stand to their Sentence and come in at their Summons to answer for themselves I remember an Example during the last troubles in the person of Monsieur the Prince they had given him some cause to apprehend he might be again confined though but newly out of Prison which occasioned his retreat to S. Maur. The Parliament deputed two Counsellors to go to this Prince and invite him to come and shew the Reasons for his retiremens to the Parliament He comes accompanied with his Royal Highness the Prince of Conty the Princes of Nemours Guise and other Lords that assembled themselves There the first President addressing his Speech to the Prince boldly reprov'd him for withdrawing himself tumultuously from Paris and told him That he would make him responsable for all the disorders that should happen those actions of his being but like the Alarms to a Civil War during the Kings Minority it being well known at Court that he kept Secret Intelligence with the Kings Enemies and caused several places to be fortified amongst which Bellegarde was one To which the Prince replied with as much heat That if any disorders did happen in the Kingdom themselves would be the only causers of it to which they had already given birth That for his part he detested the designe of any such disturbance in his Soul and for the correspondence they mentioned he held with the Enemy it was false nor could they produce the least Witness against him there being as little verity also in what they alledged touching Bellegarde which they particularly objected concerning which he vow'd and protested both to his Royal Highness and the Court that there had not been one shovel full of Earth removed to any such intent Upon which the first President with as much confidence as he began resumed his Speech and told him That indeed his words were good and plausible but yet many times mens words and intentions look contrary ways as his were suspected to do and then proceeded to reprove him in these terms It is very laudable to see the Prince of Conde keep within his Palace in the Fauxburgh Saint Germaines and not vouchsafe to go over the new Bridge to wait upon the King his Lord and Master This looks like an intrenching and barricading ones self on the other side of the River against the Louvre and what will strangers say Sir when they hear of such proceedings of the Prince of Conde towards the King The Prince replied again as smartly as at the beginning That his Royal Highness had given him caution not to do it and would not undertake for the security of his person the Cardinal Mazarine ruling still in the hearts of the Court where his Enemies were yet the strongest party and threatned him with a second imprisonment But that he still must attribute all the disorders and disturbances that might happen to their negligence unless they would acquaint the King and Queen with his just Reasons and most humble Remonstrances This contest betwixt the Presidents and the Dukes and Pairs of France for Precedency hath been of late started up more then ever upon some accidents hapning in a general Procession One of these last Holydays the President de Mesmes Footmen being the more numerous took place of the Duke of Brisac's upon which there ensued a great quarrel and debate but the Duke 's were in fine constrained to yield to the number and strength of the others upon which the Duke 's preferred their complaints with a great deal of heat having demanded for Justice against them each of them made their own defence and the Duke's have newly produced their Manifesto and presented it to the King to have a decision of it It is said that his Majesty goes in person the next week to the Parliament for this end and to give order to the Chancellour to collect first the Votes of the Dukes and Pairs before those of the Presidents But others that are very clear-sighted do believe that the business will be thus accommodated That the Presidents shall have precedency in the Parliament but shall any where else give it to all Dukes and Pairs especially at Extraordinary Ceremonies and Triumphant Showes where the Sword seems to claim a Right above the long Robe Of this we expect the Issue THE Character or Pourtraict Of the QUEEN-MOTHER ANna Maria Mauritia of Austria Daughter of Philip the III. King of Spain was married to Lewis the XIII King of France and Navarre The Marshall d' Ancre made up this match and carried the King to Bourdeaux to that end whilest an Army lay amusing the Princes of the League in Champagne She was married many years before she had any children but at length she brought forth this King and Monsieur only having never had any Daughters or other Children then these two After the death of Lewis the XIII she was declared Queen Regent and made use of the counsel and administration of Cardinal Mazarine during the time of her Regency and the Kings minority The beginning of his Ministery was both peaceable and happy enough for to gain the amity and good will of the great ones he shewed the Kings favours upon them with an open hand indifferently being contented to engage them to be of his party that they should share with him in his Masters Grace and Authority He endeavoured likewise at first to strengthen himself with some considerable Alliance and to this purpose he sent for some of his Nephews and Nieces and other Relations whom he caused to be bred up at Court after