to expose himself rather to all sorts of Perils than thus to be an Implement to his Intentions that if they believ'd him they wou'd treat with the Enemies about the Surrender of the Place that the King cou'd not take it ill of them since this was not done 'till after having defended the Walls in all Points as far as their Honour and the Duty of their Commands could require that on the contrary he would have reason to complain of them if to satisfy a Desperate Person they expos'd their Souldiers beyond what Reason and the Laws of War prescrib'd them Bois jourdan's Discourse was listen'd to with the more Delight out of the hatred that each one bore the Mareschal de Crequi who as he had very well urg'd had ever been very Course in his Behaviour to his Officers Thus All having approv'd what he had said he was authoriz'd to treat with the Enemies The Mareschal de Crequi having had the Wind of so extraordinary a Transaction could not believe it if Boisjourdan did not assure him of it himself and knowing him to be upon the Rempart he repair'd thither with Motions of Anger which nevertheless he endeavour'd to dissemble But Boisjourdan joyning Impudence to Treason made him quickly burst out from the Constraint he was under by his Insolent discourse to him Then the Mareschal de Crequi being no longer able to curb himself laid his hand to his Sword and oblig'd him to leap into the Ditch Boisjourdan went to inform the Enemies that it was time to render themselves Masters of the Town but tho' they made use of his Advertisement they let him see the Esteem People have for Traytors for they would not give him a Retreat This oblig'd him to endeavour to make his Escape but being known at Metz he was secur'd and afterwards Beheaded too mild a Punishment for such a piece of Treason as his In the Interim Trier was taken half willingly half by force and the Marschal de Crequi having refus'd to sign the Capitulation that had been agreed on by Boisjourdan was made Prisoner of War The Enemies kept but ill the Conditions they had granted for as there had been those that had turn'd their Arms against them at their Entrance into the Town they made use of that Pretext to content their Avarice and their Cruelty Several Soldiers were Stript severall Houses Plunder'd and severall Women ravish'd which made the French for reprizals severely treat some Towns they took But all this was not capable of Comforting them for the losses they had newly made and which wou'd have had great Consequences if the Duke of Lorrain had known how to improve the victory But having embroil'd himself with the heads of the Troups that had help'd him to win it he could not enter France as otherwise wou'd have been easy for him to have done for there was no longer any Army to defend the Frontier and the heart being inclin'd as it was to revolt he had put the State into a strange Combustion On the side of Catalonia matters went a little more happily the Count de Schomberg recover'd the Castle of Bellegarde and having thereby affranchiz'd Roussillon from the Servitude it was under he carry'd his Arms into La Cerdaigne a Province of small extent but sufficiently fertile We also gain'd some petty Advantages in Sicily where we took the City of Augusta However the King having had the Complaisance to send thither the Duke of Vivonne in the room of de Vallavoir who minded more his own Concerns than those of his Party he atchiev'd nothing considerable though he had forces sent him capable of putting Affairs into a better Condition The King after having Committed this fault Committed a Second in not recalling him for he knew very well that he had not sufficient Experience for an Enterprize of that Moment add to this that though he had had sufficient he lov'd his Pleasures too much to apply himself in due manner to Affairs but he was link'd to his Majesty by too Charming Considerations for him to inspect matters so narrowly he was Madame de Montespan's Brother who had taken Madame de la Valliere's place which this latter had laid so to heart that she had thrown her self into a Convent Nevertheless all these things wou'd not have much troubled the King but for the loss of the Viscount de Turenne who on the twenty seventh of July had been kill'd by a Canon shot This Prince was advanc'd at the head of his Victorious Troups against Montecuculi an old Captain that had made War for above these fifty years and who on the Account of his Age was Excus'd from serving the year afore These two Generals possessing almost an Equal Experience having put in practice all that War had most refin'd and crafty made appear in five or six weeks time that a Good General is not forc'd to fight but when he pleases for though they were still near one another not one of the two found the Occasion to attacque The Viscount de Turenne seeing these Difficulties was contriving to take Welstadt thereby to Cut off the Enemies Communication with Strasburg that in appearance remain'd in Neutrality but would have been very willing to break it in their favour