and he engag'd to procure him a hundred thousand Crowns provided he brought over with him some of those Troops which were at his Command Hocquincourt joyn'd with the Proposal and told the Gentleman that if the Prince of Conde had Money enough to purchase them there was the Count de Grandpre and two or three German Collonels more at his Service And indeed they all gave him their words but the Prince had not a Fund sufficient to do it and so the business dropt which if it had taken effect would have been of the last consequence to the Party The Prince of Conde after so glorious an Action was resolv'd to take a turn to Paris where he was receiv'd with an universal applause But the Ladies were those that exprest the most esteem for him some of them being so forward as to wish they might prove whether he could acquit himself as well in an Amorous Engagement as he had done in the late Battel Madaâ—â— Pie Sister to Concressaut whom I have mention'd was one of these longing Ladies She writ to him to tell him that she had some affairs with him of that importance that she durst not confide 'em to any but begg'd that he would give himself the trouble to let her see him and he should then judge if they were not of consequence The Letter was writ in terms too pressing to admit of any excuse so he waited on her when instead of some mighty matter in relation to the State which he expected she made him a Confession of her weakness but begg'd him to make use of it like a Gentleman and a Man of Honor. The good Prince was toucht with comâ—assion and prepar'd instantly to give her the most sensible proof of it but being at that time in her Closet where unfortunately there was no Bed he was put to his thifts yet by taking the Cushions and placing them one upon another he did his best to obâ—ige her I came to Paris the very same day of this Adventure and having a Letter for him from the D. de Beaufort I found him at his own House the Hostel de Conde he would needs make me stay Supper and while we were at Table who should come in but Concressaut He told Concressaut what a rare Adventure he had had that a certain very fine Lady tho something of the tallest and biggest size had sent that morning to desire to speak with him that waiting on her accordingly he past thro Apartments very stately furnish'd to her Closet which was very rich and magnificent and hung all round with Looking-glasses that the Lady refus'd him nothing and that in short he was extreamly well pleas'd with the Adventure but for one thing Concressaut askt him what that could be He said it was because he had found all the parts of that Lady's body to bear an exact proportion with her Shapes and by that bid him guess if he could who it was There needed no more to make Concressaut jealous of the truth nor indeed he did not stick to say he believ'd it was his Sister but was the first of the Company that fell a laughing and so prevented the raillery of the rest who were prepar'd to fall on him For all that the Prince for fear we should not believe it and to put it out of all manner of doubt drew the Letter out of his Pocket and shew'd it to every one that had had the curiosity to see it The Prince of Conde was then in the Vigor of his Youth and had a great many little fellows about him that were call'd Masters These were most of them lewd and debauch'd and led him into abundance of Extravagancies which not only ruin'd his Health but his Affairs For some time after this that the Duke of Lorrain had enter'd France and that the Viscount de Turenne was inclos'd between his Troops those of the Princes and those of the Duke of Wittenberg the Court Party being in that distress that they knew not which way to turn themselves if their Army was routed at that juncture I say the Prince of Conde was retain'd at Paris by a distemper which it is not decency to mention but which had nothing of a Fever in it but the name by which means he lost his Advantage and could not discover the Intelligence which was held between the Court and the Duke of Lorrain for that Duke having receiv'd a considerable Sum of Money on that account suffer'd the Viscount de Turenne to retire to Melun which had been impossible for him to do if the Prince of Conde had been with his Army Tho the War seem'd to be carry'd on by both Parties with great vigour yet there were several Treaties set on foot and manag'd under-hand I was twice or thrice at St. Germains upon such an account from the Duke of Beaufort whom Mazarin had offer'd to make Admiral of France and to pay him down two hundred thousand Crowns if he wou'd leave the Princes party and bring over with him the Duke of Orleans on whom it was known that he had a great Influence My Fortune was to be made effectually too and I was to have a Company in the Guards for my pains in this affair the Duke was willing enough to accept of the proposals and was not wanting in his endeavours on his part but all our measures were broke by the means of Madomoiselle de Mompensier who being stark mad to be marry'd the Prince of Conde had amus'd with the hopes of having his Son the Duke d' Enguien The Army lying just at the Gates of Paris we were every day in the City and there I met with my Sister who to avoid the effects of the publick disturbances had left her Convent and was come to Paris I was surpriz'd to see she had quitted the Religious Habit but was much more so to understand that she was return'd to her Husband She it seems had met with him when she least of all expected it and as true Love is encreas'd by absence he no sooner saw her but was