Thibaut Count of Blois But some time after she was brought to Bed the King being inform'd of all Eleonor's Galantries resolv'd to vacate his Marriage To which purpose he assembl'd the Clergy of France at Boisgency where Alegrin his Chancellor set forth the reasons that mov'd the King to desire a separation and easily obtain'd what his Master desir'd because the Queen made no opposition However Lewis that he might come off with Honour surrendred back to her the Dutchy of Aquitaine and the Earldom of Peitou which she brought him in Dowry and only kept the two Daughters which He had by her Eleonor after this Divorce retir'd to Poitiers where she was visited by Henry Duke of Normandy the King of England's Son Who thô he were a Prince whose Person was no way inviting and had the worst colour'd Hair in the world yet she fail'd not to admit of his sedulities and to hearken to the proposals of Marriage which he made her because he was Heir presumptive to the Crown of England Henry was well inform'd of all the disorders of her past life but his eager desire to joyn Guyenne and Peitou to the rest of those Dominions which he was to inherit prevail'd over all other Considerations He espous'd Eleonor which so enrag'd Lewis that he suffer'd no opportunity of Revenge to escape him So that a War was kindl'd between the two Princes so soon as Henry came to the Crown which lasted till an end was put to it by the Marriage of Henry the King of England's eldest Son with Margaret the Daughter of Lewis and Elisabeth of Castille his second Wife And thô the affianc'd Princess were but five years of Age she was put into the hands of the King of England for a farther confirmation of the Alliance When she came to be of age proper for the consummation of the Nuptials the King of England refus'd to deliver her to his Son for fear he should become too potent and go about to dethrone him with the assistance of France Thereupon Henry impatient to enjoy his youthful Spouse that was to secure him his Succession to the Crown of England the Princess being design'd to the Heir of the Kingdom he stole her away and fled into France to the King his Father-in law From thence he wrote to his own Father demanding England or the Dutchy of Normandy as an Earnest of his Succession and upon the King's refusal resolv'd to obtain his Pretensions by force of Arms. Queen Eleonor also engag'd Richard Duke of Aquitain and Jeoffrey Duke of Bretagne her Brothers to take part with Henry and Lewis oblig'd William King of Scotland to invade England on that side while he sent Robert Earl of Leicester with a powerful Army to make a descent into the Island out of France So that a Man would have thought that the King of England assail'd on every side must have been overwhelmed by so many Enemies But Heaven protected him His Son Henry dy'd in a short time after and Peace was concluded between England and France and the Marriage of Richard who was become Heir to the Crown by the death of Henry with Alice the Daughter of Lewis was the Seal of that Union But in regard the Princess was very young she was put into the hands of the King of England as her Sister had been till she came to years of maturity and Queen Eleonor was shut up in close imprisonment to prevent her contriving new troubles at Court. In the mean time King Henry shew'd himself so extreamly complaisant to the Princess Alice that it was look'd upon to be an effect of love and the Princess answer'd him with a frankness pardonable as her years however Richard grew jealous to that degree that he could not find in his heart to marry her when he came to the Crown Queen Eleonor also whom he set at liberty so soon as he saw himself seated upon the Throne confirm'd him in his aversion and negotiated a Match between him and Beranguelle the Daughter of Don Garcias King of Navarre whom she carry'd to Richard then in Palestine where he espous'd her This anger'd Philip surnam'd the August King of France who at the same time had made a voyage to the Holy Land but he would not shew his resentment there for the injury done his Sister because he would not give the Infidels an opportunity to take advantage of the division of the Christians But so soon as he return'd into France he enter'd the Territories of the King of England in revenge At length Eleonor after she had been the cause of many mischiefs in both Kingdoms where she had worn the Crown ended her days at Poitiers in the Fourscore and fourth year of her age Mary of Moravia Mistress to Philip surnamed the August Anno 1192. PHILIP the August after the death of Isabella of Hainault his first Wife marry'd Isembourg or Eudelberge the Daughter of Waldemar the Great King of Denmark but found so little pleasure in the enjoyment of her that after the first Night he never would Bed her again However he endeavour'd a long time to combat this aversion but not being able to surmount it he imparted the secret of his disgust to William Bishop of Beauvais who told him that in regard there was a near affinity between him and the Queen it would be no difficult thing for him to disannul the Marriage if he would summon an Assembly of the Prelats of his Kingdom The King relish'd this Proposal and having sent for all the Bishops of France and amongst the rest for the Archbishop of Rheims who presided in the Assembly the sentence of Separation was pronounc'd Some time before the King had seen the Portraicture of Mary Agnes the Daughter of Bertol Duke of Moravis which appear'd so charming to him that he had always the Idea of her in his sight Therefore when he saw himself at liberty he sent to demand her in Marriage and having obtain'd his desires he espous'd her with a more then ordinary Magnificence Anno. 1198. Isemburg would not be present at the Nuptial Ceremony but secretly left the Court with a design to retire into Denmark But when she came to the Frontiers of France she bethought her self of the fault she was about to commit in abandoning the Justice of her Cause she return'd back again and shutting her self up in a Convent sent an account of her misfortune to King Conuie her Brother He being astonish'd at Philip's inconstancy sent to his Ambassador then residing in Rome to make his complaints to Pope Celestin and to demand Justice of him Celestin immediately dispatch'd away two Cardinals the one a Priest and the other a Deacon to make inquiry into what had past in the dissolution of the Marriage and to make use of all the Authority of the Holy See to oblige the King to take Isemburg again in case he had no lawful cause of separation So soon as the two Legates arriv'd at Paris
