Angoulesme Natural Son to Charles the Ninth King of France d'Antragues the afterwards Marchioness of Verneail both very Young and Handsome and of a good House and if not equalling the other in Beauty yet exceeding her in Gayety and so well supplying her absence that she at the least strook out all his Melancholly Reflections upon her death The Ministers of State now seeing the Ambitious Marchioness thus stopp'd and controwl'd by Fate in her pursuit after Majesty and the iminent danger that in this respect they was deliver'd from by her death was resolv'd to prevent the same danger from this new Beauty whose height of Spirit they knew not to be inferiour to the others and therefore expeditiously push'd on the King to Marriage and he that was at Rome to mediate for it with the Marchioness of Beaufort now mediates for it with the Princess of * The Princess of Florence was Marie d'Medicis Daughter to Francis d'Medicis great Duke of Tuscany and Jane Arch Dutchess of Austria by her Birth Queen of Hungary and Bohemia Florence To whom the Pope not only gave all his necessary consent but likewise the Queen Margaret all that Was desired from her insomuch that the business was soon concluded that so it anticipated both the Imagination of the King and knowledg of the Marchioness who was now big and conveigh'd in order to her lying down to one of the Houses of the King towards which he conducted her with very good hopes but geting some hurt by the way she prov'd Abortive and was very ill though through the assistance of the King and the concurrance of all imaginable Remedies she came again to her health It was at this time that she heard that the Match was agreed upon betwixt the King and the Princess of Florence upon which she so impetuously taunted at the Amorous Prince that he had much adoe to reduce her to a good humour And Bellgard whom she suspected to be the cause of all this for her not having given him that reception which he had formerly had with the Marchioness of Beaufort and would have had with her she is resolv'd to be reveng'd upon by the Prince of Joinville the afterwards Duke of Chevreus a Prince Handsome and Young and of a good Grace and one of her Admirers whom she causeth to attempt his Life one night at his entrance into the House of one Sebastien Zamet with whom the King then Supp'd there encountering him with his Sword. Bellgard was wounded and his Servants seeing it pursu'd the Prince of Joinville whom they had certainly kill'd had it not been for the interposing of Rambouillett a young Chevalier of a good House who was so much wounded in the Encounter that it was believ'd he would have dy'd So o'erflow'd the King with Choler at this Action that he would not only have punish'd the Prince but have permitted the other to dye on his Wounds Notwithstanding he was so well lookt to by stealth that he escap'd and the Dutchess of Guise Mother to the Prince and his Sister obteyn'd his reconciliation with the King tho both much offended at this action suspected that the Prince had no other cause to treat Belgard in this fashion but only for his love to the Marchioness of Vernucil thus all was soon appeas'd and a motion of War made upon the Duke of Savoy on the account of the Marquisate of Salusses which he had treacherously seiz'd upon and taken during the diversion of the last King at Blois For the King who by dint of Battle had recover'd all the rest of his Kingdom and instated himself in the hereditary seat of his Royal Ancestors could not bear that the Duke of Savoy in competition with him so petty a Prince should pretend to exclude him from a Country that was his own due and proper inheritance which he had often demanded and which the Duke of Savoy stood possess'd of by no other means but that of a most unneighbourly and unjust surprise and fraudulent usurpation And the Duke of Savoy was now come in order to some accommodation betwixt the King and himself thinking possibly to render his designs more effectual by being present in his own person But indeed his chief dependence was upon the intelligence he had with the deceased Dutchess in whose life-time he had assur'd the King of his intention to wait upon him and had so much ingag'd himself by both what he writ and what he said that there was now no room for a retreat At his coming there was nothing but feasting and gallantry in the Court and such as was argumentative of a general satisfaction he makes Presents to all the handsome and principal Ladies of the Court and it may be a little more than was for the benefit of some of them and now the Ladies as upon such occasions contesting for Precedency and the King not determining the point there occur'd a most pleasant Diversion both to the King and the Marchioness The Duke of Savoy return'd without doing any thing and the King resolved to make War upon him which as he goes to receive his Queen the Princess of Florence Maria d'Medicis that Country lying in his way he performed Which and which was soon