him but in the following Year having gained time to fortify themselves they compelled him to bring an Army against them at the cost of vast Expences and Inconveniences that subdued but very few Places and the rest obliged him to undertake another Journey that proved more successful than the former since he finished the War and happily overthrew this Monster of Sedition and Rebellion that had so long raged in France When M. de Lesdiguieres had obtain'd leave to return into Dauphine to suppress the Insurrections of the Protestants the King thought fit to order M. de Bullion to attend him and commanded M. Deageant who had not stirred from him for the space of about two Years to wait upon his Majesty for the future and to serve him as occasion required this redoubled the Jealousies of his Enemies who persecuted him incessantly tho to avoid their Fury he kept himself at as great a distance as he could from the King's Person and from publick Negociations without entring into any of the Councils notwithstanding the new Orders that were lately given by his Majesty that he should be re-admitted into the same Station and Priviledges that he had heretofore enjoyed At the Arrival of M. de Lesdiguieres in Dauphine every one laid down his Arms but the Rebels of Languedoc having taken the advantage of the time that was left them in making good all the Passes and Forts and seeing the King removed far from them began to lift up their Horns ravaging and plundering the Country and in divers places treated the Catholicks very severely which obliged the King to resolve to march thither in the Spring and because the Inhabitants of Bays and le Poussin who took part with the Male-contents obstructed the Communication of the Rhone which was necessary for the convenience of the Army that his Majesty intended to lead into Languedoc he commanded M. de Lesdâ—guieres to raise Forces to besiege these two Places and to keep the Rhone clear having appointed that one moiety of the Charges should be supplied out of the Treasury and the other raised in Dauphine but for want of Money or otherwise these Levies proceeded very slowly tho the King had given express Orders that they should be dispatched with all possible Expedition At last perceiving the Season to decline and the Progress that the Rebels had made in Gascony and Languedoc he sent M. Deageant in post to hasten the execution of his Commands and to accompany M. de Lesdiguieres with M. de Bullion M. de Lesdiguieres at that time erected a Bridg of Boats over the Rhone which was an attempt formerly esteemed exceeding difficult and almost impossible by reason of the violence of the Stream took possession of the two Places above mentioned and kept the Passages open on the side of the River And his Majesty having in this Journey reduced several Cities to their Duty went to besiege Montpelier During this Siege the particular case of M. de Lesdiguieres was considered in the Privy Council it was represented to the King that in the state wherein he was at present he could not be assur'd of his fidelity and constancy for if he should turn his coat and should hearken to the advantageous Propositions that were daily offered to him by the Protestants as it might happen he would so considerably strengthen the Factious Party that his Majesty would hardly be able to overcome them and therefore that there were but two Expedients to prevent these ill Consequences either to cut off his Head or to engage him more firmly in his Majesty's Service by giving him the Office of Constable upon condition that he should change his Religion which if he refused to do he ought immediately to be dispatched out of the way It was concluded to try the more gentle way and instructions were drawn up and directed to M. de Bullion with a Duplicate for M. Deageant tending to perswade M. de Lesdiguieres to finish his Conversion to which the Office of Constable was annexed He seemed at first to scruple it but M. Deageant having put him in mind of the promise that he had formerly made and signed it with his own hand and being fully satisfied as to the controversial points that were in dispute between the two Churches he freely offered to yield an entire obedience to all that his Majesty required of him and within a few days after made publick Profession of the Catholick Religion at Grenoble in the presence of the Arch-Bishop of Embrun and at the same time was invested with the Office of Constable and with the Order of the Holy Ghost Afterwards he went to meet the King at the Camp before Montpelier and was very serviceable in the reduceing of that Place that might have cost his Majesty a great deal more trouble I was there taken sick with a disease that lasted eighteen months the greatest Extremity of which being abated when the King prepared to return to Paris he was pleased to command me to follow him nevertheless during that time I almost continually kept my Bed and Chamber which is the cause that I can give no account of what passed afterwards since I had no knowledge of the ensuing Transactions and Occurrences There were divers Changes and Revolutions at Court and the Ministers of State often played at fast and loose endeavouring to supplant one another The Marquess de la Vieuille was the chief amongst them that in caressing me was the Author of most of the injuries and persecutions that were raised against me and I cannot tell for what reason for to my knowledge I never offended him and always retired as much as I could from the King's Presence and from the Affairs of State his ill will induced him so far that the King having ordered the Marshal d'Ornano to be put into the Bastille for disobeying the Command that his Majesty had given him to repair to his Government of St. Esprit he caused my name to be incerted in the Warrant the Courier that brought it from Compeigne where the Court then resided having declared this to the Deputy of the Sieur Almeras Post-Master General as he received his Ticket to provide Horses the Deputy informed his Master thereof and he revealed it to M. de Guise who being with the King that often laughed at his extravagant humours told him that His Majesty had given an occasion to the Marshal d'Ornano and Deageant to run mad since he had caused them to be confined in the Bastille Deageant replied the King there was no such thing intended It is certainly so said M. de Guise for here stands Almeras who told me that his Deputy received the news from the Courier that carried the Order His Majesty thereupon gave signal demonstrations of his Generosity and Justice which being made known to the Marquess de Vieuille oblig'd him to dispatch another Warrant that only mentioned the Marshal d'Ornano and to send back speedily to countermand the first That I might
