assistance I discover'd the design to none but my Sister as I pass'd through Chamberi where I pray'd her to write to his Highness in my favor to facilitate my putting my design in execution she did it readily Having past the Alpes I acquainted my Brother with my resolution He was extremely astonisht at it but durst not oppose it knowing the time and place inconvenient Being with Monsieur Boniel a learned and honest man I had taken at Gnenoble for my Chaplain who came to me at Avenay I dispatch'd him with a Letter I had written to his Royal Highness beseeching him to give me leave to retire into some Covent in his Dominions and assuring him his most Christian Majesty would not dislike of it The next day he answer'd me with much kindness he would very willingly grant me his protection if as I writ the King would be pleased with it He sent a Gentleman to complement me with a Coach to bring me to Turin My Brother took leave of me and went on his Journey avoiding to pass by Turin that he might not be oblig'd to see his Highness This Prince came to receive me a League out of Town and made me go into his Coach wherein were some Lords of his Court and with a great Train of Nobility on Horseback he accompanied me to the Covent of the Visitation where he had commanded an Apartment to be furnish'd for me and dispos'd the Abbess to receive me by the intercession of the Archbishop who was present at my entrance The Nuns were kind and obliging as possible during my three Months abode there about the end of which being inform'd Madam Mazarin was suddenly for Paris partly out of a desire to see her and partly to endeavour to repair the fault I committed in leaving France I resolv'd to go to Chamberi and desir'd his Royal Highness not to permit any Courrier to pass for two days for fear of my being pursu'd His Highness very obligingly granted my request yet forgot not to condemn my resolution and express his displeasure at it Assur'd of his word I set forward with a thousand Pistols the King had return'd me of his usual bounty Morena and my Chaplain were all the company I had With this small train I arriv'd at Chamberi more weary than ever There to my comfort I found my self frustrated of my hopes to see my Sister who prevail'd upon by interest more than by affection had hid her self from me for fear of being concern'd in my designs I slept in the Castle she dwelt in and asking her People where she was and when she would be at home I could not obtain a satisfactory answer At last not to hazard a certain enjoyment for an expectation I resolv'd to return to Turin under the protection of his Royal Highness with whom I had all the reason in the World to be satisfy'd his care and bounty having been so great while I was at Turin and particularly at my last address to him that I could not desire more I writ him a Letter to pray him send me a Coach to the Foot of the Alpes which he did with his usual exactness The Marquess Drone and a Gentleman belonging to the Constable call'd Don Mourice de Bologna who was come to me by the Constables order came to receive me near Turin They were no less glad of my return than they had been apprehensive of my executing my former design which they endeavour'd to prevent by sending Courriers into several parts to hinder my passage The same time the most Christian King at the Constables request sent orders to the Governours of the Frontiers and other Provinces of his Kingdom not to permit me entrance When I arriv'd at Turin I went to the Prince of Carignan's where I found the Count de Oreux and the Chevalier de Savoy his Nephews and mine And fearing he would not receive me if I gave him notice of my coming I took possession without saying a word to him of an Appartment where I contied above a Month till leave was come from Rome for my returning into a Covent and that I might go abroad once a-week which Cardinal Porto Carrero procur'd for me The mean time I frequented the Court and went to a House called La Venerie about which was store of all sorts of Game and Divertisements so that I never spent my time with more pleasure than there receiving continually from his Highness Royal and Madam Royal all imaginable Expressions of Affection and Honour My happiness was too great to last long Fortune making it her business to persecute me suggested to his Royal Highness Reasons of State to make me a Proposal of returning whence I came and to tell me it were better for me to be at my own House than in a Covent And that if there were no other Obstacle but the present disunion from the Constable he would undertake to reconcile us I was so offended at this and some other things he said to me at La Venerie that carry'd away by my cholerick humour I would have gone away that moment in a pet and return'd into the Cloyster and had certainly done it had not Madam Royal hinder'd it by staying me with them eight days more at the end of which they accompanied me to the Covent Our difference increased by the way through the impatience of my humour and my unwillingness to pardon him any thing which put us in a greater heat than ever Letting go my hand as I entred the Covent he told me after long silence that as humoursome and pettish against him as I was he would be still ready to