being subdu'd the Pope intermediates for an Accommodation and the King receives his Queen whom he had before Espous'd by his deputed Proxy his Uncle having before sent to him his Procuration by Bellgard which much augmented the hatred of the Marchioness And thus his Majesty obtain'd his desire In the mean time the Marri'd Queen was come as far as Marseille to meet the King thither conducted by his Aunt the Dutchess of the House of the Vrsins and the Dutchess of Mantoue her Sister and Eleonor d'Medicis her Cousin German a Person much esteem'd in the Court of France and who had been much enamour'd of this Princess before she was Queen and there â—â—ceiv'd by two Cardinals the Constable Chancellour and the Duke of Guise that was Governour of the Province By the Princesses Dowagers of Nemours and Guise and many other Ladies the Marchioness of Guercheville amongst the rest whom the King had lov'd and finding perhaps more Vertuous than he desir'd had promis'd to make Maid of Honour to his Queen keeping his Word with her after the end of ten Years it being so long since he first lov'd her The Queen was brought on with all sorts of Magnificence to the Town of Lyons where she was expected by the King and the Nuptial Ceremonies perform'd The two Daughters of the Constable the Dutchess of Vantadour and the Countess of Auvergne the afterwards Dutchess of Angoulesme being here both very Handsomâ—â—nd the first belov'd of Eleonor d'Medicis who as before said was under the Repute of such a Gallant Man but his Love as volatile as he stay'd no longer with him than he at the Court. Though it is otherways with the Duke of Guise and Espernon betwixt whom the quarrel was so great
the prosecution of his Imperial Right which so unjustly they would extort from him doth necessitate him to attend and is by so many good Successes encourag'd that he undertakes the Siege of Paris Sed cedant iterum arma Cupidini But Love an unseasonable God must revel again though in the midst of Arms A young and Beautiful * The Abess of Montmartre was called Marie of Beauvilliers Daughter to the Earl of St. Aignan Abess of Montmartre of the House of Clairemont strikes him at this siege and so infatuates the Royal Lover that the Siege being yet dubious he takes her away from Montmartre and causing her to be conducted to Senlis a Town under his Obedience she reigns the Mistress of his heart for some little time In the mean time the Marchioness of Guercheville that his Honour may not be too much blotted by her desertion is to be some Eminent * The Lords of his Court is Monsieur de Lyancourt before mentioned Lord of his Court and the King Mediates the Match soliciting her as much now in favour of her new Lover as before he had done of himself Hitherto therefore yielding a modest Ear to the King she is periwaded to the Match receiving the Royal Testimony as shall afterwards be related that she continued still in his Favour After the accomplishment of this design the King taking his rounds to confirm and establish his Authority comes in the end to Mantes whither the Ladies having resorted had made some figure of a Court so fair a concourse of Beauties and particularly those of Quality whose Brothers and Husbands heknew and who had been so much at his Service gave no small pleasure to the King. The rest who in his younger age he had known in the Courts of his Predecessors he treated likewise with all Civility and receiv'd from them no less than an answerable respect Some time before his arrival to this place the Duke of Bellgard an old Favourite of the deceased King Henry's had Characteris'd to him the Beauty of a young Lady a proper Entertainment for so amorous a Prince with whom he was very much inamour'd and as she was to admiration Fair so he could not forbear to Commend her She was not at that time at Mantes and the Relation of the Duke of Bellgard had excited in the King a Curiosity to see her but his affairs would not suffer him for this time though soon after when he departed thence for Senlis he obtain'd the desire he had of seeing Madam D'Estree such was the Name of Bellgard's Mistress and at Senlis entertains her with all the possible Gallantries that his time would give him leave to perform which done and departing from thence after the seeing of many other places he returns to Mantes where the unfortunate Bellgard asking his leave to go see his Mistress too late discovers that his own Tongue had betray'd him to the loss of her and that the King had been too much taken with the sight of her at Senlis thus prov'd the poor lover the Author of his own misfortune and indeed we are all too often more obnoxious to hurt from our selves than others By this view doth he loose not only the permission of seeing of his Mistress but hazard the Friendship of his Master and the good hour of his Fortune Some time before he had stay'd long at Mantes and had been extreamly ill the Ladies that was there rendring Him all the conrtesie and assistance that they could