tempted to forget the Obligation he lay under by the holy Orders he had too rashly taken nor was she behind hand with him but laid aside all her thoughts of Devotion What happen'd on this was something extraordinary She who in five or six years that they had liv'd together before had never been with Child was become in a few months as big as she could tumble I exprest my surprize at these proceedings but all the satisfaction I could get from her was this that she was bound to obey her Husband and being join'd together by the Holy Sacrament of Marriage were to be separated by nothing but Death To relate this Affair which made a great noise in Paris without breaking off the thread of my discourse I must tell you that my Sister was brought to bed of a Son in her due time and that they liv'd together three or four years after at the
Bois de Boulogue as I was returning from Versailles with my two Brothers that se defendendo I was oblig'd to draw as well as those that were with me and that nevertheless I had first endeavour'd to tell him the regard he ought to have had to the Kings Edicts and the danger of disobeying in such cases as this and being fill'd with a great deal of such stuff and having so much care taken of me without my help my justification was both short and easy I was still ignorant to whom I ow'd this obligation and tho I sometimes fancy'd it must be the Cardinal yet I could not think so long when I reflected that a man who had so much kindness for me should let me lye so long neglected in my misfortunes and would rather have told me how it was than send me a bare message not to fear Being however got out of Prison I went to throw my self at his Eminence's feet whom I told I would deal more sincerely with than I had done with the Parliament that I would honestly confess to him that I had broken the Kings Order but if I had been to be a Vagabond twice as long as I had been or to have lost my head upon a Scaffold I could never bear to hear him abus'd Have a care who hears you said he taking me up 't is I that have brought you out of this business tho no body knows of it and whereas I did send indeed for the Procurator General to make your Process it was only with design to save you if I did not inform you as much continu'd he 't was because I make no man Master of my secrets Bouteville and de Chappelle were executed but t'other day for the same thing and what would they have said of me said he if I had sav'd one of my own Servants when I but just before had taken off a Relation of one of the first Princes of the blood and two Gentlemen allied to the chief Families in France So obliging a discourse as this made me throw my self again at his feet and embracing his knees My Lord said I when shall I be so happy as to dye for so good a Master I must have liberty to sight against all that declare themselves his Enemies He was extreamly pleas'd to see me so zealous and he took so much delight in hearing me express my self in this manner that he thought not of raising me from his foot What he had told me of Bouteville and de Chappelle was very true but he did not tell me how he gratify'd his private grudge in executing the rigour of the Law upon them Bouteville being Father to the present Mareschal de Luxemburgh was Cousin to the Prince of Conde as he told me but to speak strictly to the Princess his Wife but that honour was sold him very dear You must know that the Duke D' Enguien eldest Son to the Prince of Conde having marry'd Madamoiselle de Bresse the Cardinal's Niece and his Father having been forc't against his Will to consent to that Match purely to save his life or at least his liberty his Son who knew how he was impos'd upon lookt upon his Marriage as a mark of his bondage to the Cardinals tyranny and from thence despising both the Relation and the Wife he reproacht her daily with a thousand reflections and not altogether without cause her Birth was considerable and she came of a very Ancient Family but the Duke D' Enguien having employ'd a man verst in Heraldry to search out the Original of her Family and he after turning it from side to side made his report whether 't was true or no that the House de Maille of which she was descended came by Basterdy from an Archbishop of Tours this was enough for that Duke not only to insult his Wife but also to be very sharp in reproaching the Cardinal and nothing being done but he had his Emissaries to inform him of it he was so mov'd at this that he only waited for an opportunity to show his resentment and 't was not long before had one Bouteville who happen'd to fight a Duel not only against the Kings Edict but against a particular order to himself was so closely pursued that he was apprehended before he could reach into Lorrain the Count de Chappelle his Cousin who was his Second and sled along with him was also taken and it being to do a despight to the House of Conde the Cardinal caus'd them to be executed by the Hands of the Common Hangman under pretence of Justice but indeed to satisfy his private revenge After I was thus restor'd into favour the Cardinal who lov'd me more than ever made me several gratifications and askt me If I had ne'r another Brother to prefer I told him I had two one to whom I had given the last Abbey which his Eminence was pleas'd to bestow on me but that for the other I did not desire to concern my self for him for having the misfortune to be accus'd of the death of three others I was unwilling to expose my self to the like reproach I told him however I had a Sister that past in the world for something