they call'd together an Assembly of the Clergy wherein the Motives to the annulling the King's Marriage with the Princess of Denmark were strictly examin'd But tho' the Prelates assembl'd saw well that the sentence of Separation that had been pronounc'd was slight enough yet they durst not attempt to revoke it for fear of the King's Indignation However Pope Celestin being dead Innocent III. his successor at the solicitation of the Danish Ambassador sent into France the Cardinal Sta Sabina with order to make use of all the most effectual means to oblige the King to a reconciliation with Isemburg When the Legate arriv'd he assembl'd a Council at Lyon and cited the King together with all those that had pronounc'd the sentence of Separation to make their appearance but Philip instead of appearing sent a Herald to Protest the Nullitie of whatever should be done to his prejudice and to appeal as from an improper Judge to the Pope or the next General Council But for all that the Legate went on and by advice of the Prelats assembl'd Excommunicated the King and Interdicted the whole Kingdom Philip enrag'd at these violent Proceedings caus'd the sentence of the Assembly to be declar'd void by a Decree of his Parliament of Paris upon the motion of the Advocate-General and to punish the Bishops who had been so daring as to deal so unworthily by him he seiz'd upon their Temporalties In the mean time well understanding that Isemburg had been the occasion of all these troubles he sent her to the Castle of Estampes with a prohibition not to stir from thence upon pain of being declar'd Guilty of High Treason Mary of Moravia who was a Woman of great virtue and very nice in her sentiments was afraid that all Europe would look upon her as the cause of the Divorce in regard the King had so often given her in publick such transcendent marks of his affection She was desirous therefore to be gratefull and willingly would have resign'd her own Life to have appeas'd these troubles provided that the King her Husband's honour might not be wounded by the accommodation She besought him therefore several times that he would permit her to retire into a Convent But his passion for her was too violent to consent to such a separation and he was too haughty to give his Enemies an occasion to think that he submitted out of any sentiments of fear But as it impossible for Princes long to conceal the most secret emotions of their Souls the favourers of Isemburg had found out that the violent proceeding of the Legat had not a little contributed to exasperate Philip against any reconciliation with that unfortunate Princess Presently therefore they acquainted the Pope with the King's inclinations who yielding to their reasons sent into France two new Legats Octavian Bishop of Ostia and John Bishop of Velitri with Orders to make use of gentler means Those two Legats after they had assembl'd another Council at Soissons immediately took off the excommunication that had been thunder'd out against Philip. Mary likewise laid hold upon this opportunity to beseech His Majesty to take Isembergh again and she assail'd him with arguments so pathetically moving and so judicious that at length he consented Thereupon he sent for Isemburgh to his Palace but the more generous Mary had appear'd to him the more it griev'd him to have separated from her So that after he had remain'd about forty days with Isemburg he sent her to a Monastery The two Legats having notice of this so sudden and unexpected change summon'd a new assembly to meet at Soissons Mary therefore afraid of the fresh troubles into which the King was about to precipitate himself would return to him no more and press'd him so earnestly that she might have leave to retire that at last with his consent she betook her self to the Abby of Boissy But it was not without an extream violence upon her self that she took this resolution She lov'd Philip sincerely and it was meerly to procure him that repose of which he was going to deprive himself for her sake that she could prevail upon her self to loose him for ever And the combat she had in her mind before she could obtain this victory over her self reduc'd her to such a low condition of Health that at length she sunk under the weight of her affliction and dy'd within a Month after her retirement from Court Just before her death she wrote to Philip beseeching him to take Isemburg again and to live lovingly with her The King not able to refuse her this complacency at a time when she gave him such transcending marks of her Love took Horse and rode alone to the Convent where Isemburg lay He sent for her out of the Abby and taking her up behind him carry'd her back to his Palace where he liv'd with her after that in perfect Conjugal society nor did she die till many years after in the Reign of St. Lewis The Pope was also so glad of this reconciliation that to comfort Philip for the loss of Mary he legitimated the two Children he had by her The Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Philip the Fair. PHILIP the Fair had Three Sons who reign'd successively after him Lewis whom he made King of Navarre in his life time and who marry'd Margaret the Daughter of Robert Duke of Burgundy Philip Count of Poitou who marry'd Joan the Daughter of Otheliu Count of Burgundy and Charles de la marche who marry'd Blanche the Daughter of the same Count. These three Princesses were endow'd with all the Graces both of Body and Mind and being of a gay Humor their Courts were always full They drew to 'em all the young Persons of Noble Rank and Quality and their usual divertisement was Hunting whither they went sometimes with the Princes their Husbands but generally alone with the Officers of their Houshold and such Ladies as were wont to be the companions of their Pastimes more especially Philip and Walter de Launoy of whom the one was Squire to the King of Navarre the other to the Count de la March never left 'em upon these occasions They might well be lookt upon for two of the most compleat and handsomest Lords in the Court and they were persons of that brisk and lively Wit that 't was impossible to be tir'd with their Conversation The two Princesses Margaret and Blanche so well lik'd their jolly Humours that without stopping at Esteem they proceeded even to Love The two Lords who had great experience in that Passion and had met with very few hard-hearted Ladies easily perceiv'd the progress they had made in the Hearts of those two Ladies and the Conquest was so illustrious that without reflecting upon the fatal consequences of Intreagues of that Nature they thought of nothing so much as to pursue and preserve it They dextrously wrought upon the Princes to declare their Minds and having drawn from their own Lips