and amongst the rest the young and beautious Madam de Humieres who was resolv'd to approve herself to him by her Services not only for the reputation that he had of being one of the greatest Gallants of the Age but also for that particular esteem she had for his Person This accident gave a fair oppertunity to express her respects to the fair Madam d'Humieres and to the afflicted Duke to receive them who was so happy as by this to find an occasion which he might otherways have long sought for and in vain But not so great are the Lover's long for Bellgard upon a visit to the * The Lord of Estree was John Antonie of Estree Marquess of Caeuvers who had married Francess Babou of du Bourdaissere Lord of Estree falls passionately in Love with his fair Daughter the aforesaid Madam d'Estree Who tho at first she with some reluctancy received Loving and being belov'd of the Admiral d'Villars a person most amiable and deserving yet was she not long cruel being also passionately in Love with her new Lover to whom the Admiral seeing clearly what was most for her interest offers a thousand reproaches which serv'd only to advance his Rival in his Affairs and so began to neglect her that instead of reclaiming her from her other Lover he threw her into an utter despondency of his Affection It was now that the King became inamour'd of Madam d'Estree the Mistress of Bell'gard tho through the importancy of his Affairs inevitably diverting him another way he could see her but once 〈◊〉 Voiage however in his Heart 〈◊〉 the kindled Fires and is of nothing more thoughtful during the Voiage than of her which is long enough In the mean time the * The Duke of Languille was Henry of Orleans who afterwards Married Catherine of Gonzakes Daughter of the Duke of Nevers Duke of Langueville no more proof against the Arrows of the blind God than her other Lovers at Mantes commenceth Captive to the All-conqu'ring Madam d'Estree a Lady so universally effectual by her Charms upon all that beheld her that to love and look upon her was only Synonimous Terms or terms expressive of the self same thing This Prince had before lov'd Madam d'Humieres the late beautious Subject of our Pen who having lost her first Lover had now imbarq'd herself a fresh And indeed so little constant was he always to his choice that he lov'd 〈◊〉 present best whilst Madam◠〈◊〉 on the other side who thought to too insufferable a detraction from her Excellences to be without an admirer had likewise furnish'd herself afresh This intreague continu'd during the Voiage of the King but he resents it so strongly at his return that he becomes most furiously jealous insomuch that he began to remit of his favour to Bellgard giving him to understand that he would no more of a Companion in his Amours than in that of his Kingdome and that his passion was dearer to him than any thing else Bellgard was troubled at this Language and more especially at the tone and action with which it was delivered and promised the King all he desired whilst Madamoisell d'Estree who lov'd not the King and had bestow'd all her Affections upon another was so inveterately inrag'd that she protested she could not love him and ceast not to reproach him with the hindrance of her Marriage to the Duke of Bellgar'd that made his Court to that end and immediatly departed Mantes and
certainly upon this have kill'd his Wife The next recourse therefore that he made was the seeking some occasion to die to which end he thoughtfully retires himself to one of his * The Castle of Ham in Piccardy Castles where all the Nobility and Gentry coming to visit him and observing so many of them together he proposeth an Adventure of Storming an adjacent Castle of the Enemies in open day which Motion though all at the first resisted such an-Enterprize appearing to be too hazardous in the day-time yet in fine overcome by his perswasions they unanimously consent taking therefore along with him some of his Infantry he comes at so lucky an hour to the Castle that applying his Petards he blew open one of the Gates the Guards of the Castle being then gone off but the Inhabitants recovering let fly a Volley of Musquets and so ruffly saluted the head of this young Generous Warrier that at once it put an end to his growing Lawrels and his Love having scarce yet attain'd the Age of 22 Years When the King heard this he infinitely resented it not only for those Services which he had already receiv'd from him but also for those which he might very probably have expected from so much Vertue if he had liv'd And I think I am oblig'd to give him the Character of being one of the generousest of Men and one of the Valiantest perhaps of the Age. Madam d'Simie bore this Death very impatiently for a little while but no sooner did she something recover her self but she solaceth with the thoughts of a new Amour Thus far Madam d'Humieres and her Lover During all this interval Madam d'Estree continues her Affection to the Duke of Bellgard notwithstanding her