the French Mode and Air upon the hopes of future Grandeur But we shall mention this Minister in a Chapter apart which shall describe both his Person and Conduct The Queen-Mother is a good and vertuous Princess of a pacifique spirit and an exemplary Piety She wants neither for resolution nor conduct in great affairs nor for good will towards the publick Interest Her great courage was apparent during the troubles of her Regency when she resolved to make use of her power against Paris and asked the Prince upon his return from the battail Will you suffer them to affront the Regal Authority meaning the business of the Barricadoes when they would absolutely have Monsieur Broussel released leased upon their popular insurrection This violence concerns you continued she To whom the Prince replied Madam behold this Sword of mine is ever at his Majesties service which you may absolutely command She shewed also a great deal of resolution in her enterprize upon the Princes whom she caused to be seized on by her Captain of the Guards but her undaunted spirit appeared most eminently after the Cardinals absence when she took the Helme of the State into her own hands and steering all affairs during that hideous tempest causing the King to be declared in his Majority after she had driven the Prince into Guyenne and confined the Cardinal de Retz who had been flattered with the hopes of being chief Minister In
a word she appeared to be what she really was that is to say good natur'd and pacifick in her heart when she forgave her enemies without the smallest resentment of any injury and stood for Peace in despite of the Cardinals intentions even so far as to command him to make it up for the general good of all Christendom She is Magnificent without excess and glories in her Birth and Alliance Her Devotion is more then common and often repeated yet without affectation or severity Her Vertue appears without any disguize she taking pleasure to do good in the best manner thereby to attract the World to follow her vertuous Examples Shee caused the Val de Grace to be built for her retreat as a holy Solitude whither she goes to seek her God out of the noise of the Court and the confusion of State-Employments She is very Charitable to the poor Convents to whom she allows a comfortable subsistence that so they may follow their Devotions and Studies with their harmless Recreations She hath always endeavoured to nourish a happy Union and Correspondence in the Royal Family and by her vertue maintained her self as Mother to the King of France with so much discretion that she yet retains a great Authority with a potent King and a Noble Prince who do each of them honour her most entirely She made the match betwixt the King and the Daughter of Spain whose Father is her Brother having setled them in perfect Amity to the great content of their Subjects and the joy of all Christendom She shewed a great deal of moderation amidst that power and plenty she was Mistress of in an Age so corrupt and greedy of gain that nothing is sufficient to glut the desires of most people She alone never heaped up any Treasure but rested content with what Nature Justice and her Quality brought freely to her Store THE Character or Pourtraict Of MONSIEVR HE is the Kings only Brother a Prince well shaped good natured and very Gallant he is not however so Majestick as the King hath not that full stock of generous bounty solidity and haughty bravery He is mild agreeable civil and obliging very complaisant to the Ladies always gay and active curious of rarities and nice in his Habits and Modes in his Furnitures and Cabinets and very perfect in the Ornaments belonging to Architecture the Art of Musick Perspective and Agriculture Though this Prince hath ever shewed an exact submission to all the Kings commands and preserved an extreme respect for the Queen-Mother yet he could never be brought to favour Cardinal Mazarine For it is reported that the Cardinal one day at St. Germains passed by him and pulled off his Hat by way of salutation he onely cast an eye upon him but moved not at all not so much as to take notice of his civility or return the ceremony The Cardinal going immediately to the Queens apartment complained openly to her saying I do not know what I have done to Monsieur that he should treat me with so much scorn I thought he had a better esteem of me having never given him any occasion to treat me so The Queen-Mother having sent for Monsieur made him a thousand reproaches for it and threatned him with some kinde of indignation for not rising up to the Cardinal To which Monsieur at the instant replyed Though he had been the Pope I should not have risen to him He was threatned to be chastised for saying so but he explained it very handsomely telling them One doth not use to rise up to the Pope but fall down upon ones knees before him which I should then have been obliged to do He ever shewed himself averse to that Ministers proceedings chiefly because he did not give him enough to maintain his Family and his other divertisements in that splendor and magnificence as he desired and as indeed was requisite to his quality of the Kings Brother He was bred up with a great deal of fear and respect towards the King without much application to learning or knowledge in the Art of War yet he did sometimes ride the great Horse but not with so much assiduity as the