so that it might be easily taken out The Council gave notice to his Majesty of what had passed and desired to know his Commands thereupon In the mean time this Wretch laid violent hands upon himself in the Bastile as I have been since informed The second time that I saw the Nun she advised me also to declare that the Garison of Soissons had undertaken an enterprize on a certain Night to seize on the Treasurers that lodged in the quarter of the Celestins at Paris with their Goods and every thing of value that they had in their Houses The Plot was thus laid a sufficient number of Men unknown without any Arms but their Swords were to be introduced into the City and in the Evening appointed for the Execution a Boat privately Laden with Arms was to be brought on the River to the Port St. Paul which about midnight were to be taken by the said Persons who having accomplished their design were to retire through the Mell with their Prisoners and Booty and to repair to the other side of the Bulwark where Horses were prepared ready for them to carry all to Soissons under the Guard of a Detachment of Troopers order'd to attend for that purpose Monsieur de Liancourt Governor of Paris who received an intimation of this project discovered the truth thereof and prevented it from taking effect I shall leave it to the judgment of those that are more capable than I am to determine where this Religious Woman had these two pieces of Intelligence since I never had the Curiosity nor Ability to penetrate into this matter A little after the time that the Prince was Arrested and divers of the Princes and Nobility had withdrawn themselves to Soissons with an intent to make War a certain Person whose name could not be known left at the House of a Gentleman who had the Honour sometimes to attend the King and in whom his Majesty was pleased to confide a Pacquet containing three Letters one for the Queen Mother the other for the Princes at Soissons and the third for this Private Gentleman they were all three open written in a fair French Character without Date or Superscription and in a good Stile though some words had a little relish of the Cloister the two Principal contained several weighty Reasons inforced with passages of the Holy Scriptures and with Examples taken out of profane History the Pacquet was fastned with Spanish Wax without the Impression of any Seal The Letter directed to the Gentleman charged him with a commination of great Penalties in case he neglected it to cause that for the Princes to be sent to them by what means he thought convenient and to deliver the other to the Queen Mother with his own hands entreating her to read it in private and deliberately to consider the Contents without communicating it to any especially to the Party that was more particularly concerned therein and after she had perused it that she would be pleased to restore it to the Bearer The Letter written to the Princes contained several very sound and cogent Arguments to convince them that their Arms were unjust that they would give an opportunity to Foreigners that were Enemies to the Kâ—â—gdom to endeavour to destroy it and would furnish the Protestants with a pretence vigorously to Prosecute their Designs to the great damage of the Catholic Religion and of the State but if these considerations and those of their own safety could not prevail with them to return to their duty they would certainly perish in their Attempts because God had taken a particular Care of the King and promised to Crown the innocency and candour of his disposition with good success As for the Letter directed to the Queen Mother it represented to her the many Favours she had received from the Divine Goodness the little Care she took to demean herself according to the intent of them and the neglect and aversness she shewed to see much good Council that hath been offered to her to follow the pernicious Advice of certain Parasites that had no other end but to advance their own Private Interests and Fortunes to the ruin of the State and even of her Royal Person whom they betrayed The Particulars were not specified but it was apparent that the Marshal D'Ancre and his Wife were principally aimed at in these Reflections several miscarriages in the Government of Public Affairs were also enumerated and the disorders that had already happened as also those that might be expected unless they were speedily prevented If my Memory fails me not these were the Remedies propounded in this Letter in the first place the Queen was exhorted to augment her Devotions in Divine Service and to the Practice of good Works to cause Prayers to be frequently made especially at Paris to give order that young Children of Twelve Years old and under should be exercised therein and that a Solemn Procession should be made and to take care that the Holy Sacrament be better Administred than it hath been in the most part of the Towns and Villages of this Kingdom and that by this means God would divert the evils with which she was threatned in particular otherwise she would suddenly feel the effects of his displeasure it was moreover alledged that in observing the abovementioned directions chiefly those relating to the Holy Sacrament she would soon see the marvellous Fruits thereof throughout all France Secondly The Tenour of this Letter was to perswade the Queen without any farther delay to permit the King to Act in the Administration of the Government for this was a thing that he expected though he did not seem to desire it but it she refused to do it this alone would be sufficient to involve her in extream troubles and Calamities and to overturn the Kingdom which was already embroiled with commotions in all Paris apparently under pretence that the King was â—ept from the knowledge of the Affairs of the State The third Remedy proposed was to send back into their own Country the two occasions of scandal who were the cause of the general discontent and served as a colour to the Insurrection of the Nobility and People that there were good reasons to perswade them to retire viz. That for the future they might not only be permitted to enjoy the great Possessions that they had acquired but might also have more given them that the King would willingly grant this and that thus these two Persons might happily make use of their good Fortune whereas on the contrary if the Queen should obstinately persist in upholding them she would ' ere long with regret see them miserably perishing in her presence and falling into a condition that she hath not yet foreseen would prove an example of the vengeance of Almighty God who hath threatned that the Child shall rise up against the Mother and the Mother against the Child to the great detriment of the Nation and to the manifest Peril of