Amour with the King. And likewise gives incouragement to the Duke of Longueville both writing to him and receiving Letters from him But Bellgard resolves to desist and not hazard his Good grace with the King for the loss of a Mistress which he might so easily regain And Longueville too seeing his Prince return Entreats back the Letters she had receiv'd from him promising to do her the same Justice without discontinuing of his Affection to her In brief he manag'd the business so well that the time and place are appointed this action but in Contradiction to to his Promise deceives her of the most Important part of what he had receiv'd from her thinking to Influence her by this politick Reserve and to aw and oblige her to his Will. But so mortally provoked is Madam d'Estree with this Gullery that in the end it cost no less than the Life of this Prince For ceasing not from this time to render him all the ill offices to the King and the Duke not induring the Displeasure which he receiv'd from the King upon it becomes a Party against him and at his entrance into the Town of Daurlens finished his Life by the receit of a Musquet shot upon his Head. People generally believing that Madam d'Estree had now obtain'd her desire in his dispatch Thus ended the Duke of Longueville for having been too politick In the mean time the Lord of Estree the Father of this Lady much troubled to see the Royal Amour each minute so much advancing was willing to rid himself of this Tyranny The most probable and equitable expedient for which seem'd to be to Marry her And a * Nicholas Damerval Lord of Lyancourt which near to Nesteen in Piccardy Person of Quaâ—ity in the Country offering himself â—o this end of an Estate not incomâ—etent for the allyance though of 〈◊〉 Body as much deform'd as his Mind Madam d'Estree consents yet Swares â—he King not only to be present at the â—ay of her Nuptials but that he â—hould so emphatically conveigh her â—way thence from the sight of â—er Husband that she should never â—ee him again or at least not otherâ—ise than by the King's permission â—erswading him that she could never â—onsent to any that should make her â—nfaithful to him But the Day passing and the King â—ot being there who was now ingag'd 〈◊〉 an enterprise of importance she â—wears a hundred Oaths to be reveng'd â—f the King and yet that she would â—ot lye with her Husband who thinking his Authority over her would be greater in his own House than in the Town he Married her in over which the Lord of Estree was Governour carries her away thither who notwithstanding caused herself to be so well accompany'd by the Ladies her Kinswomen that were at the Wedding that he durst not attempt any thing upon her but what was pleasing and the King arriving in the interim at the next Town commands back his Mistress who was thus conducted at least upon some hopes of advantage by it at the Court. And conveys her away with him Accompany'd by her Cosen and her Sister presently going on to Attaque the Town of Carthens which Siege held so long that it gave time enough to an * Isabelle Babou Wife to the Marquess of Sourdâ—â— Franciss of Escoubleau Aunt of Madammoiseâ— d'Estree to bestow a Visit upon her Neice a subtle and discreet Woman by whom she was so well instructed that she wholly submitted the Royal Captive to her Devotion And the Marquess of Sourdre her Uncle was Created Governour of this Town as soon as taken by the King. The King thus in Love with Madam d'Estree is now essaying to disanul his Marriage with the * The Queen of Nuvarr is Marguerite of Vallois of France Sister to Henry the Third first Wife to Henry the Fourth Queen of Navarr a Princess not only of Extraction from but Sister to a King yet alas to Crown whos 's other Vertues the valuable one of the Chaste Luoretia was too much wanting for which they had been long since separated and the Royal Sinner betaken her self to one of her * The Queens Castle was that of Vsson in Auvergne Castles a place not only by its Fortifications render'd Impregnable but also by the advantages of its situation upon a high Mountain and in a very cragged Country This Queen gave out that she was willing to comply with the King upon Terms upon which they had agreed had not this new Amour not only interrupted the Treaty but put an utter barr to any further proceeding in it the King fearing least the dissolution of this Marriage once effected those of his Servants that affected him might be urgent with him to Marry again which he could by no means endure Being one that neither could nor would love any thing but his Mistress whom this would have much offended her self being as before was intimated contracted During this was depending the Match between * Catherine d'Bourbon the King's Sister was Wife to Henry of Lorrain Duke of Barr who dy'd at Nancy in the year 1604. Catherine d'Bourbon the King's Sister and the Count of Soisons to whom the King had propos'd her but changing his mind he resolves