Daughter was sent away by that private conveyance during his Sickness Nor was he ignorant how prejudicial the conjunction of Bretagne to the Dominions of Spain would be to France which was the reason that without many more to do he resolv'd to cross a contrivance so dangerous notwithstanding he was assur'd that the Queen would never forgive him should the King happen to die of his Sickness Thereupon he stopt the Princess with most respectful protestations of his sorrow for being constrain'd to come to that extremity This action of the Marshal was commended by the King and all good French men and the Queen her self feign'd to applaud it however when the King was recover'd she made use of her credit to ruin that faithful subject Nevertheless she could not prevent the marriage of her Daughter with the Count of Angoulême because it was generally desir'd But it was such an inward vexation to her that sinking under the weight of her corroding anguish she dy'd in the thirty seven Year of her age 'T is true the King did not express that sorrow for her death as 't is thought he would have done considering the passion he had for her as long as she liv'd whither it were that his mind was taken up with his cares of the Wars of Italy or that the Queen's attempts against his authority had cool'd the heat of his Love However after that he liv'd such a reserv'd life that no body believ'd he would ever have thought of a third Marriage but the Duke of Longueville was the occasion of reviving that desire in him That Prince having rashly engag'd himself in a battle against the English year 1514 lost the battle of Spurs and became a prisoner to Henry VIII of England To repair this fault he undertook during his imprisonment to bring off that Prince from his confederacy with the Emperor nor did he find any great trouble to perswade him to it For thô he were very young he was very thrifty and he was a weary of paying the Emperours Troops who was extreamly poor and of furnishing him a hundred Crowns a day for his table There only wanted therefore a plausible pretence to break the Confederacy and there was not a better at that time to be found then a more strict alliance between France and England Henry VIII had a Sister whose beauty was a domestick mischief to him as we shall find in the sequel of this history She was born after another Daughter so much unprovided of the graces of the body that the King of Scotland had never marry'd her but because the King would not marry the youngest before the eldest The youngest being come of Age the Duke of Milan and several other Sovereign Princes sought her in vain because 't was not then the custom to marry the King's Daughter out of the Island This custome which had not been alter'd for four Ages together had infus'd into the young English Lords of the highest Quality a confidence to pretend to the Princess and the King gave way to it lest he should be accus'd of too much severity toward his Sister tho' he had no design to have marry'd her to any of his subjects for fear of drawing a civil War upon himself not unlike to those wherein several of his predecessors had miscarry'd Nevertheless in regard it is a difficult thing for a Woman to hold out any long time against Love when she makes it her business to allure the Princess of England after she had entangl'd in the snares of Love all those that could give any cause of jealousy to her Brother was her self smitten with one whom he had little reason to fear There was introduc'd into the Court of England a young English Gentleman whose name was Charles Brandon without any other recommendation then that of the King's Nurse whose Son he was He was extreamly handsome well proportion'd in his person and very active in all manner of exercises He had the air of a person of Quality and there was observ'd in him that sweetness of temper and that discretion that he was welcome into all societies and chiefly into the Ladies company who were altogether prevalent at Court The King took him for his second in all his matches at Tenis and made him the confident of all his most secret pleasures He conferr'd upon him the office of his chief Huntsman and lest his name should remind the Courtiers of the meaness of his Birth he caus'd him to assume the title of the Counts of Suffolk illustrious for the merit and quality of the persons who had born it for above two hundred years It is not certainly known whether this new title had convinc'd the Princess that she might bestow her affection without any dishonour upon the person whom the King her Brother had honour'd with it since the English Histories are full of presidents of several Earls of Suffolk that have pretended to the marriage of the Sisters and Daughters of their King 's or whether the Love which she already had for him had imprinted that Idea in her mind in his favour but it was observ'd that in a short time after the Princess lookt upon Suffolk with a more passionate glance then she was wont to do Nor wat it so much to be wonder'd at that the Earle should make her suitable returns with Eyes no less inflam'd and sparkling And the Courtiers in a little time were so us'd to it that they took little notice of it whether it were the custome at that time to love at well beneath as above their quality or whether it were that the Courtiers thought it not proper to be more concern'd about it then the King himself was who only laught at the business and made himself merry with the two lovers so soon as he discover'd their reciprocal affection Not that he approv'd it in the main or that he had so high a value for Suffolk as to make him his Brother in Law thô he had a greater kindness for him then for the rest of his Courtiers But he was in hopes to draw some advantage from the inequality of this Amour which he thought would exasperate the English Lords against her and cause 'em to desist from looking any more after her besides that he assur'd himself that he should be so much the master of his Sister and Suffolk that nothing should be acted between them two but by his consent This was the posture of the Court of England when the Duke of Longueville made a proposal as from himself of a match between the Princess and Lewis XII The King of England listen'd to him with those marks of respect and approbation which suficiently discover'd what he had in his Heart He was importun'd to bestow his Sister out of the way and he met with the most lucky means that Fortune ever could have offer'd him 'T is true he could not without some trouble to himself put an end to a War so advantageous to him