serve me This offer which should have appeased me anger'd me more than ever so that I told him haughtily enough I made just as much account of his protection as I did of his person This answer madded him that he went away without saying a word more to me My Enemies look'd on this as a good occasion to work me out of favor with him and succeeded in it About this time I endeavour'd by several Letters to the Ministers of France to prevail with the King to revoke the Orders he had given to prohibit my coming into his Kingdom but I could not obtain the favour The mean time his Highness Royal past all the Summer at La Venerie without as much as sending me one complement At his return he came to see me with Madam Royal to comfort me for the death of Count Soisons he performed this melancholly Complement with a great deal of Ceremony the sadness of his Countenance suiting very well with that of the occasion Finding my self distitute of hopes from France and less honour'd than formerly by the Soveraign of Savoy I laid hold on an opportunity offer'd me by a Voyage of the Marquess de Bourgamanero to Turin to intreat him to prevail with the Constable his very good Friend to give me leave to go into France being assur'd the King would not deny me that
found me unwilling to obey them I am sufficiently assured of it by her having put it to my choice to go into France or stay at Rome with my Aunt to be made a Nun and her asking me very seriously if I had not made a Vow to that purpose I very well remember the Answer I made her was There were Covents every where and that if ever I chanc'd to be so piously dispos'd I could be a Nun at Paris as well as at Rome and that I was not yet of a competent Age for making a choice of that consequence My Mother undeceived by this Answer resolv'd to take me along and to ease her self of the trouble she was in for the preference my Uncles orders gave me above my Sister she took us both with her We embarqued in a Gally of Genes sent us by that Republick whom my Uncle had particularly oblig'd I shall not take upon me the description of that floating Mansion that I may not lose time in setting forth the Richness and Magnificence of its Tackle and Furniture it shall suffice to acquaint you that during our Voyage the Pomp we were treated in was no less than Majestick and that the Tables of Kings are not serv'd with more Splendour or greater Magnificence than ours was four times a-day We landed at Marsellis where my Aunt more scrupulous than the Custome of the place requir'd made a long time some difficulty to receive the Civilities of the Town as not able to perswade her self to comply with some formalities that attend them But at last with much pain she master'd the difficulty though not without giving just cause of complaint for opposing things so long authoriz'd by Custome From Marsellis we pass'd to Aix where we were lodg'd in the House of the Governour of Provence being the Duke of Mercoeur who of all the Nobility of France had made the first Alliance with the Cardinal by marrying Victoria Manchini my eldest Sister having gone as far as Cologne to desire her in Marriage when his Eminence was forc'd to quit the Court. Two Months after our coming to Aix my Sister arriv'd there to keep us company And for six Months more that we tarry'd there all her care was to divert and treat us at the charge of the Duke her Husband who regal'dus every Day with extraordinary Magnificence These eight Months expired our Uncle thought us by that time pretty well fitted for appearing at Paris and sent us order to come to the Court there whither my Sister Victoria who was big with her first Child would bear us company notwithstanding the great severity of the Winter the danger she exposed her self to and the desire we had to give the Duke her Husband satisfaction made us wish she would have been perswaded to forbear giving us this proof of her kindness but the tenderness she had for us over-rul'd all our Reasons and prevail'd more than any consideration of danger or inconvenience she might fall into Those that know her will easily believe this and confess that Heaven never united a more Noble Soul with a handsomer Body nor so much Vertue with so much Beauty After a Months happy Journey we arriv'd at Paris where my Uncle saw us in private and received us with such particular expressions of kindness that wanting Words to describe them to the Life I shall satisfie my self by giving you an Idea of them in telling you it was an Enterview like that of Joseph and his Brethren which was attended with all possible evidences of a tender Affection And though my Sister Hortensia had no order to come as was hinted before her Beauty excus'd my Mothers bringing her along and the Cardinal was extreamly pleas'd at the sight of her Being pretty well recovered of our Journey we went to kiss their Majesties Hands who received us with particular demonstrations of kindness suitable to their Royal Grandeur But this happiness was very short liv'd being soon interrupted by a sudden and sad change of which I am going to give you account I was not fully recover'd of the fatigue of our Journey the liveliness of my humour disorder'd by so much agitation and my ill observation of dyet eating