to bestow her upon * the Duke of Monpensier a Prince though young yet in truth far submitting to the other in point of Amiableness and so very disagreeable to the Humour and Fancy of the Princess that she could not forbare upon the sight of him to let him audibly understand that she could not love him the Duke is not discourag'd with this but perceiving the King of his side ceaseth not to render her all the Endearments that he could and oâ— the other side the * The Duke of Montpensier and the Earl of Soisons both of the Family of the Bourbons Princes of the Blood. Duke of Soissons offended at this Sute in which his Rival was Patroniz'd and encourag'd by the King withdraws himself to his House In the interim came Madam d'Bourbon to the Town of Diepe wherein she finds Madam d'Gabrielle who is the late Madam d'Estree thus styl'd after her Marriage and consesseth she Esteems her for the greatness of her Beauty not to be unworthy the Affection of her Brother a thing for which she had so much detested her before and envy'd her that if she beheld her with a pleasant look it was with a visible force put upon her self And Madam d'Gabrielle on the other side not being able to dispence with so insufferable a Grandure in the Princess to whom she must always bare so profound a deference often reproach'd the King with her coming Whose only remedy was to be moving as his Affairs frequently call'd upon him to do to another place and to carry his Mistress along with him who now began in good earnest to interest her self in all Affairs which indeed was not difficult for her to do by the fore-mentioned Instrument her Aunt with whom the Chancellour * The Chancellour Chiverney is Philip Hurault Earl of Chiverney Chiverney is in Love. See hence the efficacy of so Great a Masters example how strange is it that so Sage and Eminent a Man as this should not be able to resist his Passion but so it is and the King willing that all the World should be as much in Love as himself was glad to see him fetter'd in the common Lott At this time dy'd very Tragycally Madam d'Estree Mother to Madam d'Gabrielle who as she had Infamously lived so was she justly inflicted with such a Punishment Still continu'd the Love betwixt Bellgard and Madam d'Gabrielle of which the King had some suspicion but so slight as yet that the least shew of Kindness from her made him condemn it as Criminal But there happened an Accident had like to have made it much more visible For being at one of his Houses in order to a certain Enterprize on that side and being gone the space of three or four leagues to that effect Madam d'Gabrielle stays by the way pretending that she was ill whilst Bellgard counterfeited a Journey to Mantes which was not far off But no sooner was the King gone but Arphure the chief Confident amongst the women of Madam d'Gabrielle being one tht she intrusted upon all occasions gave entrance to Bellgard into a little Closet of which she only had the Key who had also admittance into the Chamber as soon as her Mistress had dispos'd it into that order as she thought fit As they were together came back the King who though he could not find what he had sought for had like now to have found what he did not seek All that could be done to prevent it was to shut up Bellgard in the Closet of Arphure which was at the Beds-head of Madam d'Gabrielle a Window from which lookt into the Garden no sooner did the King come in having possibly some item giv'n him of this business but he call'd for Arphure for some of those Sweetmeats that she kept in this Closet But was answered by Madam d'Gabrielle that she was not at home and that she had given her leave to go see some Relations of hers that was in the Town notwithstanding the King still insisted that he resolv'd to eat some of them and that if Arphure was not to be found or some other Person to open it he would break open the Door and forthwith strikes it with his Feet The surprize sure is inexpressible these two Lovers must be in to find themselves so near a discovery But Madam d'Gabrielle if possible will prevent it and therefore feigns so great an illness in her Head that noise would very much disturb her which yet doth not at all disswade the King from his resolution And Bellgard seeing there was no other remedy leaps out of the Window into the Garden from whence though it was very high he had the fortune to do himself little hurt by the fall Now Arphure who had only hid her self that she might not open the Door came in very hot as if upon some hasty Summons she had posted from her Friends out of the Town whom Madam Gabrielle had pretended she had given her leave to go see and satisfies the King with what he with so much impatiency demanded Upon which Bellgard as before was hinted having so fortunately made his escape and the intreague being undiscovered the subtile Gabrielle a thousand times reproaches the King with the unkindness of his action which she tells him she believes was only to find some plausible occasion to break with