King He hath a marvelous ready wit to make reparties a mongst others let this show his ability it being somewhat remarkable The King took him one day to visit the Buildings at the Lonvre before Monsieur Fouquet's disgrace and complaining That he wanted money to continue that vast Structure Monsieur replyed very aptly Sir your Majesty must onely take upon you to be Super intendent of your revenues for one year and you will have enough to carry on your Building He loves peace and quietness seldom disturbing sturbing himself with the tumult and trade of War yet he hath kept his Majesty company and endured all the fatigues of a long voyage without trouble or complaint Before his Marriage he had a great deal of friendship for Madam de Hourdon and the Queen to make some discovery of his minde told him once That it seemed to her he was in love with that Lady having sent her a pair of Pendants worth four thousand Crowns for a New-years gift To which he answered That for friendship and compassion he had indeed some towards her as being a poor stranger far from her own Country and destitute of means which were indeed the treasons why he sent her that Regalio THE Character or Pourtraict Of the PRINCE PRince Lewis Son of Henry of Bourbon descended from Lewis Prince of Conde younger Brother of Henry the IV. is one of the most couragious and stoutest Captains either of this or former Ages not excepting either Alexander or Gustavus Adolphus being so fearless of any peril or danger that it hath been sometimes judged he was rather desperate then valiant The Marshal Gassion who was one of the bravest men of his time was deceived in him the Prince to convince him of his error thought it sufficient to let him know by experience that no danger could in any attaque shake his great Soul At the Battel of Rocroy where this Prince made his first Essay he never shewed the least apprehension although the beginning of it were very disadvantagious to his party and himself threatned with a general defeat but he bestirred himself with so much cagerness and rallied up his broken and flying Regiments with so much courage and heat and good example that he made all the French at last resolve either to vanquish or die with him The Baron de Syrop one of the best resolved men in his Army did second him extraordinarily well in this sight and justly merited a Marshals Staff for that eminent service but he missed that due recompence and all other advantages since rather by misfortune then any want of desert that days actions having proclaimed his worth to all the world Besides the battle of Rocroy which was both his maiden-attempt and Master-piece He hath gained three other Victories two in Germany at Fribourgh and
THE CHARACTERS OR POURTRAICTS OF Thâ— Prâ—â—â—â—â— COURT OF FRâ—NCE Wherein is described Thâ— Kiâ—â— the Princes the Generals and the principal Ministers of State c. Written Originally in French LONDON Printed by J â— for Thomas Palmer at the Crown in Westminster-hall 1668. TO THE Reader THe French Nation being at present the most considerable Actors upon the great Theatre of the World their Vast Designes and Notable Progress having made them become the chief Subjects of most mens daily Discourse I thought it not amiss until a more perfect Relation comes to our hands to give in short the Names and Characters of the principal Persons drawn by 〈◊〉 Country-man of their own and â—aithfully copied in this Rough-draught where you will finde a brief account of that King those Princes Generals and States-men who are now so actiâ—â— and eager in the pursuit of Conquests If this be received with any kindness I may perhaps draw aside the curtain shew the Scenes and accurately describe the precedent and following Champagnes with all the Contrivances Turns Counter-turns and Windings up of every Act as they shall succeed which how it will conclude is the enquiry concern and expectation of all Europe amongst whom our Interest is not so little but we ought to inform our selves of all the Particulars to which if this contribute in the least I have my Ends. Farewel A Catalogue of books lately Printed and are to be sold by Thomas Palmer at the signe of the Crown in Westminster-hall 1668. 1. THe Characters and Pourtraicts of the present Court of France describing the King Princes Ministers of State and others in 8. 2. Rome exactly described or a Relation of the state of the Court of Rome made at the late Council of Pregadi in two curious Discourses by the most Excellent the Lord Angelo Corrare Ambassadour from the most Serene Republique of Venice to Pope Alexander 7. Translated out of scalian by John Bulteel Gent. in large 8. 3. Spare minutes or Resolved Meditations and Premedicated Resolutions by Arthur Warwick in 24. 4. The Essays and Counsels Civil and Moral whereunto is newly added A Fable of the Colours of Good and Evil by the Right Honourable Sir Fr. Bacon Lord Verulam Viscount S. Alban in large 12. 5. Flagelum or the Life and death of O. Cromwel from his Birth to his Burial With an exact Account of his Policies and Successes with a Discovery of his private and publike actions not till now made publike Impartially written by James Heath Gent. in large 8. 6. The English Rogue described in the Life of Meriton Latroon a Witty Extravagant being a Compleat Discovery of the most eminent Cheats of both Sexes in large 8. 