But the latter having withdrawn himself by degrees from Monsieur Deageant who gave him good Advice and being led away as well by the perswasions of other Ministers every one of whom in particular strove to obtain his Favour with a Design to Rule according to their own Passions as by the pernicious Councels of divers private Persons who endeavoured to Embroil the State that they might advance their Fortunes by the means of some public Dissension or Change the good Orders that had been instituted for the Administration of Affairs and chiefly for the preservation of the Union between their Majesties began by little and little to be laid aside insomuch that by the Artifices of such Incendiaries those Jealousies were kindled between them that broke out in a flame within a few Months after To this end the Table of the Wolf was put in Practice For altho Monsieur Deageant had no other prospect but the Service of his Majesty the propagation of Religion the Peace of the Kingdom and the particular good of Monsieur de Luines nevertheless he was discharged from the managing of public Transactions and forasmuch as during his Employment therein he had always clearly represented to the King the Intentions that were daily practised to cause him to suspect the Negotiations of his Eminency with the Queen-Mother he was no sooner removed from the Council but they that envyed him on the one side and they that designed to hinder the Re-union of their Majesties on the other acted their parts with double diligence sometimes they forged Letters and sometimes they introduced their Emissaries to perswade the King to lose the good Opinion that he had conceived of his Eminency however it is certain that his Majesty retained so high an Esteem for hiâ— that all these Efforts could not produce the Effect that was expected At last an accidental opportunity was offered which served to accomplish their Design a Letter from one of the above-mentioned Emissaries was read in the Council of the Dispatches which pretended to give an account of some of the secret and sinister Practices of his Eminency and that he had engaged a Party of Soldiers for the Queen-Mother in Pictou the Ancient Ministers of State failed not immediately to take a resolution to advise the King in the Council that was to be holden at eleven of the Clock in his presence that his Eminency ought to be removed from the Queen indeed they left no stone unturned to this end but were not able to effect it but it happened that Monsieur de Chateauneuf the Elder who was in the Council of the Dispatches not being privy to the Secret believed that the Motion that had been made would be approved by his Majesty which was the occasion that he went on Foot from the Louvre to his own House and meeting with the late Monsieur de Richelieu acquainted him with what was concluded thereupon It was thought that Monsieur de Richilieu wrote to his Eminency to advice him to avoid the Storm by retiring of his own accord which he did Upon the account of this and of the protestation that he had made to the King when he thought fit to appoint him to reside with the Queen-Mother viz. That if he perceived that she intended to adhere to evil Councils and would not be diverted from them he would withdraw himself without making any mention thereof those Persons that had undertaken to supplant him told the King that his retreat after this manner made it apparent enough that the Queen-Mother intended to cause Arms to be taken up against his Majesty Moreover they forged false Relations of the Actions of his Eminency and there being none to discover their Artifices they counterfeited a Letter that order'd him to depart to Avignon The Queen-Mother who remained at Blois in expectation of the performance of the Promises that had been made to her that she should be re-admitted in a little time into the Kings Presence and Councils as it was without doubt his Majesties intention seeing all these Proceedings concluded not without some grounds that she was deceived and that-they that were about the King intended to destroy her insomuch that under this imagination being destitute of the good Councils that were given her by his Eminency she sought for some means to put her self in such a Condition as to be able to get an Advantage over those whom she took to be her Adversaries amongst the discontented Party and amongst those whom she thought she had more particularly obliged Instead of the advice of the Cardinal of Richelieu she made use of that of the Abbot of Roueelay who induced her to proceed to extremities against the King and to diminish the high Esteem that she had always expressed of his Eminencies Fidelity and Generosity whose approach he dreaded being very sensible that it would be impossible for him to resist the force of his incomparable Judgement that far excelled his He caused also the Bishop Elect of Besiers to lose her Favour pretending that he endeavoured to delude her though he was altogether innocent Thus several Factions arose in the Kingdom which coming to the Kings Ear obliged him to stand on his Guard and to set a watch over the Actions of those to whom the Queen his Mother had made application and of those whom as he was informed she had employed in her Design She was offended at this and complained thereof to his Majesty who endeavoured by all possible means to divert her from these Thoughts and to