handsome and intended to marry her to one of my Friends a Gentleman of Brettany and that I only waited for my Father and Mother-in-law's answer He hearkned to all this with a singular goodness and a Benefice falling near us which was in his Gift he gave it me without asking and I presented it as freely to my Brother who was already in Orders which open'd the mouth of my Mother-in-law afresh who complain'd now that one must have all and t'other none and that I ought rather to have given it to him that had nothing I e'n let her say what she wou'd and only waited for an answer to the business about my Sister which it was three months before they wou'd vouchsafe to grant me at last my Father having a suit at Law that brought him to Paris and being glad to make use of some friends of mine to sollicit for him he sent me a Note where I might find him I went to him immediately and after paying him my respects I askt him how it came about that I had not heard from him all this while 'T is long of your Mother answer'd he very ingenuously who believes you have a design to deceive us But Sir said I what do you believe of it In troth said he with the same freedom I know not what to think of it for when the Debate lyes between a Wife that a Man loves and a Son who has oblig'd him one has a difficult task to decide it You have no Obligation at all Sir to me said I but methinks you ought at least to do me a little more Justice I did not care to urge it any farther out of respect to him His Cause was against Monsieur de la Vieuville a Man from whom we have seen a
The Chevalier was a very lewd person and little better than his Brother who we have known to be a notorious Debauchee and had like him the guilt of very many and great Crimes upon him which now reflecting on a little seriously he thought this a judgment on him for his wicked courses and as Mariners in distress make vows for their deliverance so he made solemn promises to reform if ever he got out of this unhappy business but he soon forgot them all when God had heard his Prayers and instead of reclaiming grew more vicious than before till he wasted his Estate and left himself not a bit of bread and then put himself into a Monastery that he might not starve for want But this life not agreeing with his inclination he quitted his Cassock and little Band and took another turn abroad when having try'd his Fortune all the ways he could think of he turn'd Ecclesiastick a second time more to avoid Humane Justice which he was in danger of than Divine and taking Orders is now a Curate in Normandy where he behaves himself no better than he did at Paris But to return to my own case The Cardinal being sollicited every day to make an example of some body or other for the terror of those that practic'd this way of robbing in the Streets which indeed was absolutely necessary to stop the insolences constantly committed in the Street so that 't was not safe going abroad in the Night he commanded the Lieutenant Criminel to bring him the informations and having seen ours in the manner the Judge had been pleas'd to draw it he order'd them to proceed against us This Order was too publick not to be known at Court and the Chevalier de Rieux being related to almost all the People of Quality he made no question but they would intercede for him for fear of suffering a blot upon the Family which they did and applying to the Lieutenant Criminel he told them he should be very glad to serve them provided it might be done without my receiving part in the favour that our Crimes were the same but if they who we had said were with us would submit to be examin'd which had not yet been done because of their Quality and would testify that 't was I that prompted them not only to go on the Pont Neuf but also to do all those ill things we were accus'd of These were the conditions and such did these Gentlemen accept of and having propos'd it to the others they found them very willing so they purchas'd their own liberty with my ruine and I was charg'd with a thousand things that I never so much as dreamt of so I was as it were a Victim deliver'd up to the malice of the Lieutenant Criminel and had doubtless been sacrific'd had not God sent me deliverance by a way which I least expected There came one day into my Dâ—ngeon one of the Keepers Wives with her Husband and this woman mov'd with my distresses lookt on me as I could easily discern with a more compassionate Eye than usual she durst not however speak a word to me while her Husband was by but coming again a second time she took an opportunity to show me that she had a Letter for me which I should take so as her Husband might not perceive it but this was impossible to do this man kept his Eye so continually upon me which oblig'd the woman to make as if she was looking upon my Straw-bed and turning it up she threw the Letter directly into it where I found it when she was gone The Contents was that she perceiv'd the Lieutenant Criminel acted against me with a Passion more like an Accuser than a Judge which had mov'd her compassion that I was a lost Man if I did not get some person of very great Interest to stand up for me that she would endeavour to bring me a Pen Ink and Paper that I might write to my Friends and she would take care to convey it for me This was very seasonable for me my Persecutor being ready to confront me with his Witnesses and waiting immediately upon that to give Sentence upon me which would also have soon been confirm'd by the Parliament Besides they had made new informations and whereas in the former