam Whither shall I not climb And it is believed his thoughts aspired at being Chief Minister but the King by no means enduring to have any Subject raise himself to that Authority in his Reign reserving that power most justly for himself caused him to be arrested some years since in his journey to Brittany and sent him to Vincennes and from thence to the Bastille He was liberal with profusion being accused of having squandred away infinite sums of money upon his Pleasures and Mistresses He is likewise accused of allowing several large Pensions to the Grandees at Court to be his creatures it being his Opinion and Maxime that no mans Faith could be of proof against Fifty thousand Crowns His Buildings do also shew his excessive Prodigality together with the Furniture Conches Attendance Rarities and unparallel'd Banquets as for example the Collation he gave his Majestie at Veau de Vicomte where he expended Fourty thousand Crowns by all computation He bestowed great Largesses likewise upon the Jesuites viz. a Library a Thousand livres of annual Rent to maintain it and Fourscore thousand livres for a Building within their Colledge THE Character or Pourtraict Of The First President of PARLIAMENT MOnsieur de la Mignon issued from a Family of the Long Robe enjoys this considerable Office which is onely attained unto by
all the conduct and advantage required especially by the assistance and activity of his Son The Duke of Mercoeur is his eldest Son who marryed one of Cardinal Mazarines Neeces which match was kept secret but in fine she being great with Child they were compelled to a discovery there had been some propositions for this alliance before which the Prince seemed to dissent from for the interest of the Family but the riddle being resolv'd there was no more withstanding it the Cardinal having plaid the surer Game fearing some opposition might arise This Prince is very free and open-hearted facile and one that loves his divertisements he minds not much the Court-intrigues but being Governour of Provence he passes his time very contentedly without that noise or magnificence natural to his Family The Duke of Beaufort is a mild humble Prince and civil even beneath his quality He was in raillery called Roy des Halles during the troubles because he was beloved and followed by all the populace to whom he never refused to pull off his Hat He is accomplish'd and well proportioned very fair and rides a Horse excellently they say he is the best Marks-man with a Pistol in France He had a sad occasion to try his skill after the sight at St. Anthonies upon the Person of Mr. de Nemours his Brother-in-law whom he killed upon the place though against his will and inclination which tends another way some youthful rashness precipitated Monsieur de Nemours to that duel where Beaufort was engaged of necessity to defend himself after the unhappy shot he betook himself to the Convent of the Chartreux with an inexpressible grief The survivance of the Admiralty is bestowed upon him in which quality he commands his Majesties Fleet at Sea against the Barbary Pirates of Tunis and Algier THE Character or Pourtraict Of the Duke of GVISE THere are none I suppose that are ignorant of the grandeur of this family under the last reigns their elevation under Henry the II their increase under Charles the IX to whom they became jealous as well for the good meen as their Magnificence and in fine their prodigious authority under Henry the III who was obliged for the security of his Crown to secure the head of this Family at Blois together with his Brother the Cardinal The Duke of Guise his Son was propounded to be King of France by the Spaniards during the League against Henry the IV after his escape out of the Castle of Tours where the King held him prisoner But the Duke of Mayenne looking upon him as a younger Brother of his Family would not endure the proposition in s omuch as their division served to the advancement of the Kings affairs who pardoned him for that rebellion according to his usual clemency and advanced him to the Govenament of Provence Monsieur de Guise is at present the onely remaining branch of that Family he retains very many of his Ancestors worthy qualities and especially their Magnificence which is as it were natural to him He is one of the greatest Gallants in the Court and in his youthful days was very amorous he loved the Princess of Nevers the Queen of Polands Sister with a most violent passion He married the Countess of Bossum one of the beautifullest Ladies of Flanders and being afterwards passionately enamoured with Madame du Pont he went to Rome to annul his first Marriage that he might tye a new knot with this last She kept an absolute correspondence with him so that her love to him was as great as his to her But being unable to obtain his desires of the Pope he took occasion to go to Naples where all was in confusion by reason of Thomas Anielo's revolt At his arrival he became very considerable amongst the people of that great City and flattering himself with the hopes of making a Conquest of it for the King provided they would succour him from France he added in his Letter written to that purpose That he desired no other recompence for that glorious Expedition but onely to have Madam du Pont. Whereupon the Cardinal judging this passion and expression a sign of weakness in him and being unwilling to hazard so many men upon so vain an attempt left him to himself so that being taken Prisoner by the Spaniards and carried into their Country he was freed again during the troubles in Guienne at the Request of the Prince thinking thereby to gain him to his own party but the King having dispatched Monsieur de Verderonne to release him he came directly to Court without so much as once waiting on the Prince to whom he was obliged for moving the business first which occasioned the Court to take some notice of it and afterwards obtain his liberty Since that time he hath sold and wasted most of his estate upon a new design on Naples and the Idea's of conquering a Kingom Without doubt he hath a great soul but being unlimited he hath wasted the Estate of the whole Family whereupon Madam de Guise speaking once to the Queen-Mother said That the Dukes of Guise had formerly amassed so much Riches that they were become jealous and terrible but there was now an Heir able to destroy and squander all away again so that there would be no cause of fear and apprehension of their great ness hereafter He is well shap'd obliging mild civil amorous he speaks exactly and writes good verse having some knowledge of whatever is exquisite He hath as it were a natural faculty in riding and managing a great Horse and behaves himself more gracefully then any man at the running at the Ring or any kind of Turnament He is infinitely delighted with those noble exercises which he undertakes with more happiness then any Querry in France There are likewise in France some younger Brothers of the House of Lorraine amongst others the Count of Harcourt frank haughty valiant as he hath shewed himself in several occasions especially before Turin against the Marquis D'Eguux who had invited the Ladies of that City to see him make a breakfast of the French where himself was soundly beaten by this Count of Harcourt who had not above seven thousand men against fifteen thousand He also performed some things that seem to be above all belief at the taking the Isses of St. Marguerit and St. Honorat with a very small force contrary to the Worlds expectation He made War likewise in Catalonia but not so succesfully being forced in his Trenches before Lerida He undertook and effected above hopes the conducting of the Princes of the blood Conde Conty and Longueville Prisoners to Havre de Grace He hath the Office of Grand Escuyer of France and the Count of Armagnac his Son hath the reversion version and it is said old and tyred as he is he yet desires the King would imploy him in his service that he may dye no otherwhere but in the Field the Bed of Honour THE Character or Pourtraict Of the House