Servant of the House of Guise I know not whether fare will permit you to assure them thus much but if it be in your power I conjure you to do it and particularly to tell Mademoiselle de Guise that the duty which retains me on the Kings side is no small Chain upon my affection that all I do is more liable to complaint than blame and that if she could read what is written in my heart she should discover there more respect and more zeal for her than the Troops of the League shall find contrary appearances in my Actions Though the Baron had used all his endeavours to seduce Givry and in the first transports of his affection for the League was displeas'd with him for being so firm to the royal interest he could not forbear esteeming him the more for it He embraced him with a great deal of kindness and promised to do him all the good Offices he could Givry having thank'd him took his leave and went to take possession of the Charge the King had given him of Camp-master General of the Light-horse of France The Kings Army made great progress this Campagne the King of Navarre in whom the King began to place the confidence he ought had inspir'd him with a desire to fight in the head of his Troops and the two Kings having join'd Forces at Soulogne the place of general Rendezvous led them along the Loire where they found not one Town in Rebellion but it submitted to them The King took Gergeau Gien La Chaute and made himself Master of all the Bridges above and below Ordeaus Piviers Estampes and Dourdan had the like fate And the Kings having past the Seyne at Poissybridge were met there by the Duke de Montpensier who led their Forces from Normandy and by the Sieur de Harlay-sancy who had made brave Levies in Switzerland The Kings Army being thus put into the condition he wish'd it for besieging of Paris he laid Siege to it in July 1589. Givry in former Sieges had given signal proof of his Courage and good Conduct Not a Sally had been made but he bravely repulsed he had cut of all succours and got the advantage in all Skirmishes that hapned the safety of the Army depended on his care The King of Navarr charmed by so many brave Actions and seeing Givry's Person as amiable as his name was illustrious honoured him with a particular kindness and till a more considerable Government should fall procured him that of Brie Givry was scarce in possession of it when he surpriz'd six thousand Bushels of Corn which they endeavoured to convey into Paris by the help of a counterfeit Pass Givry caus'd it to be seiz'd at Pont de Samois and was giving orders for carrying it to Corbeil where the Kings Magazin was but having cast his Eyes on the Man who had the Convoy in charge he thought he knew him an Officer of the late Duke de Guise He was not mistaken The Man being a principal Officer of the Dukes Houshold and knowing Givry Is it possible says he that you should hinder the carrying this Corn into Paris and that a Person so dear to the late Duke my Master should reduce the Princess his Wife and the Princess his Daughter to the danger of being in want How in want says Givry in great heat are those Ladies exposed to share the miseries of the people Yes doubtless says the Master of the Convoy and the Duke de Mayenne to let the besieged see they suffer no more than he does hath made so small a reserve of Corn for himself that all his House and particularly that of Madam de Guise was upon the point of being in want when I left them They shall not want it reply's Givry and you may assure Madam and Mademoiselle de Guise that they shall never receive from me any Personal displeasure With that consulting only his growing passion he made him a good Pass and gave him a Guard to bring him without danger to the first Retrenchments This Action was too publick not to be discovered The King was informed of it And those who envy'd the merit of Givry represented it as much to his disadvantage as possible it was really of great importance Upon the reducing or resistance of Paris depended absolutely the Peace or the War That Town was the seat and support of the Rebellion To take Paris from the League was to blow up the very Foundations of the League and to send in thither the least refreshment could not but appear a Crime highly punishable And some Prisoners taken at a Sally informed that if that Convoy had been staid one day longer the Citizens were resolved to open their Gates that it was not in the Duke of Mayenne's power to keep them longer from doing it and that nothing but the sight of that Corn and promises of more to be brought in the same way could have appeased the people This Circumstance so highly aggravated Givry's fault that the King was in extreme wrath against him which the credit of all his Friends could not appease so that the King of Navarr was forced to send for him to come in Person to justifie himself His excuse had been excellent had he been to clear himself before the King of Navarre from whom all