7. Cupids Courtship or the Celebration of a Marriage between the Godd of Love and Psyche in a Poem by the same ingenious Author in 8. 8. Venus Cabinet unlocked and Natures chief Miracles and Rarities laid open being a Curious Collection out of the two eminent Physicians Levinus Lemnius and Sinibaldus and others made English by Rob. Miller M. D. in 12. 9. The compleat Sollicitor performing his duty and teaching his Clyent to run through his own Business as well in his Majesties superior Courts at Westminster as in the Mayors Court Court of Hustings Court of Marshalsey and other inferiour Courts both in the City of London and elsewhere the like not formerly extant written by R. T. Gent. in 80. 10. The first second Part of Counsel and Advice to Builders for the choice of their Surveyors Clerks of their Works Bricklayers Masons Carpenters c. With several Letters to his sacred Majesty his Royal Highness Prince Rupert Duke of Albemarle and other Lords Knights and Gentlemen of the Realm concerning the three chief Principles of Magnificent Building viz. Solidity Conveniency and Ornament Written by Sir Balthazar Gerbier Donnilly Knight in 8. A Work very necessary for all those that are concerned in rebuilding the citie of London 11. Don Juan Lamberto or a Comical History of our late Times wherein the Contrivances of the late Rebels under their Names are Jovially discovered and to the life displayed in two parts By John Philips Gent. in 4. 12. The Royal Game of the Ombre written at the request of divers Honourable persons by R. F. Esq in 8. At the same Shop also any persons may have Histories Romances Plays or other Books lent them to read or any that have Books to sell may there have Money for them THE Characters and Pourtraicts OF THE COURT OF FRANCE FOr the better understanding of the Affairs and Interests of France it is fit to know those persons that Govern and such as are any thing considerable either for their Offices or Quality And therefore we shall begin with the Characters of those that are most Eminent and Illustrious To which shall be added their several Offices and Functions We will distinguish the Order of the Kings Council and the several Employments in the War And lastly treat cursorily of the Revenues whereby all these subsist THE Character or Pourtraict OF THE KING And all His Preeminences THe Most Christian King is the Eldest Son of the Christian Church by the consent of the States of Christendom and the acknowledgement of the very Infidels themselves who in their Treaties between Henry the IV and the Grand Signior gave him the Title of the greatest Monarch of the Christian Faith really Soveraign Absolute and Immortal in his own Kingdom of France The succession is by a Natural Right and by vertue of the Salique Law which conveys it from Male to Male as they are nearest in Blood to the exclusion of the Females who have ever contented themselves with the Honour of being Dames of France and submitted to the Kings will therein from whom they receive such advantages as he is willing to bestow according to the greatness of his Dignity and the interest of his Power Childebert the First of the first Race was preferred before the Daughters of Lewis the II without any opposition against that Election Philip the IV. of Valois was preferred before Isabella Daughter of France and Queen of England Lewis the XII after Charles the VIII Francis the First next to him and Henry the IV. after Henry the III. The present King is the Son and Successor to Lewis the XIII Grandson of Henry the IV descended from Anthony of Burbon King of Navarre and from Robert of Clermont fourth Son of Lewis the IX All his Genealogy derives from Hugh Capet the first King of the third Race He is of so handsome a shape and mine that Don Juan of Austria seeing him pass by without any attendance and the Queen having said to him Do you know that this is the King of France Replyed Although I am yet unacquainted with him yet Madam I was perswaded in mind that he deserved that quality looking upon him as the best accomplish'd Frenchman and most worthy to Reign over them He will be sole Master and cannot endure
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
to be governed by any other he is bold haughty and fearless speaks but little and well to purpose constant in his resolutions very secret and judicious The Portugal Ambassadour told him once Sir I shall dispatch this business with your Ministers I have no Ministers Sir replied the King you mean our inferiour Officers At their return from Lions the Cardinals having set some persons aside for whom the King had a particular esteem he said in the presence of several of his Gentlemen who have often affirmed it to me The Cardinal does all what he pleases and I suffer it because of the good services he has rendred me but my turn will come to be Master one day He covets to imitate his Grandfather nay even to surpass him as himself once testified to Monsieur de Paris who was discoursing of it The King my Grandfather did many great things and has left many great things to do if it please God to let me live twenty years longer I may perhaps do as great if not greater things then he There was never any Prince that knew better how to make himself be respected then this nor to keep every one within his duty and distance all which he effects without any noise or the least appearance of clamour I have also been a witness of