King found the Marchioness more reluctant then he imagin'd and was so far from offering her any violence that he was so charm'd with her Beauty that he had some thoughts to have maâ—â—â— d her But the cares of the War eâ—â—orcing him to absent himself from her long absence abâ—ted his Passion and suffer'd him to be surprized by the Charms of another Beauty While he was tak'n up with the Siege of Paris Maâ—â—â— de Beauvilliers Daughter to the Count of St. Agnan and Abbess of Montmartre sent to him for a safe conduct which he granted after a most obliging manner She came to return him thanks and made her addresses so Gracefully that being a Woman of a comly Presence he could not consent that she should be lockt up in a Convent But being oblig'd in a short time after to raise his Siege he order'd her to be conducted to Senlis which was under his obedience where he paid her those respects and sedulities of which she could not be insensible She had been cloyster'd by force and for the private interest of the Family and she lookt upon the affection of the Prince as a kindness of Fortune to release her out of Prison But tho the King were extremly devoted to her yet could he not forget Madam de Guercheville and knowing her deserts he resolv'd to make her amends for the loss of his heart by helping her to a Husband upon whom he might heap his Favours He cast his eye upon Charles du Pâ—essis Lord of Liancourt in whose favour he wrote to the Marchionoss and so soon as he had marri'd her he gave him the Employment of Grand Squire One evening the King discoursing of the Beauty of the Court Ladies cri'd â—p extreamly the Abbess of Montmartre and said more over that he never saw a person so charming Upon which the Duke of Bellegard the present told him that he would soon be of another opinion if once he saw Mademoâ—selle d'Estrees and made him so lively a description of her Beauty that the King had a great desire to be acquainted with her Some days after the Court remov'd to Mante where the King divertis'd himself extreamly with the Ladies of the neighbourhood but Mademoiselle d'Estrees never appear'd After that he went to Senlis to visit his Admirable Abbess where he gave here all the divertisments that his small stay would admit him to prepare for her When he return'd to Mante the Duke of Bellegarde begg'd leave of his Majesty that he might go to Coeuvres where Gabriella d' Estrees then resided with whom he was deeply in love and for whose sake he had quitted Madam d'Humieres tho she had taken great care of him during a sickness that had held him for some time at Mante and had also sacrafic'd for his sake the Admiral de Villars who had left nothing omitted to gain her affections However the King would not suffer him to take his journey but upon condition that he might go a long with him Bellegard would have been glad to have been rid of such a Companion but in regard it became him not to dispute with his Master he was constrain'd to take the King along with him and which was more had the misfortune to see that his Soveraign found her much more amiable then he had imagin'd her to be The King ingag'd her to come to Maâ—te where she made a new Conquest and deprived Madam de Humieres of a Lover that is to say of Henry of Orleans Duke of Langueville That Prince who had endeavoured to chear up her heart for the loss of the Duke of Bellegard prov'd as unfaithful as he and went to dash himself against the same Rock leaving nothing omitted to gain the affection of Mademoiselle d'Estrees during the King's absence who was forc'd to take the Field to compleate the ruin of the Leaguers and was detain'd in Action longer then he expected Upon his return he apply'd himself more sedulously to Mademoiselle d'Estrees then ever and declar d openly in the tone of a Master that he would have no Companion If the Duke Of Longueville were not a little disconsolate Bellegard was much more who was to renounce a Heart of which he had been in possession whereas Longueville built upon a foundation of ill grounded hopes Nevertheless he promis'd obedience and contented himself with expressing himself to his Mistress after so sensible a manner that she could not forbear to share in his grief But she was not so moderate herself for she flew out against the King and told him with an extraordinary resolution that she would be free in her inclinations and that he would but incur her Hatred if he hinder'd her from marrying Bellegard which was a match that had been agreed upon with the goodliking of her Relations She also departed from Mâ—nte without taking her leave and return'd to Coeuvres Her Anger and her departure equally afflicted the King and he resolv'd to make use of the greatest Submission that might be to gain her Favour The main difficulty was which way to get to Coeuvres in regard he was to travel seven Leagues in the Enemies Country nor could he march with a numerous Convoy without making his Passion known and giving his Mistress a new occasion of Distast so that he ran a great Hazard with a few Men For that the Country was cover'd with the Enemies Forces and there was a necessity for him to cross a very dangerous Forrest However he took the last Resolution love causing him to shut his Eyes against all other considerations Thereupon he got a Horseback with five or six of his Officers in whom he most confided whom he dismis'd when he came within three Leagues of the Castle of Coeuvres and when he was alone he allighted disguiz'd himself in the Habit of a Peasant and taking a sack full of Straw upon his back trud'g on with his Burden till he came to his journeys end Mademoiselle d' Estrees who together with her Sister Madam de Villars stood at the Window of a Gallery that over look't the Country saw the Countreyman at a distance but never dreaming of such a Fantastick adventure n'ere examin'd his Face When the King came into the Court of the Castle he threw down his Burthen and going directly up Staires without taking notice of any body to the place where he had seen her stand who was the cause of his Disguise he accosted her after a most submissive manner But he surpriz'd her extreamly when she perceiv'd him in a Garb so little conformable to his dignity and far from being oblig'd to him for what he had done for her sake she receiv'd him with a disdainful look which was more suitable to the Habit which he wore then the Luster of his Birth So strangely does hatred Impoyson the most Heroick Actions Had Bellegard done as much for her sake she would have valu'd it at a high Rate because she lov'd him but she took it ill at the