faults of Love had their pardon of course But besides that the King was not of that temper Givry could not resolve to lay open his folly and made so pitiful a defence that his best Friends and Protectors were ready to condemn him The King of Navarre sent him word of it and having told him from the King That he must justifie himself better or stand convicted of Intelligence with the Enemy he let him know there was no mean to be found betwixt these extremes so that Givry was forced to make the King of Navarre a clear confession of the secret motive of his Fault This Prince who feared to find Givry more criminal was mightily pleased with the Relation and running to inform the King of the truth perswaded him the fault was pardonable in a young Man and that in case he could be more circumspect for the future this first fault deserved only a reprimand The King gave him a very severe one and it was the last from the Mouth of that poor Prince who was traiterously assassainated on the morrow On this lamentable occasion Givry exprest his real ackowledgements of those markes of esteem he had received from the King of Navarre He was the first that saluted him King of France and perswaded the Marquess de Bellegard and several others to do the like and exprest so much constancy and resolution against those who would not joyn with him that it may be truly affirm'd the new King received from him the establishment and tranquillity of the beginning of his Reign Not but that the Crown did of right belong to him but that the Law had declared him incapable upon the account of his
been taking the Waters Givry staid not for the Kings leave to satisfie her request but presuming on his Masters goodness and confidently undertaking for it he sent Madam de Guise a Pass-port as large and effectual as she could wish and went to receive her at the entry of his Government and Conucted her to Melun where she lodged one night Mademoiselle de Guise accompanied her Mother this Journey and as soon as Givry had a sight of her he endeavoured to gather from her looks his good or bad fortune but discovered only a civility so very indifferent he could not ground any judgment upon it Madam de Guise that evening dispatch'd a Courrier to Nemours to inform the old Dutchess of the hour she thought to arrive there And while she was writing in a Closet near her Chamber Mademoiselle de Guise having taken her station befor a Glass to mend something she dislik'd in her dress Givry followed her and with a tone that sufficiently evidenced his fear and his trouble said Mademoiselle may the Letter of my Lady Dutchess your Mother be as favourable to me as another was unfortunate and will it afford me the occasion and means to know the particulars of my mishap Let 's talk no more of it answers Mademoiselle de Guise interupting him I declare my self guilty of having occasioned your rashness I thought we had not yet past the time of our Infancy when the greatest familiarities are innocent but you were not of that opinion but look'd on that as a favour which was only an effect of gayety and mirth and thought you were allow'd to write a Love-Letter to one who had been so free with you as to send you Verses of Love I have sacrificed the resentment of that injury to the liberty of the Chevalier d'Oyse and promis'd the King to think no more of it Why should you mind me of it But Mademoiselle replys Givry if I never had the presumption to write to you and truth may merit from you what you have already granted due to the liberty of the Chevalier d'Oyse ought you not to hear my defence or will you deny me the justice of pleading for my self How did not you write to me says Madedemoiselle de Guise the Letter was delivered me as yours hath your Name subscribed to it and two or three messages have confirmed the boldness whereof it is full Having never seen it answers Givry coldly I know not what boldness you condemn in it but know very well Inever writ it and thought I had a desire to do it yet I mastered it and it is impossible that the Letter you mention should have my Name in it of my writeing This Adventure appeared so strange to Mademoiselle de Guise that she resolved to know the bottom of it she remembred that as she was going to fling that Letter in the Fire one of her Maids for whom she had no reserve having seen that Declaration of Love and found it handsomly written had hept her from burning it she called for the Maid and having ask'd what was become of that Paper the Maid answered she had it in a Box they had brought with them to Nemours Mademoiselle de Guise promised Givry a sight of it that evening and when the Dutchess her Mother was withdrawn Givry having waited the young Princess to her Apartment she kept her word with him But how was he surpriz'd to find this Declaration of Love of the hand-wrighting of the Marquess de Bellegard 'T is true he might have writ it says Givry having read it but he should have asked my leave and