her as his Humour changing he had done with those that he had loved before but that she would prevent him by returning again to her Husband whom his Authority had caus'd her to abandon I confess saith she through that extream Passion which for you I have entertain'd I have forgot both my Honour and my Duty whilst you have repaid me with most innumerable Inconsstancies under colour of Suspicion for which I have not given you grown'd for so much as a Thought and with this the Tears flow'd down her Cheeks Upon which so great was the disorder of the Royal Lover that he begg'd her Pardon not only for what he had done but the false deluding Passion also prov'd so much the cure of his Jealousie that it was long before he entertain'd it again During all this the Enemies of the King was in possession of the Town of Paris In which so great and numerous was the Quality that they composed a Court in which several things passed that are worthy of our notice The * The Dutchess of Montpensier was Catherine of Lorrain Daughter to Francis of Lorrain the Duke of Guise and Ann d'Est his Wife Father to Charles d'Lorrain Duke of Mayenne Dutchese of Montpensier a Widow to one of the Princes of the Blood and Sister to the Duke of Mayen Chief of that party which held the first rank against the King omitted nothing that might tend to the advancement of the affairs of her Brother or rather of his eldest Son her Nephew of the same Party of whom she had a very good opinion This Lady loved a Gentleman of
her a * The Son brought into the World by her before her death was Henry Duke of Montmorancy the second of that Name Peer and Marshall of France and afterwards Beheaded at Thoulouse in October 1632. and her Daughter Charlotte Marguerete Montmorancy Wife to Henry of Bourbon first Prince of the Blood deceased 1646. who had Issue the Princes of Conde and Conty and the Dutchess of Longueville Son and a Daughter made the World some competent Amends for the loss of so incomparable a Person But these I shall speak more of elsewhere being desirous now to finish the History of the Marchioness of Beaufort Who during this interval had a * Madam d'Beaufort her Daughter was Catherine Henriette Legitimate of France Married 1619. to Charles of Lorrain Duke of Elbeuf of whom she had diverse Issue and the Son she had soon after upon the disanulling of her Marriage was Alexander Vendosme Grand Prior of France who afterwards dy'd Prisoner in the Castle of Vincennes Daughter and not long after a Son but the last of these after the nullifying of her Marriage Which so much elevated the Marchioness that she left no stone unturn'd to bring to pass her Marriage with the King. Who now more Amourous than ever upon the Birth of these two Sons gratifi'd her in all that she could desire removing one of the Greatest of his Council who endeavoured to thwart this design Knowing that he could obtain the Consent of his Queen and that there wanted nothing more but the Concurrence of the Pope to ratifie the dissolution of his former Marriage which was the only Obstacle of this To which purpose Hilery is dispatch'd to Rome the ablest Man of his Council and desiring nothing more than to Oblige both the King and his Mistress A little before this the King had made her Dutchess in which Dignity and Place she so well behav'd her self that though she could not be by all belov'd yet she was hated by none and growing Big again demean'd her self with so much Gravity Circumspection and so absolute a Chastity that she consorted only with the Vestals and in both Dress and Actions demonstrated so perfect a Modesty that the King remembred with regret that ever he had suspected her and was melted down into the most invincible resolution to make her his Wife At this time Bussy Lamet an old Courtier of no small Account and Esteem with the King both to Oblige the Marchioness and to Incite the King by his Example Marries a Mistress of his by whom he had had several Children which was of no small moment to the Marchioness for we are all not ill pleas'd with-parallel Instances to render them the less culpable when our Actions are otherwise not so justifiable in themselves Commands were now given to the Ambassadour at Rome to pursue the Dissolution of the Marriage and to solicite the Consent of the Queen which was rendred the more Urgent by the Marchioness because being with Child and near her production she was very unwilling that the Birth she went with should be Illegitimate Who to make publick profession of her Faith Celebrates her Easter at Paris Lodging in the Cloister of St. Germain L'Auxerrois On Holy Wednesday she was at Service at a Church in the end of the Town call'd the Tenebris which they perform'd very Harmoniously she went her self in a Litter attended by a Captain of the Guards but the Princesses in Coaches and least she might be either too much crowded or observ'd her Chapel was likewise cleared by the Captain of the Guards Where during the time of the Office she entertain'd