the Officers depos'd that they found me upon the Brazen Horse they deposed now that they took me in the fact Robbing on the Pont Neuf and catcht me as I was endeavouring to make my escape The Keepers Wife was as good as her word and made use of the same device to convey me the Pen and Ink she had promis'd me as she had to leave me the Letter so that having wherewith to do it I wrote two Letters one to Cardinal Mazarin the other to Mousieur de Marillac Son to him that was Keeper of the Seal I directed both of them to him and the Keepers Wife having deliver'd them to him he told her he wonder'd what I meant that while I was in favour his Family whatever occasion they had of me never heard from me but as soon as I was in Affliction I had recourse to them however he would not fail to do me all the service he could and would have done it before if he had known my necessity This being reported to me by the honest woman I confest in my mind it was an answer very true and very generous for I had given him no cause to have any thoughts of me to my advantage for they knew nothing how earnest I was with Cardinal Richlieâ— to be excus'd in the case of the Mareschal his Uncle on the contrary they very well remembred that 't was I that carry'd the Order to have him apprehended for all which he delay'd not a moment but that very day presented a Petition in my name to the Parliament by which he declar'd that the Lieutenant Criminel was my mortal Enemy for the reasons I have already given and as I had instructed him in my Letter acted against me with so much private spleen that he had suppress'd the first Information to make new ones and not only so but had himself suborn'd Witnesses against me and the Chevalier de Rieux among the rest and that he had supprest my Petition to recriminate upon him not letting it be brought before them that would have done me Justice and that without a kind of miracle I had never had opportunity to present this Petition and in short that I was so innocent of the Crimes laid to my charge that tho I was indeed in such Company as forc'â— me against my Inclination to go yet I was separated from them and not at all concern'd in what they did The Credit of Monsieur de Marillac who had a great many Relations and Acquaintance in the Parliament join'd with the justice of my cause procur'd a speedy grant of my Petition and the Lieutenant Criminel was forbid to proceed any further in my process and the
the truth of his misfortune her ingratitude so overcame him that he kept his Bed upon it His Friends who knew the particulars accus'd him of folly in being concern'd for so perfidious a creature but being uncapable of impression by all their reasons he left them an example that 't is not impossible for a true Lover to break his heart for indeed he languish'd about three weeks and then died exclaiming on the Ingratitude of Madamoiselle de la Valliere to the last charging one of his Fâ—iends just as he was expiring to tell her that she was the only cause of his Death Monsieur Colbert engag'd in all the interests of Madamoiselle de la Valliere from the first moment that he found she had an influence upon the King and this gave him the advantage of all pretenders to the Kings favour In the mean time I who had liv'd all my days among the Grandees found my self now as it were alone and forgotten of all the world and if it had not been for my little Income I have so often mention'd I should have been in but an ordinary condition My Father was yet living and tho he was very easy on account of his family most of them being provided for by the good Offices I had done them yet I could never have the benefit of the least supply from him on the contrary if a Glass of Water would have sav'd my life I verily believe he would have suffer'd me to perish for want of that relief This was a sensible grief to me when I reflected on it but as it pleas'd God I was not quite reduc'd I bore it with the more patience especially when I consider'd that it was not from any fault of mine At last about the latter end of the year 1663. I receiv'd a Letter from his Curate to come down with all speed if I had any desire to see him before he dy'd I had no business to hinder me so I took Post immediately and in six hours time I was at his House he was surpriz'd to see me and imagin'd presently that I had been privately sent for but however he made as if he was glad to see me and told me I had prevented him for his design was to have sent for me that he being weak and his great age making it improbable that he should recover he was willing to settle his affairs and as there was nothing he desir'd to prevent more than Law Suits among Relations he did not suppose I would refuse considering the condition in which I saw him to agree matters now with his Wife and my Brothers and he pretended to oblige me in doing it For this purpose he â—old me he intended his Estate should be equally divided his Wife coming in for a part besides her Joynture that this was for my advantage for she had brought a great fortune to him and which his Estate was engag'd for so that if she should come to demand it as is customary in like cases she would carry away above half the Estate I made no answer at all to a Proposal so unjust he having no regard in that discourse to the Joynture of my own Mother which was my Birthright and which he ought to have reserv'd for me when he marry'd again He took my silence in this case for an assent to his Proposal and without pressing me to any reply sent away for a Notary I suffer'd all this without giving