perswade her to that which was true that he desired nothing more ardently than their Re-union and good Correspondence Several of those that had obtained the Kings Favour finding that they could not acquire so much power over the Inclinations of Monsieur de Luines as they desired and consequently could not obtain a greater Influence over his Majesty attempted to render Monsieur de Luines more and more odious to the Queen-Mother although during the time that I was conversant there I never observed that he deserved it they imagined that if they ruined him under the name of the Queen-Mother and promoted her return she would think her self obliged to them and would chuse rather to see them near the King than all the rest many others that were desirous of Novelty and Change were engaged in this Project to the same end Some have published that the Princes that were retired from the Court against whom the Kings Forces were employed were privy to the Design contrived against the Marshal d'Ancre and underhand sollicited the Execution however it is most true that they had no knowledge thereof and that if they had not readily returned to their Duty his Majesty was resolved to continue to prosecute them with War and to Command his Army in Person but immediately after the Death of the Marshal de Ancre some of their Kindred made most humble Submissions to his Majesty on their behalf And whereas they proposed a certain Treaty
to cause an absolute inflammation therein And she so easily received these ill impressions that she suffered the Intelligences and Plots that were already promoted in the Kingdom under her name daily to encrease and intended to take a resolution to withdraw her self privately from Blois and to raise a Party in the Nation by the Power of which she was perswaded to hope to be re-established at Court with all the Authority in which she had been heretofore invested The King being informed of these artifices took all possible care to prevent the effect and to give a true account of his intentions to the Queen his Mother which were certainly so full of sincerity and so well known to those whom he employed in these important and most secret Affairs that none durst make the least motion to him that never so little reflected on the honour and respect that he required should be render'd to her or that tended in any manner whatsoever to interrupt the good correspondence that he desired to preserve with her Majesty It is also true that none of them at that time were inclined to the contrary at last the King seeing that all his endeavours proved ineffectual sent Monsieur de Roissy an Ancient Counseller of State to reside with her for these two ends one of which was to use his utmost efforts to disperse those mists of suspition that were cast before her Eyes and to dis-intangle her from those perplexities in which she had involved herself by hearkning to those evil counsels that were continually proposed to her and the other was to have a watchful eye over the actions of those that came near her Person to suggest them to her His Majesty also commanded certain Troops of Horse to be put into a Garrison near Blois to keep those in awe that should attempt to remove the Queen from thence These Orders and in a Word all the Kings Actions relating to the Queen his Mother even those that turned to her greatest advantage and were apparently most innocent were nevertheless converted by the factious into so many fire-brands to inflame her anger But for as much as they saw that their Plots were discovered as soon as they were contrived and that all the projects that they could invent were always frustrated with prudence and great Moderation they imagined that this proceeded chiefly from the vigilancy industry and care of Monsieur Deageant and took a resolution amongst themselves to set all their Engins at Work either to remove or to destroy him There were two Parties that for some time were engaged in the like enterprizes one of which consisted of several Persons who being intimate with Monsieur de Luines were perswaded that if they could induce him to discredit and expel Deageant they might afterwards rule him as they pleased and might thereby insinuate themselves into the Kings favour even to the detriment of Monsieur de Luines The other was managed by the Duke de Monteleon the Spanish Ambassador who had his Emissaries at Court some of whom were in so great repute with Monsieur de Luines by the means of divers secret Springs that although by the Letters dispatched from Spain to the Duke de Monteleon that were intercepted and by large Memorials that were sent to him the whole intrigue was laid open to Monsieur de Luines nevertheless he suffer'd himself to be deluded by it These Memorials were composed after so curious and artificial a manner that Monsieur Deageant who knew the disposition of Monsieur de Luines that was already inspired with jealousie by reason of the great trust and confidence that the King had put in him easily judged what would be the event He acquainted him with his thoughts thereupon and freely protested to him that he was about to consider in good earnest how he might retreat as he afterwards did assuring him that if he desired to remove him he would not oppose it provided that he took care that his Conscience and Honour might not be interested therein He performed his promise to him in this particular for about three Months after Monsieur de Luines having told him that the Ancient Ministers of State and all the cheif of his Family Kindred and Acquaintance had conceived an extream aversion and displeasure against him and that they threatned to abandon him if he did not depart from his interest advised him to forbear coming into the Privy Council and that of the dispatches only for fifteen days in which he would use his endeavours to take away these jealousies earnestly entreating him in the mean time not to declare it to the King because he was unwilling that it should come to his Ear least his Majesty should be provoked against the Ministers and this might cause a Division in the Council This Artifice was too gross not be perceived and it was apparent enough that the design was whilst he abstained from public Employments to slander and accuse him falsely before the King Nothing was left undone to procure this