her self and Madamoiselle d'Guise who was with her with Letters from Rome by which she was satisfi'd that her Desires should soon be accomplish'd and also from the King himself intimating him so impatient to see her Queen that he had remanded du Frosne one of his Secretaries of State a Person who because related to her in Marriage must needs be wholly devoted to her Interest to Rome to urge and press his Holiness to a permission of what he was so much resolved to do and in such Prayers as these was the time of Devotion spent But ended the Marchioness who had gave Madamoiselle d'Guise to Understand that she was going to Bed and had desir'd the diversion of her Company immediately betakes her self to her Litter and Madamoiselle d'Guise to her Coach causing her self to be set down at the Dutchesses Whom arriv'd she found not only undress'd but in great affliction with her Head and soon after she falls into a strong Convulsion yet out of which by strength of Remedies she was recover'd and upon this would have writ to the King had she not been reattack'd and prevented by a second Fit after which receiving a Letter from the King she attempted also to read it and was again retaken by a third so that in the end encreasing mightily upon her and overpowering the unequal strength of her Nature they put too certain a period to her Life On Wednesdey night this Illness first took her and on Friday deliver'd by the force of Medicine she Dy'd on Saturday in the Evening devoid of all Sense as far as any body could perceive The King who was now at one of his Houses was early enough advertis'd of this Sickness but imagining it to be only the result and disorder of Breeding was not much mov'd with it at the first But the Thirdday-Messenger bringing him News both of its Danger and Continuance he caus'd him to make towards Paris who coming within six leagues of it where he found all the Lords of his Court they gave him to understand by the sadness of their Countenances that his Mistress was dead who after he had read the too fatal certainty of it in their looks and gestures was mightily Troubled and required solitude dismissing all his Attendance excepting Bussy Lamet the Person before spoken of and the Duke of Retz who had the Character of being extream good Company the last of these giving him first a little time to vent his Passion told the King almost smiling that in his Opinion he was very happy and that weighing of his present Circumstances must needs induce him to believe it and that the Gods had favour'd him by her death The Royal concern was too great at first to be laid by such Expressions but the King a little reviving and calling to mind the Important Business he was about which was intimated by the Duke he confess'd what he had said to be true and lifting up his Eyes to Heaven not insensible both of this and all his other Mercies makes suitable Returns to that Beneficent Hand from which he had receiv'd them and so well contented himself that within the space of seaven weeks he became Enamour'd of Madam * Madam d'Antragues the afterwards Marchioness of Verneuil was Henriette of Balsac d'Antragues Sister to Charles of Vallois Earl of Auvergne afterwards Duke of
the Dutchess of Beaufort is the same was hinted before the Marchioness of Villars or Cerisay Madam d'Villars Sister to the Dutchess of Beaufort who indeed had no other Beauty but that of her Youth and her Haire This Lady envy'd the Marchioness extreamly in that she had as she thought ravish'd from her the favour of the King and as she was malicious so she began to put her Malice into practice revealing to the Queen her intentions whom she knew to be grown weary of the audaciousness of the Marchioness and not unlikely to favour her designs which she did and neither Leonora nor Conchini discover'd any thing of the intreague the first of these being but seldom with the Queen and the last sitting down by his present fortune was not inquisitive into the affair I have otherwhere said that the Prince of Joynville was a long time in Love with the Marchioness of Vernuielle and now he becomes enamour'd of Madam d'Villers who was so subtle and knew so well how to perswade him that she got from him the Letters the Marchioness had writ to him during that Amour in which she had fawn'd officiously upon him and contemptuously treated both the King and the Queen who upon the sight of them though she beheld them with the disdain they deserv'd could not refrain from letting her know she was pleas'd and perswaded her to show them to the King At first she could not consent knowing the great credit of the Marchioness with the King and fearing her spirit but in the end is prevail'd upon by the perswasions of the Queen Whilst Madamoiselle d'Guise that introduc'd her to the Queen not withstanding the vivacity of her Wit could not discover at the first what should be the eause that she should be in so particular a grace with the Queen that carried it so coldly to all the rest of the