him the trouble of any contradiction in respect to his indisposition but when I saw the Notary was come and he began to dictate these things to him I beg'd him to defer it till I should take some advice about it that I desir'd him to remember that I was his Son as well as the rest that they had always enjoy'd the priviledges of his house which I had been depriv'd of That his eldest Son by this second Wife was already provided with two good Benefices so that he might not only very well bate his Legacy but was in a good condition to assist his younger Brother that I had dispos'd of his Daughter who was rich enough also to have no need of it that I did not say this with any thought of depriving her of the Inheritance nor to take that from them which Nature had given them a right to but that he ought to consider me upon the same account that I would consent if he pleas'd that he should give my Mother-in-law a Pension as large as he thought fit which I was ready to conâ—irm and also another to my youngest Brother that so if his Brother should not be kind to him he might have wherewithal to subsist but for the rest he must permit me to advise upon it as I had said before There was nothing could be more fair than my Proposal and indeed it was a meer impoverishing my self to enrich others But my Father was so bewitcht to my Mother-in-law and her Children that he would certainly have got up and struck me if he had been able to lift himself up in the Bed he told me that now he saw all that had been said to him of me confirm'd that I was an unnatural Dog and one that would shorten his days by my Disobedience that he had made me a Proposal too much to my advantage but that I would deprive my self of it purely in malice to disturb the Family that he did not wonder I had so many broils with my Masters who were better acquainted with my humours than him that another in my place would have made his fortune but that God had dealt with me as I had deseâ—v'd that I should get out of his sight that he might not be discompos'd at his departing out of the world that if I continu'd in that resolution he would leave me his hearty Curse and that I should consider of it whether I was willing he should dye in that opinion I must confess to you I wisht my self a thousand miles off when I heard him talk at this rate I endeavour'd to pacify him by the most profound Submissions and labouring to make him sensible that what I demanded was nothing but justice I told him once more that if he did not please to let things go in the ordinary way of Justice for fear they should be too much to the prejudice of my Mother-in-law I was willing they should have the Estate who wanted that I had as much occasion of it as any of them especially since there was a talk of suppressing the Bank of Lyon or at least of retrenchments upon the particular rents of it that my Brother the Abbot was like to be richer than all of us together from whom I had reason to expect nothing since tho he ow'd all his fortunes to my procurement he never offer'd me a farthing when he saw me in so much necessity My Passion perhaps might make me think this the most reasonable discourse in the world I thought so indeed but my
the Army I did not do this to make people believe great things of me but 't was my delight and I always chose rather to please all the world if 't was possible than to give offence to any and I know but one man in the whole Army that complain'd of me and I leave the world to judge whither that was my fault or no. In the Regiment of Horse de Harcourt there was a Gentleman of Vexin call'd Bellebuine whose Father having been one of my acquaintance a Captain in the Guards I thought my self oblig'd now and then to give his Son a hint of my observations of his conduct and I had told him of several things which I thought were not very much for his reputation indeed he was very debaucht and tho he had a very honest Woman to his Wife yet he run away from her and follow'd a Gang of nasty common Whores This could not but produce ill effects on him and all that I had foretold him came to pass he was lookt upon in the Regiment as one who 't was scandalous to be seen with and besides he had done two or three very dishonourable actions and to compleat all he brought the fould disease with him from Paris and whether he wanted Courage or was unable to serve on these accounts I know not but he came to me one day and desir'd me to ask leave of Monsieur de Turenne for him to go somewhere to be cur'd We had then the Enemies Army just at our Trenches and thnking it was not a proper time for any Man to leave the Army I gave him my opinion that Mr. de Turenne would not grant it him he would not take my word for it but seeing I refus'd to speak for him he went to Monsieur de Turenne and askt him himself but he told him the very same thing as I had said which not satisfying him he went away without leave In short I had good reason for what I said for the Armies engag'd in a day or two after and had he staid till then I should have made no difficulty to have spoke to Monsieur de Turenne for him and Monsieur de Turenne who was very civil to him told him if he would have patience two or three days he should go but going his own way to work he was cashier'd as he well deserv'd God knows I never accus'd him to Mr. de Turenne but said all I could in his favour when they told him of it nevertheless he took all the disgrace that was done him to be my doing and they wrote to me from Paris that he threatned me strangely I made a trifle of it and indeed I knew him too