this doubtless conceals a Mystery I am afraid to discover Whence comes the Mystery answers Mademoiselle de Guise who could have impos'd on you sentiments of such extravagant presumption 'T is not that I complain of Mademoiseelle says Givry the passion the Marquess de Bellegard attributes to me is too glorious to be denyed But 't is he hath written to you in my Name and though it be true it was impossible for me to see you without adoring you yet I would have dyed rather than have told you so and the Marquess hath been false to the friendship between us in discovering a secret I gave him no leave to reveal But alas adds he with a sight is this all the falshood he is guilty of did he not write to you in my Name to sound your thoughts for himself Love is full of fancies and capricious extravagances mademoiselle de Guise was highly incens'd at the presumption she charged uon Givry and what displeas'd her from him she had equal reason to be displeas'd with from any Gentleman of his Quality in the Kingdom There was not a comlier Person in France nor any in so fair a way for the highest Preferments Not to mention those grounds and reasons Mademoiselle de Guise had to own an esteem and some kindness for him However following an humour not to be parallel'd but in the extravagances of Love she look'd on this Action of the Marquess as singular and entertain'd a more than ordinary curiosity to know what could move him to it She asked Givry several Questions to discover whether Bellegard had only spoken for his Friend or wrote with an intention to know whether she would receive the Love of any but a Prince This last surmise pleas'd her better than the first and though she appear'd haughty and feign'd her self willing to find out Bellegard's Crime for no other end but to punish it 't is certain the rarity of the Adventure made her look upon it with a more favourable Eye than she had done the Letter at first Givry preceiv'd nothing of this scarce daring to cast his Eyes on the Princess and though her looks might have given him some cause of suspicion the sense he had of her haughtiness obliged him to believe the contrary Sometimes she appear'd highly provoked at his presumption and sometimes did but laugh at it Though she equally mortifi'd Givry's hopes either way yet the thoughts of his having made a Personal discovery of his Love to Mademoiselle de Guise gave him some comfort and the night after this discourse was the pleasantest he had since the Adventure of Corbeil Madam de Guise parted on the morrow betimes and Givry having accompanied her as far as he could left the care of his Government to his Lieutenant de Roy and went to Gisors where he was sure to find the Marquess de Bellegard He had not seen him since the business of Corbeil and at that time he was gone to meet the succours sent the King by the Protestant Princes of Almain under the Conduct of Prince Casimir who was already come into France with the Prince of Conde The King fearing the Forces of the League might lay an Ambush for them had sent the Marquess de Bellegard to scowr the ways and at his return Givry was wounded and gone to Brie He was impatient for a sight of him to ask
LICENSED July 24. 1677. Roger L'Estrange THE DISORDERS OF LOVE Truly expressed In the unfortunate Amours of GIVRY with MADEMOISELLE de Guise Made English from the French LONDON Printed for James Magnes and Richard Bentley in Russel-street in Covent-Garden near the Piazza's 1677. THE BOOKSELLER TO THE Courteous Reader THE Gentleman that translated this Novel for his Diversion would not be perswaded to write a Dedication nor a Preface to it and I being unwilling so excellent a Piece should go into the world without a Commendation have taken upon me to tell you that this Book was reckoned in France as the best piece of that great Wit M. D. V. D. and has had the same reception abroad as in Holland and in other Parts where it hath been several times Printed I am very confident it hath lost nothing by the translating which makes me hope it shall have as good Fortune here I could say much in the commendation of the Intrigue and Wit of it but I leave you to find that diversion in reading it which is all that is aimed at by Yours R. Bentley Some Books Printed for James Magnes and Richard Bentley PLato's Apologie of Socrates or Phedo two Dialogues concerning the immortality of Man's Soul A Natural History of the Passions Country Wit Sophonisba Nero. Augustus Caesar Abdellazar Sir Timothy Taudery Madam Fickle All Mistaken English Monsieur Tartuff Andromache Calista Forced Marriage The Fool turned Critick Fond Husband Plain-Dealer Moral Essays the second Part. Zelinda Count Brion The Happy Slave 1. and 2. Parts The Happy Slave Part. 3. in the Press which makes the Story compleat The Education of a Prince in the Press The Triumphs of Love over Fortune in the Press French Novels L'Heureux Esclave complet en trois Voll Princesse Monferrat Grand Visiers Galand