effect but his Majesties generosity was so great that he could not be prevailed with to discard a Servant against whom he found nothing alledged but what proceeded from envy or malice and one that could not be charged with any Mif-demeanour However Monsieur Deageant who observed on the one side that he was too weak to withstand the shock of so many and such powerful Enemies that opposed him and on the other that Monsieur de Luines had by degrees declined to hearken to his Advice to follow that which was suggested to him according to the different Passions of those that constantly beset him for the most part to the damage of the State judged rightly that if he should continue in the Execution of his Office he would be accounted responsable for all miscarriages that might happen though he had no hand in them these considerations obliged him not only to yield to the proportions of Monsieur de Luines but also to assure him that he intended for the future altogether to desist from the transaction of any Affairs of State having nevertheless represented to him divers weighty reasons to convince him that as he had formerly told him he had suffer'd himself to be surprized by those that were his own Enemies disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdom and dis-affected to his Majesties Service who might perhaps at some other time require of him an account of several important negotiations that he had almost brought to perfection and would be lost through his retreat some of which shall be hereafter related in their proper place At that very instant Monsieur Deageant forbore to appear in Council and to transact any Affairs and had also withdrawn himself from Court but Monsieur de Luines who had concealed this Plot from the King caused him to believe that he had voluntarily absented himself by reason of the jealousie of the Ministers till he could find out some means to compose the differences that
arose amongst them And therefore fearing if Deageant should altogether quit his Employment least his Majesty should discover his design and might take notice thereof he desired him to remain at Court and to see him at the usual hours He treated him after this manner that the King might believe that he was always present and had a hand in all public transactions whilst he endeavoured to perswade him to give his consent that he might be removed The King by his prudent and generous conduct had extended his reputation very far he was loved by good Men and feared by evil his thoughts and actions were wholly bent to propagate Religion to cause justice to Reign to repair the Ruins of the State to Establish Peace therein and to impart it to those Neighbours that were in trouble But the Devil the Enemy of good Works perceiving that these proceedings tended to the destruction of his Kingdom in Europe to put a stop to this Course stirred up the above-mentioned factions and conspiracies that after divers manners changed the Scene of Affairs and which is worse caused several attempts to be made upon his Majesties Sacred Person he instilled into the mind of a Young Man a Native of Cahors whose name was concealed because he was descended from an Honourable Family that was well-effected to the King's Service most wicked and damnable designs to Execute which he came to Paris and was thus discovered On Easter day in the Morning in the Year 1618. This Young Man went into the Convent of the Cordeliers and enquired whether there were amongst them any Fathers of the Province of Guienne thereupon one was shewed to him in the infirmery named Arnoux he accosted him and after some discourse desired him to hear him in Confession in which he accused himself saying that he had some thoughts that he should be well pleased if the King Queen and Monsieur the Kings Brother were dead and that he had a mind if it seemed good to him to kill them and three other Princes These were the very Words that the Cordelier caused him to repeat to him upon the spot telling him that before he gave him absolution he would consider them well and would talk with him in particular about them which he did at first in the Cloister and afterwards in his Chamber where he brought him and there having fully examined him concerning this Diabolical Imagination he found that he was a Person capable of committing all manner of wickedness and that instead of shewing any contrition for so abominable a thought he seemed always obstinately to persist therein This good Friar fearing least some mischief might ensue if it were not prevented entreated him to tarry a little in the Chamber whilst he went into the Library to turn over certain Casuists in order to resolve his doubts on the Subject of his Confession He took this opportunity to acquaint Monsieur Deageant with what had happened relating to him as he said not that which had been spoken in Confession because that was forbidden but several passages that he had heard from the Mouth of this Young Man in other discourses with him Monsieur Deageant after he had commended his zeal desired him to go and entertain him and to invite him to dinner in his own Chamber or if he refused it to accompany him to his Lodgings till an Officer were sent to apprehend him The Ministers of State were immediately assembled and according to their Advice this Young Man was put into the Bastile and in a Chest that was in the Chamber where he lay his Confession was found containing these wicked thoughts with several other horrible abominations which being viewed by the Privy Counsellors they considered that forasmuch as there was no other Proof against him but his own Confession and the report of the Confessor they ought on several accounts to act circumspectly in such Cases and fearing on the other side least the King should be troubled and it should be made known to the World that any had conspired against his life they thought it convenient to keep him a close Prisoner and that no rumour should be spread abroad touching this matter They to whose custody he was committed and that observed his behaviour reported that he would often talk like a mad man and one that was desperately intent upon some mischeif Monsieur Deageant being soon after discharged from the managing of Public Affairs this as well as many others was neglected insomuch that the Ministers