indifferently what was bad as well as what was good for me made me look so pitifully that my Uncle resolv'd to put me into a Covent to try as he said if that would recover me Besides he loo'd upon me as too young and raw and so great a stranger to the Language of the Country that he thought me not fit as yet to be introduced into so glorious a Court my Sister in all appearance should by reason of the like inconveniences have run the like fortune but she was so young or rather so beautiful that she was dispens'd with Thus was I put into the Covent of the Visitation in the Fauxbourgs St. Jacques where my Sister came two Months after to bear me company by order from his Eminence who at length thought her too young to continue at Court where her Beauty had introduc'd her and great pleasure was taken in seeing her insomuch that Mounsieur though very young could not live without her But that which principally mov'd his Eminence to take this Resolution was an humorous obstinacy he observ'd in my Sister which was thought to proceed partly from the liberty they gave her in the Palace by this means we were both in a Covent under the direction of Madam La Mere de Mignon Sister to the Prince President of Paris She took care of our Education and taught us French and all other things necessary for Maids of our age and quality and acquitted her self of her Charge with great pains and industry when we had been in that Covent a year and a half my Uncle sent to us Madam de Venele Maid of honour to my Sister the Duchess of Mercoeur with order to bring me to Fere a Town in Picardy where the Court then was Before this progress his Eminence desirous of an alliance with the Marshall Milleray had propos'd a Marriage between his Son the Great Master and me thinking it but just to dispose first of me who was the elder But the conduct of Love and of Reason are so very different his Eminence found he had to small purpose design'd me for the Great Master who had already made Choice of another object and wholly devoted himself to my Sister Hortensia from the first moment he saw her with such particular Circumstances that he said aloud he could rather spend his life in a Covent then marry any other I came to Fere wholly ignorant of the Design of marrying me but when I arriv'd there I had some confus'd knowledge of it by flying Reports which in few days vanish'd with the Treaty then on foot the Grand Master having by his answer declar'd the constancy of his affection for my Sister I continued at Court where by the help of that Light I had attain'd by age and care
the apparent danger of my Life I took a resolution to avoid for the future all occasions of exposing my self to the like by bearing any other The Constables consent being necessary to make valid a resolution of this nature I press'd him for it and obtained it having ever since found him in that particular a Man of his word Having made this agreement all my care was to recover my health to go pass another Carnaval at Venice As soon as I had gather'd strength we set forwards on our Journey leaving our third Child to the care of the Marchioness de los Balbaces the second being at Rome and the eldest with us I had spent this Carnaval with a great deal of pleasure had it not been for my jealousie of the Constable who went in search of reparation abroad for the loss incurr'd at home by our late agreement And I must confess I was not a little concern'd his keeping his word with me should cost me so dear There were at Venice many excellent Opera's particularly that of Titus which I saw very often being extreamly pleas'd with the sweetness of the Voices and excellency of the Actors especially a Musitian of his Highnesses call'd Cavagninro and one of my Maids who did wonders not to speak of the Comedy which was one of the best that ever was acted The Carnaval being over the Constable went to Rome with my Brother to dispatch some Affairs At his return which was within three weeks I spoke to him of going to Millan where I desir'd to be at the Infanta's arrival I was more troubled to quit Venice at this time than formerly as having more acquaintance there and being of opinion it was the pleasantest City in the World and of the choicest divertisements but the more unwilling I appear'd to leave it the more did the Constable hasten our departure so that we set out in the hottest of Summer At Millan I did my endeavour to pass my time as pleasantly as possible to which the Marquess de los Balbaces and his Lady contributed not a little We spent the day in walking and sumptuous Collations and the night in Musick prepar'd for us at The Place Marine the pleasantest of that Town A while after our company was increas'd by the addition of some persons of quality which came to us from Venice and Turin from whence his Royal Highness had sent us one of the principal Lords of his Court with several Gentlemen his Friends to complement the Empress who arriv'd there about the end of Autumn I kiss'd her hand having waited on her in a Spanish Dress and in deep moorning for Cardinal Colonna who dy'd at Final of a Sickness he fell into attending this Prince Her Majesty received me with very great kindness telling me I appeared by my Deportment and the air of my Countenance to be