well to be afraid of him but I was soon taught that the bravest Men are not always the most dangerous Enemies but on the other hand a Man has nothing to secure himself against Malice and Treachery In short I was no sooner come back from â—â—e Campagne but one night as I was going along the Fauxbourg St. Germaine very late three Men set upon me with naked Swords in their hands and I knew him to be at the head of them I was not so much surpriz'd but that I had time to ask him in cold blood if it was possible for a Gentleman to be concern'd in such a piece of Villany I confess he had been in a great many ill actions as I have before observ'd and now having reduc'd himself to the last extremity he had listed in the Gens d' Arms where tho I do not say but there may be some honest Gentlemen yet I shall not fear to say also there are others who will stick at no manner of crime here it was that he furnish'd himself for all sort of Villany and I believe 't was by concert with these people he that undertook an action so horrid I was in the more danger from these Rogues because 't was very late and I could hope for no help from the Watch for they were gone it being near day But I had not so much work with them as I expected and taking care to set my back against a Shop that they might not come behind me I stood upon my Defence I have wondred a thousand times reflecting on the passage how it came to pass since they had Villany enough to contrive such an action that they had not arm'd themselves in another manner but so it pleas'd God to order it I kept them off in that fashion with the point of my Sword till at last a Coach was heard which was the Duke Lesdiguieres assoon as ever the Villains saw the Flambeaus they fled and the Duke who was in his Coach knowing me by the light made his Coach stop and askt me what was the matter I would not tell him the name of him I had so much reason to have expos'd out of my respect to his Relations who were very honest people I only told him I had been attacqu'd by three fellows I knew not who and if his Grace had not come by in the minute I did not know how it might have far'd with me He stept out of his Coach immediately for fear of a surprize and we walkt along together two or three whole streets but could see no body But this was a day of strange adventures coming to a new House which was not above half finisht we heard a grievous groaning which was like a Woman's Voice Mr. de Lesdiguieres order'd his Footmen to go into the House and see what was the matter and we follow'd them but I was strangely surpriz'd when I saw what it was 'T was a Young Woman extraordinarily well drest and to appearance of some Quality with a Masque on her Face she was fallen in Labour in that place and without any manner of help but a sort of a Girl that was not like to be capable of doing her any service I was extremely mov'd at her circumstance and said something to her to make her sensible of it but Mr. de Lesdiguieres who was a hard-hearted Man fell a laughing at her and was a going to make her pull her Masque off and if it had not been for me I believe he would have done it for he said a great many hard things to her which I did not approve of I had a great deal of difficulty to get him away but having at last perswaded him I did her a great kindness for I saw she had almost stifled herself with her Mask for fear of being known and if she had been to keep it on much longer there had been no saving her I had the Curiosity the next day to go and inqure about her making all the description I could of her Dress and Shape and the like I got so much information that I understood 't was a Councellors Daughter that past for a young Saint However tho she was of no mean Family yet the Child was expos'd to the Parish and the Commissary was
time the King taking no notice of any thing sent the Bishop of Condom who was the Dauphins Tutor to compliment her in the name of the Bridegroom but withal to observe if she was so reserv'd as she was said to be for there was some who had reported that she was a Princess not at all of a humour agreeable to the Genius of the French Nation who are the most pleasant and obliging people in the world and desirous above all things that the persons who they are oblig'd to obey should agree with them in humour and disposition He had orders also in case he found it so as was reported to insinuate gently in his discourse to her that the manners of the French were quite different from those of the Germans so if it were possible to move her to comply with the French air as much as she could that she might not only oblige the King and her Husband but also the whole Nation among whom she had already a very good character by what they had heard of her as a Princess of the greatest Wit and Gallantry in Europe but he brought the King word that she needed none of those instructions for excepting that she lov'd sometimes to be private there was nothing more civil or obliging in the world The King himself also when he came two leagues from Chalons had the first rencounter with her to his infinite satisfaction Assoon as the King appear'd and before he could come to salute her she lighted out of her Coach which when the King perceiv'd and that she was coming towards him he also alighted follow'd by the Dauphin at a convenient distance as it had without doubt been all appointed before by the King who gave orders in all such cases himself After the King had spoke a few words to the Princess who kneel'd at his feet he presented the Dauphin to her and after that all the persons