without recollecting as is to be supposed the cause of his confinement and without enquiring into it ordered him to be set at liberty as also were some others that were imprisoned in the same place on slight occasions They repented it afterwards being informed who he was and would have caused him to be taken again but to no purpose On the third day in Easter the Cordelier that had discovered him was as is thought Poysoned in the Convent the Physitians with whose Advice he was carefully assisted observed all the signs of a subtil Poyson that would soon have dispatched him if he had not been of a very strong constitution and had not found such speedy and effectual relief As soon as he was cured he was sent back again into his Convent and during the Seige of Montauban he served as an Almoner where he fell sick and dyed The Devil having failed in this attempt resolved ' ere long to try another Amongst the Pages of the lesser Stables there was one for whom the King had a more particular respect and who upon this account attended on Horseback almost always when his Majesty went a Hunting The Master of the Horse having on a certain day ordered him to mount according to the usual custom he fell a weeping and entreated him that he would be pleased to excuse him affirming that ever since the last time that they Hunted he was troubled with somewhat that incessantly urged him to kill the King that the more he strove to resist this temptation the more he was tormented with it without being able to sleep or to enjoy any peace in his mind and that he had had recourse to Prayer Confession and the Sacrament but could not get rid of a thought that he detested as much as Hell it self He fell on his knees at his feet beseeching him to take care of him and not to permit him to come near the King least the evil Spirit should compel him to commit the execrable Fact to which he was prompted against his Will The Master of the Horse caused him to be examined by two learned Divines and a Physitian to discover whether this perturbation might not proceed from Melancholy they avouched the contrary and that the Page appeared to be of a good natural constitution devout and sound in body and mind his imagination only excepted that was hurt by the malignant suggestion of the Devil with whom he seemed to be possessed he afterwards came and made a
some of the Ministers of State and from the Weakness and Indiscretion of the others But the King perceiving that his Service was not performed as it ought to be not by reason of any connivance or default of the Cardinal of Rochefoucaut and of M. de Bethunes whom he had deputed as Commissioners but through the Artifices of some of those that managed the Dispatches cast his Eyes upon M. de Berulle chief of the Fathers of the Oratory whom he knew to be in good repute with the Queen his Mother as also with M. d'Espernon and employed him secrerly to treat with the Queen to this end his Majesty caused the Memorials that were prepared in the Council to be brought to him as it were to be perused by the Commissioners and commanded M. Deageant to draw up certain particular Instructions by the means of which and of several other Dispatches and after many Messages too and fro the accommodation was at last agreed upon through the mediation of the said Sieur de Berulle who afterwards communicated his Negotiation to the Commissioners During these Transactions there were many Letters written on both sides and divers Actions happened on which I shall not insist because they are commonly known and have been mentioned by several Writers I shall only add that the King having declared to M. de Luines the Project concerning Metz that he had devised without him because as his Majesty had said he could not keep a Secret he acquainted a certain Person with it who having discovered it to the Cardinal of Guise he speedily gave notice thereof to M. de Valette whom his Father had left to command in Metz he immediately caused all the Inhabitants to be disarmed the greatest part of whom were privy to the Design However they had foreseen this Accident and had provided a Magazine of Arms that they kept in a private place insomuch that notwithstanding their being disarmed one of those that managed the Enterprize came and told the King that if it pleased his Majesty to cause it to be put in Execution they had still sufficient means left by which they could infallibly make themselves Masters of the City and the Person that undertook the Affair of the Citadel assured him also on his behalf that it might be easily accomplished but as the King was just ready to depart on his Journey he was informed by a Courier sent on purpose that the secret Magazine of Arms of the Inhabitants was discovered that they were taken from them and that the Garison was re-enforc'd after such a manner that it would be very difficult if not impossible to cause this Design to take effect It was known that the second disarming proceeded from the same original as the first which obliged his Majesty according to the advice of some of his particular Servants principally to incline to an Acccommodation since it was apparent from the premises that if he design'd to engage in war he would not be so faithfully served therein as he expected But because M. de Berulle in his Negociation met with new difficulties every day proceeding from the artifice of the Abbot of Roucelay and some others that had obtained credit with the Queen since the departure of his Eminency the King took a resolution to recall him the Jealousie of the Ministers of State had caused him to retire to Avignon being enjoyned not to stir from thence without his Majesty's Order who was not ignorant that they would use their utmost efforts to hinder his Re-establishment therefore he thought fit to employ M. Deageant alone in the affair whom he commanded to compose a Letter which his Majesty sign'd and added four or five lines with his own Hand the Tenor of which was That he acknowledg'd that the Cardinal during his residence with the Queen his Mother had by his wholesome Admonitions and prudent Conduct gained an Influence over her Mind and had respectively served their Majesties by frustrating all the Attemps that were made to encrease their differences that he earnestly desired to see him with her again