what my Habit promis'd A Complement whereby she intended to give me the advantage over the Ladies of all other Nations there being no doubt but she look'd upon the fashion her self appear'd in the most excellent and preferrable to all others She continued her Journey for Vienna but the Constable was not dispos'd to wait on her thither though I very much desir'd it He hath a Soul so generous I should do him wrong should I impute his not going to his fear of expence necessary for such a Journey The truth is the Love he had had for me was very much diminish'd and too weak to incline him to so much complaisance I propos'd to him then that we should pass another Carnaval at Venice which I was assur'd he would not deny me though I was sensible his inclinations for the place prevail'd with him more than my request for going thither We set forwards on our Journey and though I found in that City the same divertisements as formerly they did not please me so well being now very much alter'd and perpetually tormented with my jealousie of the Constable which the stories I heard of him did but too clearly justifie I was so grieved that others took advantage of my politick Barrenness that I found my self already in a very sorrowful condition And as if I had not had reason enough to torment my self with jealousies abroad Fortune provided me a new occasion at home by a Marchioness who lodg'd with us Her Youth and her Beauty drew the Eyes of all towards her and amongst the rest the Constable was of her admirers Had I not made that conjecture by his looks his sighs and assiduities had been sufficient to convince me I had too much reason to make that Interpretation my resentment though conceal'd was great but that of the President Donaville whom my Brother had taken with him to Rome was greater who look'd upon the Constables addresses as no small Obstacle to the happy success of his passion rival'd also by Quaranta Lupuli a Man of excellent parts natural and acquired and a most affectionate Lover powerful advantages for obtaining of Love The Winter as well as the Carnaval being over we went for Rome by the way of Bologna where the Cardinal Legat gave us in his Pallace a splendid Entertainment The Marchioness traveling with us found the number of her Lovers increase by the way but the most passionate and he who evidenc'd his fidelity by a Sacrifice very unusual in our days was Quaranta who extremely concern'd to see his Love slighted and fancying others more successful abandon'd himself so to jealousie and grief that within a days Journey of Bologna in his way to Rome whither he intended to bear us company he fell into a violent Fever which quickly ended his days We continued our Journey and at our arrival at Rome had the news of his death The Marchioness wept but many tears were not to be expected from a person surrounded with the flames of so many Lovers After the death of this Lover succeeded the absence of her Husband whom she enjoy'd a very short time a military employment they had bestowed on him at Amona having call'd him away thither to live in a House of his own after seven or eight Months time spent in ours the Pastimes and Feasts we had constantly at home appear'd to me too dull for the Carnaval and desiring to spend it with more pleasure and prevent censure of the liberty I enjoy'd I resolv'd to have a Masquerade wherein I presented Clorinda and being attended with thirty or forty Gentlemen in Souldiers habit I threw about as the custom was some Verses which my Brother and a Gentleman his Friend call'd Marescotti made for the occasion The Carnaval being ended the Marchioness spoke of returning to Bologna which the Constable appear'd not concern'd at the Correspondence between them having for some time past been less than formerly A few days after we went for Millan to receive my Sister Mazarin who we heard was retir'd from Paris for some differences between her Husband and her The tenderness I always had for her made
me undertake this Journey with a great deal of pleasure and I forgot nothing that might oblige the Constable to come thither also who did all he could to excuse himself and divert me alledging among other reasons I was not oblig'd to go so far Yet he resolved to go upon the arrival of a Courrier sent by the Marquess de los Balbaces to inform us my Sister was arriv'd at Altoff and to invite us to Millan The Constable having with some difficulty answer'd he would go we set forward The Marchioness and I in a Caleche in which we went away Post and the Constable in another with the Countess d' Estela whom I formerly mention'd by the name of Hortensia Our train was reduced to three or four Valetts whom we thought most necessary for a Journey of haste with whom we arriv'd at Millan in six days where I found my self extremly disorder'd not only with the fatigue of the Journey but the perpetual Jars I had with the Constable who was never better pleas'd then when he saw things fall out ill in this Journey undertaken against his will in the worst time of the Year Being arriv'd we learnt by the Marquess de los Balbaces that Madam Mazarin was at a Country house six or seven Leagues from Millan and set out presently for the place where we found her a-Bed which she was oblig'd