World being a thing she thought too intricate to salve And indeed they industriously hid the matter from her because it tended so much towards the disadvantage of her Brother After the Train had been laid for some days and contriv'd so well that the ill malicious Work might be done with some security and the plotted mischief effectually accomplish'd Fire is to be given and the Marchioness if possible to be blown up taking then the King at an advantage Madam d'Villars shows him perhaps what he was not willing to see the aforesaid Testimonies of the Marchionesses Infidelity and Despight and thus the softmouth'd Syren accosted him Royal Sir The Obligations I am under to Your â—â—â—nty and the Affection I always entertain'd for so excellent a Personage as your Self would not suffer me any longer to conceal the Indignities offered You You who are or ought to be the Master of others and not sure their Scorn and Contempt and one of the most deserving Men in the World. This good Prince who easily admitted himself to be flatter'd and gave no unwilling Ear when they insisted especially upon his merit which I suppose the subtle Parasite well enough understood thank'd her for her Intelligence she had given him and so unutterably stomachs the unworthy usage he has had that he sends immediately one of his Confidents to Reproach the Marchioness with her unfaithfulness protesting that she should never see his Face again She was not at this time at her Lodgings in the Louvre but in the Town where she was much surpris'd with this News but in the midst of this Disorder so well commanded her self and conserv'd so much respect for the Person that sent it that she reply'd after this manner with much temper As I have never done any thing yet I am assur'd to offend the King so I cannot divine the Reasons for which he should thus use me and I hope the Truth coming to light will sufficiently revenge me of those that have made these false Impressions upon him And with this retir'd into her Closser where she gave that scope to the excessive trouble upon her Spirits which she thought was not discreet to do before them In the mean time Bellgard having learn'd this Intreague gives notice of it to Madamoiselle d'Guise who though she did not love the Prince yet he foresaw the displeasure it would give to his Sister if it should not be remedy'd and therefore contrives a way which was this A Secretary of the Duke of Guise's counterfeiting in perfection all sorts of Hands it is resolv'd that the Prince of Joynville amourous of Madam d'Villars as before should affirm that the Secretary by his Art having got some Writings of the Marchionesses imitated them so well that the Prince himself and Madam d'Villars with whom he was in Love and who mortally hated the Marchioness combin'd together by his skill to counterfeit those Letters on purpose to undermine her which the Marchioness understanding seconded so well that she reingratiated her self with the King and rendred him such reasons for the Credibility of this Assertion that she totally proselited him to its Belief and though his Prejudice at the first was not so easie to allay yet at last he yielded himself vanquish'd as much possibly by his own inclination to think well her as by the smooth coercion of her Tongue But the Prince of Joinville however not withstanding the Subtlety of this evasion is commanded away into Hungary where the Turk was making War Madam d'Villars to her House and the Secretary to Prison see hence the consequence of intermedling Madam d'Villars meets the due reward of her Actions and is dismist with shame to her House and hath created to herself a great and powerful Enemy During these bickerings and hurleburlies the Queen's hatred to the Marchioness was more conspicuous for thinking her now to be almost ruin'd she doth her utmost to ruin her quite and is daily huing at what she thinks is already declining her Fortune to which the ill offices still daily render'd her by the Marchioness do more exasperate her who is always pecking at the Favourites of the Queen and the Queen on the other side detesting those that are her Creatures but behold another occurrence The King is advis'd of the Marchionesses keeping a Correspondence with Spain and it went so far that she was Arrested for it and the Earl of Auvergne her Brother but since you have a farther relation of these Things amongst the Historians I shall say no more but that Madam Villars and her Lover was again recall'd upon it It hap'ned now at this time that the King became enamour'd of a fair Lady whom he Marry'd quickly after the Countess of Estanges and a little after this another far more beautiful whom he also Marry'd to draw her from the place in which she was agreeing with her Consort that Marry'd her that he should abandon her the same Night after the Cerimony was perform'd In the mean time the Marchioness obtain'd the Royal Grace being remitted from her Prison to her House at Vernueil the King was pleas'd with