to give her better Counsel than that which was continually suggested to her and to that end he exhorted him by the Affection that he alwaies bore to the Wellfare of their Majesties and the State to appear speedily before the Queen and to endeavour to make her sensible of the great Inclination he had to honour her and to give her all the satisfaction that she could reasonably expect since he never had any Intention to the contrary This Letter was deliver'd to M. du Tremblay the Governer of the Bastille with a passport importing a command to all to permit him to pass freely as also the Horse-men that were ordered to conduct him from Provence to Court with a Prohibition forbidding any to molest them or so much as to enquire who they were Notwithstanding this Pass-port M. d'Alincourt who very well knew the temper of the Ministers to some of whom he was allied and doubting lest this Journey should be made without their advice thought fit to stop his Eminency at Lyons till he had received other express order from the King But when he had shown him the very Letter that he had written to him in which he saw his Majesty's Hand he excused himself and set his Eminency at liberty insomuch that in a few days he arrived at Angoulesme where all manner of Artifices were practised to cause him to be suspected by the Queen-Mother But at last yielding to the sincerity of his Counsels and Actions being also assur'd elsewhere by M. de Berulle that she ought not to expect that the difference could be compos'd unless she re-established him in the same favour and credit to which she had formerly admited him and seeing herself in a condition to be compell'd e're long to submit to any Law that should be imposed on her the Party to whom she had adhered not being able to protect her nor to rescue her from the Troubles and unhappy Circumstances wherein they had involved her she resolved to banish them from her Presence and freely to entertain his Eminency who delayed not to find out expedients to remove the difficulties that obstructed the Accommodation which was at last concluded as hath been above related Upon the Notice that M. d'Alincourt had sent by the Post to one of the Ministers concerning his Eminency's Journey and the Memorials that were delivered to him his Letter was read in the Council of the Dispatches where the matter was aggravated after such a manner that the Counsellers the Secretaries of State and those of the King's Cabinet were engaged in it with an intent to excite them all against M. Deageant whom they knew that his Majesty had employed on this occasion The Chancellor was desired to discourse with him somewhat sharply about it for two ends one was to cause him to disapprove his Eminency's Journey and to advise him to banish him to Rome the other to perswade him
his Majesty questioned in the least his unmovable Affection and constant Fidelity to his Service in the Religion that he professed he was ready to abandon all his Offices and to retire into any of the Protestant Cities being the Allies of France that his Majesty should think fit to appoint this he enforced with several Expressions which argued that he was touched to the quick It was M. Deageant's part to appease this Passion as he did within few daies to that degree that he obliged him to sign certain Articles that he had prepared concerning all the points that had been already agreed upon as also to vouchsafe that the Marquess de Bressieux should be Mediator in this Transaction since he was content to be serviceable therein without pretending to any particular Interest Thus the Marquess de Bressieux thinking to gain the sole credit and reputation in these Proceedings returned to the Court carrying the Letters of M. de Lesdiguieres and M. Deageant together with a Copy of the above-mentioned Articles the Original of which remained in the Hands of the latter and promised to come again very speedily loden with Dispatches and necessary Orders for the performance of the Agreement But he was very much amazed that after he had made a Report of the Success of his Negociation no further mention was made to him thereof especially when he understood that M. de Bullion was sent to manage it after another manner Although the Expedition of the Marquess de Bressieux ought to have been kept secret as it had been advised unless other designs were in agitation altogether different from those that were pretended Nevertheless his Papers were read in a full Council and it was determined that the Office of a Constable that was vacant by the Death of the Constable of Montmorency should be re-established but instead of the Grant that was promised to be made in favour of M. de Lesdiguieres a Breviate only was ordered to be drawn up in his Name which was sent to him by M. de Bullion who was enjoyned to present it to him and to persuade him at the same time to entreat the King to bestow it on M. de Luines and to be content for his own part with the Office of Marshal General of the Armies and a Pension of Eighteen Thousand Livres per Mensem without being obliged to turn Catholick M. de Bullion whether he had any particular instructions or otherwise intended also to treat with him privately but M. de Lesdiguieres declared to him as he had done to the Marquess de Bressieux that he would disclose every thing to M. Deageant and would follow his Advice upon this account he was sent for at the first Audience of M. de Bullion in which he only discoursed concerning his Conversion and the accomplishment of all those things that were already concluded without speaking so much as one word relating to the principal cause of his Journey But having found an opportunity to talk with him apart he represented it to him and propounded a strick Alliance between him and M. de Luines which was to be bound with the Marriage of M. de Canaples his Grandson with Madam de Combalet the Niece of M de Luines M. de Lesdiguieres demanded some time to consider of it and took an occasion to confer two or three hours with M. Deageant on the subject of these new Overtures at which he was very much incensed being astonished that after his Conversion had been so long solicited and he had been prevailed with so far as to promote it a Declaration should now be made to him that it was convenient for him to remain in the Religion