Montecuculi having Suspected his Design caus'd Troups to file off thither but the Viscount de Turenne having taken his measures remote they got thither first All these Paces did not please the People of Strasburg whose Territory was equally a Prey to both Parties for which reason many wou'd have had them declare themselves Speedily But the wisest being of a Contrary Opinion remonstrated that though they suffer'd every year by the Neighbourbood of the two Armies it was notwithstanding more advantageous to them than to be Expos'd to those Inconveniences as to Espouse any Party that Both were Equally dangerous because that in endeavouring to shew themselves Independent they wou'd perhaps suddainly fall into servitude that after this they could not refuse the entrance of their Town to those on Whose side they should have declar'd themselves and who should assure them that either the One or Other would not Seize on it seeing themselves there the masters that good sense requir'd the never receiving into ones Walls any Body that cou'd be suspected that the Efforts Both sides made to Engage them on their Respective sides should sufficiently acquaint them what Importance their Town was of The Emperour and the King made them a thousand fair Promises to bring that about but the former nothwithstanding the advice of the Wisest advanc'd his Affairs much more then the latter all whose offers were Equally Suspected The Viscount de Turenne knowing the Disposition People were in at Strasbourgh sent thither to Threaten them which a little Curb'd their Spirits for they All making Reflexion that this great Man might still this Campagn have again the same Success he had had in the former dreaded least he might turn his Army against their Town In
from going his Discourse with the Cardinal was tart and eager and much more ready to quarrel with him than to give him any good words The Queen-Mother being justly incens'd that a man of la Riviere's Birth should so embroile affairs again that the Kingdom was ready to relapse into Disorder and Confusion propos'd to the Prince of Conde without whom her Majesty durst not venture upon any thing to have him taken into Custody But the Prince fearing lest this might the more exasperate the Duke of Orleans and as he was at that time far from the Resolutions which he since embrac'd he desir'd the Queen to take Milder Courses The Queen follow'd his Advice and things were Pacify'd more easily than expected for La Riviere having had the wind of what was propos'd against him fearing lest the Prince of Condé might suffer him to be Expos'd to that Princesses just Resentment was the first to Suggest to his Master the Renouncing of that Danger Yet tho' the times hereby seem'd to have retriev'd their Serenity yet was it not of any long Continuance The Parliament being made up of many Members who out of private Considerations hated the Cardinal they were not at quiet till they had rais'd new Combustions They had recourse to the Coadjutour whose haughty Spirit and full of Ambition was equally inflam'd with the Desire of wreaking his Revenge for the Contempt the Queen had had of him and to fiâ—â— the Cardinals Room However as he did not find his Shoulders strong enough all alone to accomplish so great a Design he tempted the Prince of Condé's fidelity and insinueted into his Highness such great hopes that he prevail'd with this Prince to promise him something However he did not keep his Word with him which so Vex'd the Coadjutour that without having regard to the Respect owing to his Birth he spoke of him in very ungratefull Terms and which being again told to this Prince gave the start to that strong Aversion which they since prosecuted against one another The Coadjutour no longer minding to husband him Phancying he might pester him so much the more by striking up an Union with the Prince of Conti his Brother out with him at that time upon the account of some Amours he sought to regain his Confidence and having but sped too well in that Design He had him declar'd Head of the Party of the Frondeurs a name giv'n to those that had Sworn the Cardinals Ruine In the mean while the Parliament still continued its meeting and the Princes of the Blood were there for the most past present by their Authority to divert the finister Resolution that Assembly wou'd otherwise have taken The Prince of Condé whose hatred to the Coadjutour Extended to all those who had any Affinity with him seeing that Viole one of the Boldest Frondeurs had bolted out something against the Cardinal interrupted him smartly and the Other nevertheless continuing his Invective he threatned him with his Hand This Action did not please the Company that pretended a Right to Command Pow'rs still above him But as they were fearfull all their resentment only appear'd in a surd Murmur which nevertheless went to his very heart And indeed whether that his Highness imagin'd he had lost it's Affection by what had happen'd or that he was Stimulated by the Mareschal de Grammont he undertook to humble it to that Degree