sparkling Glances which she darted from her eyes but was very officious in paying his assiduities to her never valuing the trouble it might be to Madam de Beaufort The Counstable also took delight in her disturbances and jeasted about 'em with Marshal de Biron who solely possess'd the Kings Inclinations But Fortune soon after delivered the Marchioness from so dangerouss a Rivaless for she dy'd in Childbed leaving the Constable two Children Henry afterwards Duke of Montmorancy and Charlote Margarite who was marri'd to Henry of Bourbon Prince of Condè which was the occasion of a very great Intreague towards the end of this Raign Madam de Beaufort had also by the King Katherine Henrietta legitimated of France whom in 1619 marry'd Charles of Lorrain Duke of Elbeuf and Alexander de Vendosme commonly call'd the Grand Prior who ended his days in the Dungeon of the Castle of Vincennes where he had been confin'd by the order of Lewis XIII But the Marchioness was not brought to bed of this Prince till after the Queen was unmarry'd and then it was that finding her self at liberty she made use of all her wit to oblige the King to set the Crown upon her Head The King also over whom she had an absolute ascendant left nothing omitted on his part to have gratifi'd her desires and banish'd Nicholas de Neuville Lord of Villeroy and Secretary of State for presuming with too much liberty to condemn his design Now in regard the King was certain to obtain whenever he pleas'd the consent of Queen Margaret there remain'd no more to do but only to get the Court of Rome to allow the Divorce To which purpose he sent with the Character of his extraordinary Embassador Nicholas Brulard Lord of Sileri then President of the Parliament and afterwards Chancellor of France He was one of the most able Ministers the King had and in regard he was no less Zealous for his Masters Interests then for those of the Marchioness to whom he was beholding for a good part of his Fortune 't was to be presum'd that he would leave nothing uneffected to render his Embassie successful But before we relate the success of his Negotiation it will not be amiss to shew upon what grounds the King demanded the Dissolution of his marriage which cannot be better understood then by the Manifesto that he publish'd upon that occasion The Manifesto of Hen. IV. upon his Divorce from Queen Margaret I Thought my self exempt from giving an accompt to the Publick of the motives that induc'd me after twenty years being wedded together to separate my self from the Sister of the Kings my Predecessors under pretence of being too near in Blood And indeed being above the Laws I did not think my self oblig'd to give an account of my actions to any but God only But in regard that Strangers and several of the French Nation take an occasion from thence to blame my Conduct some calling me Voluptuous others Atheistical and both tother condemning me for ingrateful I thought my self concern'd in honour to satisfie those who have suffer'd themselves to be abus'd and to confound the malice of my secret Enemies by exposing to the Eyes of the World the true causes of the Divorce which I desire For considering the high Station to which God has rais'd me 't is not sufficient that my life should be without reproach it behoves me also to render it free from suspition and to draw the Curtain with which I endeavour to hide the disorder of my Family 'Ts said that Heaven sends admonitions to those who are born to command over others of the misfortunes that will be fall ' em If the bloody Rain that fell at Rome before the Battle of Cannae were a presage of the loss which the Republick was shortly to sustain I may say that the Blood that was shed upon the day of my Nuptials seem'd to foretel the cruel Afflictions that should befall me by reason of this fatal Union But I never minded that unlucky Omen nor the words of Charles the Ninth Brother to this unchast Woman who being better acquainted with her then my self said by way of Raillery that he did not give his Megg for a Wife to the King of Navarr only but to all the Hereticks in his Kingdom I interpreted his meaning another way and imagin'd that he lookt upon it as a knot that would for the future inevitably bind to his Service all the Huguenots nevertheless time has but too plainly discoverd to me the mistery of that Oracle I was so little acquainted with that Princess that I knew not that she had been sensible of love ever since Eleven years of Age that Entragues and Charrins both boasted that they had obtain'd her chiefest favours at that Age. I know not whither a Generous Emulation to dispute the Conquest or the Transports of his Pleasure caus'd Entragues to go beyond his strength but certain it is that his efforts brought him within two fingers breadth of the Grave and made him relinquish his bargain to take a Wife less beautiful but more prudent and reserv'd The Prince of Martignes supplyâ—d the place which Entragues left vacant and having discarded Charrins for whom she had no great kindness he remain'd the sole master of her heart That Prince being naturally vain glorious was so far from making a mistery of his good fortune that there Intreague after it had been the discourse of the whole Court was divulg'd in the Army and passing from mouth to mouth afforded ample matter of Raillery to all the Foot Souldiers of which Martignes was Collonel That indiscreet Lover upon all occasions of greatest danger wore an Embroider'd Scarf and carried with him a little Dog that she had given him which he kept to his dying day as a Pledge of her Friendship The loss of this Favorite drew tears from her which the King endeavour'd to wipe away by marrying her to the King of Portugal But the Duke of Guise who pretended by espousing her to give some colour to his Ambitious Designs cross'd that Match by the cunning of the Cardinal of Lorrain her Uncle who was sent to the King of Spain to condole the Death of Elizabeth of France his Wife In the mean time the Duke insinuated himself into the favours of that Princess by means of the kind Offices which he did Madam de Carnavalet 'T is said that the Dukes of Alenson and Anjou broke off that Intreague and that she had those complacencies for 'em that propinquity of Blood did no way authorize but I cannot believe that her Debauchery ran up to that excess However it were the mark had been hit several times before our marriage and all men will be easily convinc'd that I had no need of any great strength to carry the Ring at the first Course So soon as we were marry'd they who had right to pretend to her familiarity discarded themselves and oblig'd her by their withdrawing themselves to stoop to