his patience upon a trial which would have lost it self in any other person One afternoon at Fountainbleau he had given order to his Coachman to have his Calesche there about four a clock to go a hunting the whole Court was in a readiness for the sport and it had struck four a long while before by the Clock yet the Kinâ—â— Coach came not The King himself came often to the Balcone to look for him but it was on the stroke of five before the Coach appeared The King going into the Calesche said Coachman I told you I would have the Coach at four a Clock Sir replied the man who had it may be tipled the time away It is but four now The King who knew the contrary said no more but Drive along that 's your best way and never commit the like agen It is averred that he pardons the first offence severely reproves the second but at third he turns them away without remission He requires an inviolable execution of all his Orders when he had given command to seize on Monsieur Fouquet at his coming forth from the Council Monsieur at Artagnan by accident miss'd him for he had not taken his own Sedan but retired in another into a little Alley to give Audience to some certain people Monsieur d'Artagnan very much surprized and fearing Monsieur Fouquet might have some intelligence of the design and make a secret escape immediately sent a Musquettier to give the King notice he was not to be found The King was then writing a Letter about the detection of the said Treasurer to the Queen-Mother at that time at Fountainbleau and the Souldier having told him the news without naming any body Go said the King and tell Artagnan that he must be found and I shall find him well enough And then turning himself towards the Prince 'T is Fouquet Cousen that I intend to seize upon because be withholds all my Revenues and puts me to a thousand troubles to get a little money of him of which he never gives me any account The Prince and all the other Lords were much astonished at this they knowing nothing of it but every one commended the conduct and resolution of his Majesty He is very temperate and was never known to give himself over to the least excess amidst the abundance of his delights and pleasures no more then he does to his anger for all his Power and Authority which plainly shews he is a perfect Master over himself not tainted with any passion that might eclipse his other excellent Qualities Or if there be any Objection against him it is his Frugality but that is inherent to the Family of the Burbons who have ever been noted for great heapers up of Riches But this reproach he hath wiped off very judiciously by saying publickly My Subjects will I hope consider me as a young married man who is about setling his Family and ought to take care of furnishing himself plentifully but within a while they shall find the effects of it for I have a regard to them as well as to my self He understands all his Exercises to the best advantage especially the Mathematicks and the Art of Fortification There is no Officer can command his Troops so distinctly and with so much sweetness He rides the Great Horse very gracefully and skilfully and can use any Weapon with as much dexterity as any Master of those Sciences He Dances admirably and though he wear sometimes a disguize yet his Majestick Garb and Ayr does soon discover him He laughs but seldom and with much moderation and the Jest must be very witty and well placed to gain his approbation however others esteem it In fine it must needs be acknowledged that this Great King hath all the Vertues and Qualifications necessary to command so vast a Kingdom as his is nay so eminently is he endued with them that he is worthy of the whole Worlds Empire there being nothing wanting towards it but his being fully known to all Nations who without doubt would be charmed by his incomparable Vertues and willingly submit themselves to the mildest and best-regulated Empire that was ever yet known to this Great Universe Of the Kings Family THe wise Solomon upon his first advancement to his Fathers Crown built him a House such as the Scripture represents to us of so marvellous a Structure that it invited the Queen of Sheba to come and admire both its greatness and glory and of this puissant King of Lillies under the Conduct of an Illustrious Woman one who is worthy of the Title of Mother of the greatest Monarch in the World I think we may say the same if not more who Reigns at present with so much splendour through the Care and Noble Impressions of that Regent who guided him during his minority and hath seated him on the Throne with so much Pomp and Majesty after she had bestowed an universal Peace The stately building of the Louvre continued with so much heat besides the admirable Structure of a thousand other Royal and Publick Buildings the Iustre of the Throne sustained with so much Judgement the admirable Conduct in the establishment and reglement of the Royal Family the present re-union of the Princes the general Peace which spreads a joy over all the Earth In fine the august and glorious presence of Lewis the Gift of God hath not only attracted a High-born and Wise Queen to come and admire his Greatness but likewise tempts the greatest and noblest part of all Europe besides to behold him whom Fame hath noised all abroad All these I say are Subjects sufficient to be compared to all the Wonders of Antiquity and to