as that it never more might be in a Condition to attribute so much Pow'r to it self Yet a Difficult matter was it for him to effect his Purposes for the Parisians infinite in number made its Cause their own and the Court had Sufficiently perceiv'd by what had happen'd that there was no imprifoning any of its Members with Impunity wherefore he took another Course which was to block up Paris hoping the Parisians would no sooner find Scarcity and Dearness in their Town but that they would attribute their Miseries to those they then stil'd their Protectors The Design was Great this Prince having but Seav'n or Eight thousand Men but his Passion showing him more things easy than they really were he prevail'd with the Duke of Orleans to Strike in with this Resolution by the means of the Abbot de la Riviere to whom he promis'd that the Court wou'd abandon the Prince of Conti's Interests at Rome for the giving him satisfaction This Resolution being taken they caus'd the King to leave Paris with the Duke D'Anjou his Brother and the Queen carry'd him to St Germain en Laye to see from thence as from off a Theatre what wou'd be the result of so great an Enterprize In the mean while the Grandees were sollicited by each side to declare themselves and the Parliament allur'd-in some of them dayly to come and offer it their Service for they did not speak their Intentions to be against the King on the Contrary they publish'd Manifests by which they made appear that the Cardinal to stretch the Royal Authority too far shock'd all the orders of the Kingdom and brought the State within an ace of it's Ruine Besides the Prince of Conti who had embrac'd it's Party as I have already hinted the Duke d'Elboeuf the Duke de Bouillon and several others had already declar'd themselves in it's favour The Viscount de Turenne was press'd to do the same with his Army and the Duke de Bouillon expecting these Commotions wou'd make way for his Restauration in Sedan never ceas'd solliciting him to draw near Paris He was Deaf to his Persuasions as long as there were any Enemies in the Field but seeing the Peace made he began to think it no such Criminal business to improve his Brothers Pretensions joyn'd to this that he was piqu'd against the Cardinal who after such long Services had newly refus'd him a favour he had requir'd of him for one of his Friends The Cardinal distrusting his Resentment forthwith dispatcht away Hervart Controlleur General of the Finances to his Army and Hervart by the means of his Money having gain'd the Colonels they abandoned the Viscount de Turenne tho' they had promis'd his Excellency to assist him in all his Undertakings Hervart's Design was after this to have seiz'd on his Person but having notice giv'n him by an Officer he stept aside betimies and made his Escape The Spaniards knowing his Experience did all in their Pow'r to get him enter France in the Head of one of their Armies but as things were not long without coming to an Accommodation they cou'd not derive all the Advantages they expected from these Commotions In the mean while the Blockade of Paris made so numerous a People Clamour and perceiving a Scarcity on the very first day of the March above half of 'em repented of what they had done however now it was too late the Parliament in whom resided the Sovereign Authority not being reduc'd to such great Distress far from talking of humbling themselves pass'd a new Arrest against the Cardinal but the Prince of
brief his Reputation alone retain'd them rather than his Forces and indeed there was little likelyhood that a Town having Eight or Nine Thousand men in Garrison should quake before an Army that often was hardly more numerous It was not Strasbâ—urg alone that had so much fear Montecuculi knew not what Course to take to Supply and keep on foot his Army which no longer deriv'd from Strasbâ—urg all the Succours it was wont to receive thence He Sought for field ou all sides where he might find Forrages that were not Common in a Country where War had so long been made Besides this it became him to find an advantageous scituation where he might be shelter'd from the Viscount de Turenne who still coasted him In short he saw himself reduc'd to fight or dye of Hunger when a Fatal day happen'd for us I mean that Unhappy day wherein we lost the Viscount de Turenne He had never been seen more gay and joyfull nor more Content he fancy'd that the Enemies cou'd no longer Escape him and tho' it was not his Custom to say any thing to his own Advantage he cou'd not forbear blazing the then present State of things nay he Signify'd it to the King But during these Occurrences meaning to go view a Hill on which he might erect a Battery he receiv'd a Canon-shot which hit him in the Breast and made him fall Dead upon the Spot St Hillaire the Lieutenant of the Artillery whom he had brought with him having been wounded at the same time his son began to make Complaints conformable to the misfortune that was befallen him But St Hillaire melting all into tears shew'd him the Viscount