upon Hugo gave him several mortal Stabs before the King's Face thô he made himself known to 'em on purpose to stop their fury out of that respect which was due to his Person and when they had done they threw themselves into a Forrest adjoyning and soon became invisible Several Months find away before the King could discover the Authors of so dating an enterprize but at 〈◊〉 he understood that the Murder was committed by the Queens Order and so far he was from shewing himself either griev'd or displeas'd at it that he lov'd her the more ever after and wholly fortook Almafrede who out of despair retired to a Convent and veil'd her self As for Foulqueâ— he underwent a severe Penance for having contributed to the Homicide being at Jerusalem whither he accompany'd Godfrey of Benillon and others of the Croisado For he caus'd himself to be drawn naked upon a Hurdle with a Rope about his Neck and to be whipp'd till the Blood came crying out with a loud voice Have mercy Lord upon the treacherous and perjur'd Foulques Bertrade Mistress to Philip. Anno 1086. Foulques Rechin going to pay a visit to Amaney Lord of Montfort and condole with him upon the death of his Mother fell in love with his Sister Bertrade He left nothing omitted to procure her Affection during the stay that he made at Montfort and not being able to obtain any Favour from her he resolv'd to marry her thô he were already marry'd to Ermengard the Daughter of Archambaut Lord of Bourbon and that he had a Son by her who was afterwards call'd Jeoffrey Martell To which effect he caus'd his Marriage with Ermengard to be declar'd null under pretence of being near akin and took Bertrade to Wife by whom he had a Son that bore his Fathers Name and who going to the Holy Land was King of Jerusalem In the mean time Foulques Rechin having had a Quarrel with his Brother Jeoffrey about sharing the Succession of their Father Foulques Nera the contest came to a Battle near Brochelac where Jeoffrey was overthrown and taken prisoner but took his being detain'd in Prison so hainously that for meer vexation he run mad Pope Gregory VII being inform'd how hardly Foulques had us'd his Brother and of the unlawfull Marriage which he had contracted with Bartrade excommunicated him Jeffery Martell who by this time was arriv'd to years of maturity taking advantage of the excommunication thunder'd out against his Father took Arms to revenge this Mothers Quarrel and set his Uncle at liberty Bertrade seeing her self so dangerously threatn'd by the ambitious Youth who was already become the head of a potent party sought which way to rid him out of the World and caus'd him to be poyson'd Pope Gregory being dead Foulques sent Embassadors to Vrban VI. who succeeded him to obtain his absolution offering to set his Brother at Liberty and to quit Bertrade Upon which the Pope empower'd Hugo Archbishop of Lion to take off the censure provided the Count perform'd what he had promis'd In the mean time Phillip coming to Tours to give Foulques a visit year 1093 and settle affairs between 'em in reference to the County of Gatinois which the Count had mortgag'd to him during the Wat with his Brother saw Bertrade who appear'd to him most charmingly beautiful notwithstanding those Clouds of sorrow that hung upon her countenance because her Husband was just going to put her away The King therefore having engag'd her to entrust him with the cause of her grief offer'd her his service and promis'd to marry her having under pretence of consanguinity vacated his Marriage with Bertha the Daughter of the Count of Frise whom he had banish'd to Montrevil upon the Sea Bertrade suffer'd her self to be surpriz'd with these alluring hopes and consented to be conveigh'd away by force The King thus satisfy'd after he and Bertrade had consulted upon the ways and means which way to effect their designe departed for Orleans and left behind him at Tours a Gentleman whose name was William Rechin to put the project in execution Bertrade and the Knight having conserted together how to manage the business she her self went to hear Mass at St. Martin's upon Easter-eve and after she had sent away the persons that attended her upon several errands slipt into a by Street where Rechin waited for her with two Horses She made choice of that which went most easily and being got a little way out of the City they met with laid Horses fresh and fresh every six Leagues and made such hast that before Night they reach'd Orleans where the King who had notice of every thing receiv'd 'em with those transports of joy that are hardly to be express'd He carry'd Bertrade to his Palace and by a thousand caresses endeavour'd to alleviate the Fatigues of her journey As for Foulques he did not much trouble himself for the loss of his Wife whom he lookt upon as an obstacle of his reconciliation with the holy See and finding himself well stricken in years he wholly gave off his debauchery Some time after Philip publickly espous'd Bertrade and caus'd her to be Crown'd with extraordinary magnificence He had two Sons by her Philip to whom he gave the Barony of Mang upon the Lâ—ire and whom he Marry'd to the Daughter of Gontier Lord of Montbery Henry who was design'd for the Church and a Daughter named Cecilia who was first marry'd to Tancrede Son of the Sister of Bremond Prince of Antiochia and after his death to Ponce the Son of Beritand Count of Tiral in Stiria descended from the Counts of Thoulouse However several Bishops who where present at the nuptials to which they were invited according to the custom of the Kingdom remonstrated to the King that the Church could not approve a Marriage directly contrary to all the Canons as well by reason of the proximity of Blood between him and Bertrade as for that Bertha was still living as well as Count Foulques But none of 'em took upon 'em to speak with more freedom then Yves Bishop of Chartres which exasperated the King to that degree that he caus'd him to be apprehended However in a short time after he releas'd him again at the sollicitation of the Clergy Pope Vrban VI. being inform'd of these disorders sent away on purpose a Legat into France who assembl'd a Council at Auâ—uâ— where it was decreed that Philip should be excomunicated But the Pope suspended the effect of the Decree till the next Year and then he thunder'd out his Anathema's against the King in the Council of Clermont The King terrifi'd with these censures parted from Bertrade for some time but he recall'd her shortly after by the consent of her Husband Foulques himself over whom she had so powerfull an ascendant that he sigh'd at her feet like the most passionate of Lovers The Popes Legats perceiving that the King had renewâ—d his crminal familiarity assembled another Councill