of Quality of his Train This first Enterview was in the open field which being not a place to sâ—ay lâ—ng in they quickly return'd to the Coaches The King put the Dauphiness into his own Coach and placâ—d himself by her The Dauphin to be near her plac'd himself in the Boot of the Coach Being arriv'd at Chalons the Ceremonies of the Marriage were solemnized In the mean time the King had placâ—d the Dutchess of Richeâ—ieu with the young Lady and had taken her from the Queen whom she waited upon before knowing her to be the most capable person in the Kingdom It was thought strange tho that being Lady of Honour to the Queen she could be in no higher quality to the Dauphiness which seem'd rather to degrade than advance her But she who was a Lady of great Wit did not take it so for she lookt more upon the confidence the King plac'd in her than the Title and in endeavouring to please her new Mistress and in obliging also the King himself she let us know that Discretion makes all things easy to persons who understand themselves The King made no stay at Chalons the Queen waiting for them at Villers Cotterets and every hour was a year to her till she saw the Lady who was to be her Sons Wife and the King also being willing enough to gratify her in so just a desire lost no time any where till he came thither where they had prepar'd all manner of diversions to entertain them with Balls Musick Comedies and every thing they could devise and tho it was in Lent yet 't was thought no time could dispence them from demonstrating that joy which every body was toucht with to see the Heir of so mighty a Kingdom wedded to a Princess of so great merit They stay'd here fifteen days after which the King went for Paris I cannot forbear here to give an account of my own folly for I cannot give a better name to that strong fancy I had to be always following the Court I staid at Villers Cotterets all the while the King was there tho with so little accommodation that I was fain to lye upon Straw Indeed the place not being able to lodge the tenth part of the company some were fain to go 2 or 3 leagues every night for a Lodging others encampt in the Fields For my part I was so crippled with my hard Lodging that when I came to get a Horseback I found my self very uneasy One of those who had danc'd at the Ball seeing me in such a case told me that if I would lend him my Horse he would give me his place in the Coach I took him at his word for nothing could have pleas'd me better But being got into the company of all the great Dancers of the Town there was a parcel of discourse which was so far from diverting me that I was more uneasy there than I should have been upon my Horse and the weather too prov'd so bad that we could take but very short Stages and at last to make up all the Coach overturn'd and in so dirty a place that it was half a day before we could get out for we were forc'd for help to go to the neighbouring Villages all this while I storm'd and call'd my self a hundred fools for running my self into this needless trouble We had set out something before the rest that we might be at S. Germain as soon as the King but now we were like to be left a long way behind When the King past by us in that condition he sent to see who we were that were in such a pickle and when he was told it was the Dancers he laught heartily and said He had rather it were they than any others for they had the best Legs but he doubted they would find it hard to dance handsomely upon such a Stage as that This was told us by a Gentleman of the Wardrobe who had a relation among us and tho it is the custom to admire every thing the King says we dispenc'd with doing it now being too dull at our misfortune to laugh at any thing at last after a great deal of patience we got out of that ugly place and were forc'd to get six fresh Horses for the Coach We were all French-men and so naturally apt to forget our past mischances we thought of them no more after we once got to Senlis we talkt of nothing there but making good cheer and our Gentlemen finding the Wine very good drank as much as inclin'd them all to go to sleep The next day we reacht our Journeys end and when I came home found a man at my Lodgings that stay'd for me with whom I once took a longer Journey than this tho not so unpleasant 'T was while I was with the Cardinal de Richelieu He had sent me into Languedoc to carry some dispatches to the Duke de Montmorenci Governour of that Province and as I was riding post back again I met with such a bad Horse a little beyonâ— Peage in Dauphine that I think
end of which my Brother in-law dy'd My Sister going to enter on the Estate which was very considerable met with opposition from his Relations who us'd this as a pretence that her Son was Illegitimate Upon which a great Law Suit was commenc'd which the pretended Heirs had a mind to carry to be try'd in Bretagne because some part of the Estate lay there but they having caus'd the Goods which were at Paris to be seiz'd and the Contract of Marriage being made there these two things brought them within the Jurisdiction of the Justice of the place besides that it solely belongs to the Parliament of Paris to take cognizance of all things relating to the Validity of Marriages The pretended Heirs being now oblig'd to come to a Trial here committed their Cause to one of the ablest Councel to manage and he in his Plea forgot nothing that the most artificial Rhetorick could urge when it intends most to perswade He exaggerated what a Reflection it would be on Religion to tolerate such an abuse as