to keep for a hurt she had received in her Knees by a fall from a Horse the hurt was considerable though she said it was nothing and bore it so well she appeared not troubled at all with it Being newly come from France she had her fancy full of the fashions of that Country and the humours of the Nation which considering only the outside takes the measures of esteeming others meerly from the dress they appear in The Marchioness and I very defective in that point found after a very cold reception our ill equipage had met with the contempt it deserv'd This mortification being over the passage by water being thought more convenient for my Sister we embarqued for Millan where we arriv'd that Night and the Marchioness soon after return'd for Bologna Every one was desirous to see Madam Mazarin the greatest things seldom answer the Ideas we conceive of them before-hand and generally fall in their value with us when acquainted with them but 't was otherwise with my Sister who exceeded at sight all that had been imagin'd of her and discover'd new Graces every day she was seen which was not so often as was wish'd by reason of the great pleasure she took at Millan in being alone appearing only to her own People and locking her self up in the Apartment we had provided for her where she kept her Bed for the most part that she might be cur'd the sooner of her hurt so that if she went sometimes abroad with us which was not ordinary yet she went very negligently drest though she appear'd beautiful as ever her hurt which was rare having added new Graces to her Person so that in a loose dress she look'd as charming as in the most exact and compleat the World could afford Some weeks after my Brother came to us and was ravished to see her but this mighty kindness was quickly broke off on the account of a Gentleman of my Sisters whom she gave a little too much encouragement it being usual with those of his Character to forget themselves and abuse the liberty allow'd them yet I reconcil'd them though but for a few days they falling out again upon a difference of which you shall have an account in its proper place I was then so weary of so long stay at Millan that I pray'd the Constables leave to go with my Brother and Sister to Venice The answer he made my humble request was he could not go so soon nor would go thither any more but that I might go without him I was so shock'd at the refusal and especially the manner of it when I saw him take pleasure in crossing me that I had left his House that very moment had not my resentment yielded and submitted to the arguments of the Marchioness his Sister against it The reason the Constable staid so long at Millan was only to attend the coming of the Marquess of Mortara the new Spanish Governour but finding his coming deferr'd longer than expected he resolved to be gone My Sister and Brother desir'd of him that I could not obtain not able to deny it them he gave his consent on condition we should not make any long stay at Venice knowing it a place I was most pleas'd with and pretending the cause of our short stay to be a promise he had made Cardinal Chigi to meet him at a hunting match at Sienna We quitted Millan with the satisfaction of having reconciled my Bother and Sister the second time my Brother promis'd to come to us before we left Sienna But having heard by the way the Cardinal was not there we went to Bologna to attend his coming The Constable here lodg'd in a House belonging to one of his Gentlemen to a-avoid the trouble of complements would have been expected from him had he lodg'd in a greater The short time we staid there the Marchioness de los Balbaces was very good company for us but though we were entertain'd in the Country with great and sumptuous Collations I was so troubled to see my Sister so sad that I took no delight in the Entertainments At last we went for Sienna upon the news we had of the Cardinals arrival there where I began to recover my good humour through the pleasant reception given us by his Eminence who feasted us for fifteen days wherein the pleasure of hunting contributed not a little to our divertisement my Sister being much taken with that exercise and doing often as mortal execution on the Game with her Hands as with her Eyes on the Gamesters Amidst all this joy I had the grief to see a new falling out between my Sister and Brother who came to us according to his promise and presently after this third broyl returned for Venice My Brother being gone we went to Marino an Estate of the Constables qualify'd with the Title of a Dukedom within twelve Leagues of Rome Having staid there till Allhallantide we went to Rome where my Sister continuing her way of living at Millan made our House a very Wilderness letting us see her very seldom avoiding our conversation and not receiving any visit Her retreat extremely troubled me and my Brother who in few days came to Rome where he had new cause of displeasure Every body look'd upon her retirement as an effect of the ill Counsels of a Gentleman of hers in whom she had great confidence and I was willing to use all my Endeavours to perswade her to other courses And mov'd with a just resentment to see all my care and pains made the subject of their raillery and laughter I told that Gentleman who was call'd