the War The presence of the beloved object having rows'd his Affection he apply'd himself afresh to the Lady and gave her such publick proofs of his tenderness that the Princess his Wife who could not be ignorant of it sickn'd of jealousie and Di'd The Regent intent upon all occasions that might conduce to confirm her Authority look't upon this conjuncture as one of the most favourable that could have befallen her She imagin'd that as the Chatillon's had engag'd the Prince in Heresy by the Marriage of their Neice she might also bring him back to the Communion of the Church by giving him for a second Wife a Lady that had the Honour to be her kinswoman whose Charms would put a stop to his inconstancy and draw from his Lips the secrets of the Calvinists To this purpose she commanded the Lady to leave nothing omitted upon that presupposition to omit nothing that might contribute to detain the Prince in her Fetters But to venture an indifferent virtue with a Lover who made use of the smallest advantages in Love as in War to carry things to extremity was to expose it to too many hazards While the Lady feign'd an Affection for the Prince she became inamour'd in good earnest and to her misfortune she was not the only person at Court that found her Heart insensibly engag'd Margaret de Lustrac the Widow of the Marshal de St. Andrè was neither of a temper nor inclination to spend the remainder of her Life in Widowhood nevertheless she was engag'd to it in some measure by signing the Articles of the Marriage of her only Daughter with the Eldest Son of the Duke of Guise seeing it was chiefly concluded consideration of the great Estate that she possess'd and for that the Marshal her Husband had been preserv'd from inevitable ruin However she was no sooner a Widow but she yielded to the usual temptation of persons of her Quality so that she laid a design to marry again and break off the Match between her Daughter and the Prince of Joinville For which that she might have a plausible pretence and withal to cover what was irregular in her intentions she feign'd to seek out a more Honourable alliance for her Daughter and cast her Eyes upon the Marquiss of Conti the Eldest Son of the Prince of Conde with an intent to perswade the less discerning sort of People that if she marry'd the Prince 't was only to facilitate the union of their Children by her Marriage But she could not have address'd her self more unluckily considering how things stood with the Prince at that time For thô he had not had a kindness for Madam de Limueil he would have preferr'd a Country Girl before the remains of the Marshal de St Andrè However he did not explain his thoughts to the persons that propounded his Marriage with the Widow as the only means to secure to his Son the Marriage of St. Andrè's Heiress he only repli'd that the way did not seem to him to be so infallible because the Marquess not being above nine Years of Age and for that both the Nuptials could not be solemniz'd at the same time the Marshaless would be as her liberty when she was become a Princess to break the Articles between her Daughter and the Marquess with the same ease as she had broken her Covenants with the Prince of Joinville The Marshaless inform'd of this obstacle and taking no other advice but that of her own passion offer'd the Prince a deed of gift of the manner of Valeri in Gatinois and all the magnificent moveables with which the Marshal of St. Andrè had furnish'd it 'T was thought that by this peice of unpararallel'd liberality she thought to have fix'd that levity of which she was suspected to be guilty by disabling her self to refuse her Daughter to the Son of a Prince to whom she would have given beforehand the best part of her Estate and to have supplanted her Rivaless by the force of her Acts of kindness since she could not do it by the power of her Charms The present was accepted without producing however the effect which the Marshalless expected from it whither it were too great to be refus'd by a Prince whose birth was nevertheless too spendidly exalted to engage him by the acceptance of it or whither the Prince blam'd in his own thoughts the prodigality of the Widow at the same time that he made a benefit of it Mademoiselle de Limueil made reflections remote from Truth upon an accident so rarely happening She suppos'd the Prince less amorous or less concerned then he was and imagin'd that since he had accepted the signiory of Valleri he would have marry'd the Marshalless The suspipition of which encreas'd to that degree that not having an Estate sufficient to equal the liberality of her Rivalless she took a fancy to surpass it by granting the Prince the dearest Jewel she had in the World And her big Belly that soon attended the fault the had committed made it so publick that she was forc'd to withdraw from the Court The Queen caus'd her to be conducted by a Valet de Chambre whose name was Gentil to the Convent of Franciscans in the City of Auxonne This banishment of M. de Limueil was not the only punishment of her incontinency For the Prince equally touch'd with disdain as well of a Widow who had aspir'd to an Alliance with him as of a Young Lady that sought to gain him by an over passionate submission neglected both the one and the other to marry Francese of Orleance the Duke of Longuevilles Sister a haughty Princess and of an austere Virtue Such a difference he put between the dispositions of those Women which he desir'd for his Wives and those which he sought for his Mistresses Mademoiselle de Limueil after the was brought to Bed endeavour'd to repair the loss of her high hopes by marrying Geoffrey de Causac Lord of Tremon who had been a long time an humble servant of hers but had been neglected by her ever since her Intreague with the Prince of Condè Nor was Mademoiselle de Rohan better treated by the Duke of Nemours she had granted him the same favours upon a promise of Marriage in the Reign of Henry II. But the Prince to avoid the performance of his word went to serve in Piedmont against the Duke of Savoy nor did he return into France till the beginning of the Reign of Charles the IX at which time he threw himself into the Cabal of the Guises and so frequently visited the Dukes Wife that he could no longer remain insensible of her Charms Nevertheless he durst not discover his passion to her such was the awe that her Virtue had upon him However in regard it is as difficult a thing to hide Love as to conceal Fire M de Rohan was inform'd of his infidelity and resolving revenge she su'd him upon his promise He pleaded her profession of the pretended