this which was the very way to authorize what the Hugonots maintain that 't is lawful for a Priest to marry that not only the Child ought to be declar'd illegitimate but the Mother ought to be punisht for so black a crime so hâ—rrid a Sacrilege That nothing had forc'd the marry'd Couple to a Separation but when once they had done so to devote themselves to God it was a Vow of that nature from which none but the Pope himself could dispence 'em That the present Case was still different here was a Man who had not simply promis'd to devote himself to God but one who was consecrated by all that is most Holy in Religion In a word a Priest one who had a thousand times offer'd the Sacrifice by which we all hope for Salvation One who had receiv'd an infinite Number of Souls to the Sacrament of Pennance had given the Communion and in short who had done all that so sublime and sacred a Character could intitle him to do That it ought to be consider'd what would be the consequences of allowing such a Sacrilege how many Confessions and how many Sacraments would be render'd ineffectual and consequently how many Souls eternally damn'd 'T would be too tedious to recite all his Plea at length in which he was not sparing of Invectives against my Sister who being present could not hear them without an extreme Confusion At last her Councel began to speak upon which every one was silent and he said That he could not but admire an Action should be represented so foul and criminal which was only a Slip of Weakness or Humane Frailty That he did not conceive the fault lay so much in his Clients living with her Husband after a Separation of 5 or 6 years as in the suffering him in a foolish fit of zeal to turn Priest That God had expresly forbid to separate those who were thus join'd how then could they suffer one who had sworn Fidelity to his Wise to violate an Oath he had taken in the Face of the Church and Marriage being a Sacrament the other Sacrament which was subsequent could not dissolve the first That the Child had nothing to do with the Indiscretions of his Father that his Legitimacy was confirm'd by his Fathers Contract with his Mother and by the Marriage Benediction he receiv'd In short if the Parliament as they had often in uncertain Cases adjudg'd the just Intention of a Marriage sufficient to legitimate the Children how much more reason had he to hope for the same Justice in a Cause where the Honour of the Mother was so far from being call'd in question that it was never so much as suspected The Judges were a long time in suspence during which 't is no hard matter to imagine mine and my Sisters Fears I was but just come in as the last man had done his Plea The People that stood by but did not know me told me the substance of the other Councels Plea and some of them were so prejudic'd by his reasons as to tell us our Destiny but we were happy that they were not our Judges They were mistaken in their opinion as it prov'd for we unanimously carry'd our Cause and our Adversaries were condemn'd to all the Costs Charges of the Suit This Affair however was the occasion that some time after Monsieur de Villemontee being nominated to the Bishoprick of St. Malo was refus'd his Bulls because he was parted from his Wife but on another account than that of my Brother The truth of which was he had discover'd some Intrigues of hers when he was Intendant of Justice and Master of the Requests and that with the disappointment put him so out of conceit with the World that after he had made her retire to a Convent he gave himself wholly up to Devotion This business of my Sister 's having caus'd me to make some digression 't will be convenient now to return and resume my discourse of those matters I was upon before The Prince of Conde having broken off the Treaty I mention'd formerly purely by his own fault was resolv'd to push things to the extremity rather than not compass what he drove at The other Princes were no less forward and met every day at Luxemburg to consult how they might oblige the Queen to relinquish the Cardinal and to give them a larger shâ—â—e in the government of affairs which was the cause of all their discontent In the meâ—n time the Dukes of Beaufort and Nemours were several times ready to quarrel about precedency which the Duke of Orleans and Prince of Conde being willing to prevent aâ—judg'd the first place to him who came first to the Council The Duke of Beaufort complain'd of this regulation the Bastards of France having this Previledge in the Kingdom to take place of all Foreign Princes but he was answer'd that it could not be recall'd and all his redress would be now to constrain himself a little to come something the sooner And he did not fail to do so insomuch that 't was taken notice of and said that he stood Centinel there every day to watch till the door should be open'd At length after they had fully resolv'd the ruine of the Cardinal and the means to accomplish it the Prince of Conde left Paris to go to the assistance of his Troâ—ps which were in no small apprehensions of those of the King exceeding them much in number His Presence with some other precautions he us'd made the Count de Miâ—ssens who was advanc'd on the side of St. Cloud to retire but not content with that he turn'd his Forces against St Denis in which there was a Royal Garrison The place being of no strength was easily carry'd and for the same reason could not be kept for any time The Prince who had experienc'd what kind of Souldiers the Parisians were when he had to do with them near Charenâ—on found them not more