Escroc ou Comte Brion Memoires de Suede 3. Voll The Differences betwixt Don John and Cardinal Nitard in French 2. Voll Mercure Galand 2. Voll Le Triomphe de l'Amour sur la Destinèe Le Vice-Roy de Catalogne in the Press THE Disorders of LOVE THE famous Givry was descended of the House of Anglure And till the Factions that threatned the ruine of France divided that Kingdom against it self the Duke of Guise who headed the League against Henry the Third and the Marquess d'Anglure Givry's Father were intimate Friends Their Business their Designs their Pleasures were the same Their Children were educated under the same Masters and though of unequal birth and designed for Dignities of different degrees it was the Dukes pleasure the Princes his Children should use Givry as their Brother Givry's Conversation was so charming that it gain'd him a general affection and particularly inclined the young Princes to a ready obedience to their Father's Command And Givry was so discreet that the more familiar the Princes were with him the greater respect he paid them and seem'd to have laid the foundation of an inseparable Union between the Families of Guise and Anglure But private Friendships are seldom proof against that violence that breaks asunder the most sacred bonds The League separated the Duke of Guise from the Royal Interest which the Marquess d' Anglure resolved to adhere to This sense of duty to the King the Duke look'd upon as an effect of lightness and ingratitude And the fatal Close of the Assembly of the Estates at Blois having kindled a War in all the Provinces of France Givry became the open and declar'd Enemy of those persons for whom he had once had the highest love and esteem Givry was so deeply affected with the agreeable Conversation of the young Princes of Guise and so much admir'd the Charms of the Princess their Sister that this sudden change gave him infinite trouble But besides the favours and hopes the King made use of to secure his allegiance the beauty of Madam Maugiron was no small attractive to win him to the Court and fix his resolutions to be of the Royal Party This Lady was a young Widow though her Husbands Children by a former Marriage would not allow her that quality and those of their Family deny her a place among their lawful Alliances Count Maugiron the Kings Lieutenant of the Province of Dauphine having married her for love and it was pretended they had taken one anothers words without further Ceremony to consummate the Marriage But whether the Lady had placed too great a confidence in the promises of the Count or was deceived by the imposture of a personated Priest instead of a real one she had the good fortune by the credit of her Kinswoman Madam de la Noue to obtain protection from the King at Tours where she was esteemed a principal Ornament of the Court. Givry was much taken with this Lady nor was she insensible of his Charms He was but one and twenty years old an age too tender to adventure into the intrigues and mysteries of Love had not Nature by extraordinary favours exempted Givry from the common Rule of things and given him a priviledge above the ordinary rate of men He had before the age of eighteen perform'd the course of his Studies and finished his Exercises was Master of the Mathematiques and all other Learning requisite to the accomplishment of a Gentleman He spoke Greek Latine and all the modern Languages of Europe as well as his Mother Tongue and in the process of my Story I shall have occasion to observe he was made Captain of the Light-horse of France at two and twenty years of age You may believe a Lover so considerable easily made a more than ordinary progress in his Amour with a Lady who had for him a violent inclination She took no longer delight in the sight of any other she did open incivilities and affronts to his Rivals they spent whole days together in pleasant discourses and endearing Conversation And when interrupted by the necessity of his attending the discharge of his duty the lovely Widow writ him Letters so kind that they supplyed in a manner the pleasure of her company These Letters he always carried with him or put them up in a little Box wherein he kept what he most valued He read them over and over as oft as he had leisure and took more care for the safety of that Box than for his own life But at a skirmish wherein the Enemy had the better of those of the Kings Party commanded by Givry among the rest of his Equipage the Box was taken To know the deep sense he had of this loss you must be as deeply in love as he was and the truth is he had more than one reason to be troubled at it The Children of Count Maugiron by the former Wife were in Arms for the League against the King and Givry was afraid the Letters might come to their hands who thinking themselves concerned to asperse the reputation of their Mother-in-Law would be easily induced to publish the Letters He was extremely troubled he had exposed his Mistress