your advice what course I shall now take by way of redress By my Troth Sir I cannot tell reply'd the Duke but let me return to the Arsenal where I will Sup and go to Bed and then as I lye musing in the night I shall think upon some expedient which I will communicate to your Majesty to morrow morning No pursu'd the King I will have you tell me your thoughts presently I must then consider a little reply'd Sully and at the same time turning himself to the Window that lookt into the Court after he had stood drumming a while with his Fingers upon the Board he return'd to the King who ask'd him whither he had thought upon the business and what he ought to do Nothing reply'd the Duke How nothing reply'd the King very much surpriz'd I say nothing at all added Sully If you do nothing at all and thereby shew that you do not value the Prince but rather contemn him no body will assist him no not his dearest friends nor the most zealous of the Officers he has left here and within three months pinch d by necessity and tyr'd with the flouts and scoffs that will be put upon him he will return and implore your Clemency On the other side if you are eager to recall him you will put a value upon him he will be with Money assisted by several persons of your Court and he will find those that will protect him on purpose to create you trouble who would have abandon'd him had they been convinc'd how little you minded his absence But the King whose thoughts were in too great a ferment to relish such judicious advice resolv'd upon what the President Jeannin had given him which as it was more blunt and harsh so it flatter'd his Passion the more and the next morning dispatch'd away the Marquiss of Pralin as well to the Prince as to the Archduke The Marquiss could not overtake the Prince of Conde and therefore repair'd to Marimont to the Archduke of whom he immediately demanded Audience and went with the Ordinary Embassador He lay'd before the Archduke that Henry of Bourbon Prince of Conde making his Wife the occasion of his Pretence to cover his design of raising troubles in France had withdrawn himself into the Territories under his Government and therefore he desir'd him in his Masters name to cause him to be apprehended To which the Archduke reply'd that he thought he had done enough in not receiving the Prince but that he could not refuse him free passage and that it should not be long of him that he did not return into France as one that zealously wish'd the King's particular satisfaction and the Tranquility of the Kingdom 'T is true that the Prince of Conde did not stay in the Low Countries for he pass'd forward to Cologne and had left the Princess his Wife at Breda with the Princess of Orange his Sister who carry'd her afterwards to Brussels whether the Prince her Husband came in a short time after Thither also went the the Archduke to receive the Ladies and pay'd 'em a visit so soon as they were arriv'd The Marquiss of Spinola General of the Spanish Forces who was then in the same City complain d to the Archduke and blam'd him for not allowing the Prince of Conde refuge and so continually persecuted him with his importunities that he oblig'd him to send a Gentleman to the Prince on purpose to invite him to return Spinola also wrote by the same Courrier and causâ—d the Spanish Embassador to write to him also to the same effect 'T is true that the Archduke did nâ—t act with the same thoughts as the Ministers of that Crown for that he wish'd an Accommodation as much as they desir'd Peace But soon after he was no longer Master of the differences for the Catholick King sent his orders wherein he declar'd that 't was his Pleasure to grant his Protection to the Prince of Conde This Declaration so enflam'd his Courage that he made it his business to justifie his departure out of the Kingdom and publish'd some matters of Fact of which the greatest part were suppos d. To the same purpose also he wrote to Pope Clement VII and Cardinal Borghese his Nephew in terms that might make his Letters pass for so many Manifestos Now in regard the King had given no order to Pralin to enter into any Negotiation with his Nephew so soon as he heard that he was return'd to Brussels he sent the Marquiss of Couvres with the Character of his Extraordinary Ambassador who as soon as he arriv'd press'd the Archduke to deliver the Princess of Conde either into the Hands of the Constable her Father or of the Dutchess of Angouleme her Aunt But the Archduke declar d that he would never dispose of her Person but with the consent of her Husband So that Couvrs finding his Negtiation did not take effect bethought himself of carrying away the Princess by force There was some sort of coldness in Affection between her and the Prince whither it were out of a Natural Antipathy or out of vexation to see her self so far remote from the Court of France and the French had taken care to cherish this embitterment to bring about the King's designes The Marquiss of Coeuvres being inform'd of her Inclinations endeavour'd to perswade her to suffer her self to be taken forcibly away to which proposal she could not a long time tell what answer she should give On the other side she was not satisfi'd with the Prince her Husband she saw herself to her great grief under the Tyranny of the Spaniards The Archdukes Court by no means pleas'd her seeing nothing there that came near the Magificence of that of France and besides she most passionately desir d to be with her Father and her Aunt who by their Letters signifi d the same earnestness on their part But on the other side she durst not forsake her Husband to put her self into the hands of a Person who was bound by no tye to her interest and she was equally afraid of falling into the hands of a Incens'd Husband and of giving Obloquy an occasion to blame her Conduct Nevertheless after she had a long time revolv'd these different reflections in her mind the desire of seeing her Family once again and of returning into France prevail'd above all other considerations Coeuvres's design was to carry her away from Brussels in the Night and to get so far upon the Roade while it continu d dark that when her flight was discover'd it should be impossible to overtake ' em But for the bringing this about there was a necessity of taking several precautions which way to climb or break thro' the Walls of the City to have Horses ready upon the Ramparts to have Horses laid in several places with Horsemen to oppose all such as should go about to stop em Now in regard there was a necessity of employing several persons in the execution of â—his