de Turenne's Body adding that if any thing ought to grieve him it ought to be the loss they had newly suffer'd of so great a man this news was forthwith divulg'd throughout our Army and occasion'd so great a Consternation that one wou'd have said that every man had been Condemn'd to Death After Silence for a while they fell a Sobbing nor more nor less than if they had lost each Individual his own Father the new Soldiers as well as the Old broak-out into Skreams and Howlings capable of Softening the most harden'd hearts it was a Won ' er to see that People that had so little a time to know him were as sensible as those that had been often graâ—ify'd with his favours In the Camp nothing more but Lamentations were heard the Soldiers cry'd to one another what our Fathers then Dead What shall we do Who shall bring us o'er the Rhine again in safety nay when we have pass'd it under whom can we Serve from whom we may expect the like Treatment Each Individual then took Delight in relating the Obligations he had to him but notwithout interrupting his story with abundance of tears that bedew'd his face Yet wou'd every one see the â—â—dy of his General But this Spectatle renew'd their Crys and their Wailings In so general a Sadness it was impossible to discern the Relations from strangers so reall was the Grief Nor indeed was it without Reason that the Soldiers call'd him their father since that they bore him the same Affection as if he had been really so The Count de Lorges his Nephew being then at the Army suspended for some Days the tokens of his Grief for fear it might be capable of daunting the Troups that remain'd under his Conduct After this fatal Accident he made them direct their march toward the Rhine and knowing that the Enemies were brushing after him he Mareshall'd his Army in Battalia for fear of being Surpriz'd The Enemies perceiv'd plainly by his Countenance that matters wou'd not go 〈◊〉 Swimminly on their side as they had Expected But being wholly possesâ—'d with the thought that the Viscount de Turenne's Death must needs afford them a Great Advantage they made up to the Count with a Resolution to fight him Then was it necessary for the Couâ—t de Lorge to put in Practice the Lessons his Uncle had see him he prepar'd for Battle did it in so much order as spoke him to be a great Proficient The Battle was long and doubtfull but the Enemies having throughout found an Extraordinary Opposition they judged more Convenient to retreat than to fasten any longer upon a thing that had been less usefull than Damageable The Count de Lorges no longer finding any Impediment in passing the Rhine Conducted his Troups into Alsace where he resolv'd to wait the Kings Orders to whom he had dispatcht a Courier In the Interim being willing to pay his last Duties to his Uncle he had him a Service perform'd whereat if Prevention had not been us'd Every man of all the Troups wou'd have assisted For the least Soldier being hurry'd-on by the Affection he had for his Memory thought himself no less oblig'd than the Count to be at this Ceremony Not one was there however that Contented himself with wearing Mourning in his heart Every Individual wou'd needs by outward marks shew his Affliction and if as much Crape cou'd have been got as they wou'd have had we shou'd have seen what perhaps had been never seen in any Army that is to say All the Soldiers in Mourning in Reality they did not mind what it might cost and he that cou'd get any thought it a great favour of Fortune The King having receiv'd the Count de Lorge's Courier was so very much Afflicted that he wou'd not see any Body for several days together he said publiquely that he had lost the Wisest Man of his Kingdom and the Greatest of his Captains and fearing that after this the Enemies might easily enter into the heart of his Dominions he sent the Prince of Condé into Alsace and this Prince found the Means to stop them The whole Court was sensible to this loss as well as the King saving only the Minister who was not so very sorry tho' he durst not let it outwardly appear The Arch-Bishop of Reims his Brother was not alltogether so Circumspect he did such things to shew his joy as displeas'd his father who being one of the Wisest Courtiers of the Age reprimanded him for this Carriage Nevertheless what ever Grief was shewn at Court yet was it still much less than that of the Parisians who tho' Commonly sufficiently tenacious wou'd willingly have given the half of their fortunes to have redeem'd his Life several Instances did they give of this their Affection by the Consternation the whole Town was in at this News and by their Lamentations for his Death They were not afraid to say that after the loss the Kingdom had newly had it was in great Danger In effect the King being of the same Opinion was very willing to make sure of the Grandees by conferring New favours on them he made Eight Marshals of France tho' there were those of the List that were not in over-great Esteem the Duke of Vivonne was of this Number that gave Occasion â—o a