to Ballacas a place belonging to the King within a League of Madrid that he might give his Majestie notice I had taken care the Marquess de Camarasa should send me aâ—nother Coach under pretence of sending two of my maids thither to fit an Apartment for me in the house of Dona Cecilia de Vera who had given me the Choice of my Apartment there except that in the possession of the Prince de Monte Sarctno who was prisoner there on his Parol This Coach made no more hast than the other and I had time in staying for it to hear four masses Being come at last with a Gentleman in it who had been formerly recommended to me by the Constable we went together to the house I mentioned where we found only the Princes people who gave us their Apartment as the best and provided for us a sumptuous dinner About four in the afternoon the Nuncio arriv'd accompani'd by Don Fernando Having absolv'd me of the Excommunication I had incurr'd by coming out of the Covent without leave from him he gave me so good reasons that Don Fernando could do no less than present that memorial to the Councel of State and excus'd him so well for the Declarations and Remonstrances he had made against my liberty that he prevail'd with me to pardon him at his request I lay that night at Ballacas though without any Sleep having had no rest for a Rhume that troubled me occasion'd by the dampness of the Room and attended with a fever this induc'd me to return to Madrid to live in the house of Don Fernando Colonna In order to it I dispatch'd a Page to the Duke d' Ossuna intreating him to send me presently a Coach and six Mules Don Fernand coming into my chamber I acquainted him with my design and desir'd him not to oppose it which he was so far from doing that he writ to the Nuntio and having represented to him the poor Condition he found me in and that it was better I should be at Madrid to wait at his house His Majesties orders he intreated him to send me a Coach assoon as possible I was glad of this fearing the Duke of Ossuna being a Minister of state would have excus'd himself from sending any The Nuncio presently shew'd Don Bartholomew Legasa the Letter receiv'd from Don Fernand which having been shew'd to some of the Councel answer was sent me It was not thought fit my request should be granted the Nuncio was not discourag'd at the answer but having shew'd the same Letter to Don Jeronymo d' Egua he carried it to his Royal Highness and receiv'd order from him to tell the Nuncio he saw no inconvenience in granting what Don Fernando desir'd Upon this the Nuncio presently sent me a Coach with some wagons for my family having in vain expected the Duke of Ossuna's Coach who sent me word by the Page after eight hours waiting he would come in person to seeme This was in truth a great honour but it would have been a greater obligation had he sent me a Coach when I was under that impatience of returning for Madrid fearing I might be prevented by an order to prohibit my entrance there especially when I had receiv'd a Letter from his Highness wherein she told me I had mis-interpreted his Majesties order and that before my leaving the Covent several circumstances ought to have been adjudged as well for Choice of the place I should go to as for my being there in that splendor his Majesty thought decent and fit for my person But my fear was pretty well over when I consider'd this was not an order but advice and a gentle admonition let me see the error I committed While I continued under these troubles the Nuncio's Coach arriv'd I quickly went into it still fearing an order to stay where I was We were scarce got half way to Madrid when we met the Dukes of Ossuna Veraguas Uzedas with Father Ventimilla coming to see me follow'd by four Coaches and a great Trayn on horse-back I railed the first for his being so punctual he answer'd I had no cause to complain of him who instead of sending a Coach was come himself and for one Coach brought me four which were all at my Service if Don Fernand would be my convoy We travell'd together to the gates of Madrid where we parted I met the Nuncio walking afoot He came very civilly to my Coach and gave me some advice for my conduct which I observ'd to very good purpose This accidental conference being over I went to the house of Don Fernando Colona where I am yet expecting every day how his Majestie will dispose of me of which I am hitherto altogether ignorant though I have reason to believe his Majesties Justice and Clemency and the great prudence of his Royal Highness will put an end to my Troubles and permit me to enjoy that repose and tranquillity I have so much need oâ— and earnestly long for FINIS A Catalogue of some BOOKS Printed for J. Magnes and R. Bentley Folio LOrd Bacon's Natural History in Ten Centuries Whereunto is newly added The History Natural and Experimental of Life and Death or of the Prolongation of Life The History of Lapland wherein is shewed the Original Manners Habits Marriages Conjurations of that People Fodinae Regales or The History of the Laws and Places of the chief Mines and Mineral Works in England Wales and the English Pale in Ireland as also of the Mint and Money With a Clavis explaining some difficult Words relating to Mines