that he professed from whence he inferred all the ill consequences that can be imagined M. Deageant though he was not a little surprized at such a proposition yet considering that if M. de Lesdiguieres should reject it such discontents and suspicious might ensue as would be sufficient to withdraw him from the King's Service his fidelity and adherence to which was at that time necessary produc'd several solid and cogent Arguments in opposition to those that M. de Luines had objected to him as he afterwards declared his Mind to Monsieur de Bullion and concealed not from him that he had been confirmed in this Opinion by the Counsel of M. Deageant Assoon as notice thereof was given at Court M. de Lesdiguieres was ordered to repair thither and M. de Bullion and M. Deageant were commanded to accompany him The King seemed earnestly to desire this Journey as well on the account of M. de Bullion's Dispatch as to take the advice of M. de Lesdiguieres upon the Design that the Protestants had devised to cause a General Assembly to meet at Rochel without his Majesty's leave and contrary to his Prohibition which they actually accomplished and from whence ensued the War that the King brought to so happy and glorious an end Monsieur de Lesdiguieres before his departure in his Journey and at his arrival at Paris received several Informations that all the honour and profit that had been proposed to him would cease in the Imprisonment of his Person in the Bastille during the remainder of his Life and although the greater part knew that there was no such thing intended and only gave out this Intelligence with a Design to corrupt him nevertheless there was somewhat of truth and reality of which M. Deageant had an intimation for it was resolved in a Privy Council of some particular Ministers of State to arrest M. de Lesdiguieres and to proclaim War against all the Protestants who were represented to M. de Luines as so weak and unable to make any considerable Resistence that within a year they might be easily suppressed it was alledged that this would be the only means to advance his Glory and to make it appear to all men that the King had deservedly conferred on him the Office of Constable which they had advised him to assume to himself M. Deageant entreated him to hearken to what he had to offer to his consideration on this account and calling him aside into a little Closet persuaded him to take Pen Ink and Paper and caused him to draw from this affair a great number of Consequences that were almost all necessary and tended to dangerous precipices that threatned the ruin of the King's Person the Catholick Religion the Kingdom and his Family in particular So many inconveniencies said he thereupon were not foreseen but howsoever it may happen the Dice are cast and there is such a progress made in this Enterprize that they were obliged to run the hazard M. Deageant was not able entirely to dissuade him from prosecuting the War though he assured him that by the measures that he had taken with M. de Lesdiguieres preparations were made to gain more advantages over the Protestants in six months without drawing the Sword than could be obtained in many years by all the King's
caused by the Jealousies and Fears of being apprehended but that this Blow galled the Wound afresh insomuch that being very melancholy he retreated apart to consider by what means he might make his Escape the most part of the Noble-men that were then at Court knew in less than two Hours that these Words had been spoken by Father Arnoux and heard by a Gentleman that belonged to M. de Lesdiguieres's Family and instantly came to him to exhort him to withdraw himself privately and to get into some place of Safety offering to assist him as far as lay in their Power and M. de Montmorency freely proposed to accompany him in person He thereupon had recourse to some of his Retinue that were zealous Promoters of the Faction and urged him to go directly to Rochell but haveing ruminated and pondered in his mind every thing that had been represented to him on this Occasion he took a Resolution to depart at mid-night towards Dauphine and to take the road through Auvergne judging that being furnished with about two thousand Men being part of the Army of which he was assured that should follow him wheresoever he went and by the help of those Protestant Forces that he should gather by the way and others that would come from Dauphine to meet him he might pass without any Impediment or Molestation M. Deageant who as hath been above said never lost the sight of him but continually attended him according to the express Orders that he had receiv'd from the King having observed an extraordinary hurrying to and fro that Afternoon and that the Countenance of M. de Lesdiguieres was suddainly changed assoon as he could get an Oppotunity to talk with him privately he urged him to declare whether he were well in Health or whether he had received any News that had troubled him at last haveing thoroughly questioned and examined him he disclosed the whole Matter Therefore knowing that the King had so great an Esteem for M. de Lesdiguieres that he alwaies rejected such Propositions as tended to the lest Severity 〈◊〉 him and considering on the other side the great Damage to which his Majesty's Affairs would be obnoxious if M. de Lesdiguieres should retreat after this manner he propounded to him all the Reasons that he thought to be most proper to give him full Satisfaction and desired him to condescend so far as to permit him to go to the King and M. de Luines on this account promising that if he could discover that there was any Design to offer him any Injury he would freely declare it to him and would be Partaker of the same Fortune with him since he had honoured him so far as to come upon the Assurance that he had given him on behalf of his Majesty Thus M. Deageant having acquainted the King with all that had passed his Majesty shewed his high displeasure and indignation at the occasions of Suspicion that were so often given to this good Man If I could believe said he that any should presume to abuse him I would rather lose my Crown than suffer it bring him to me that I may certify him by Word of Mouth This was immediately done insomuch that Monsieur de Lesdiguieres that had a great Affection for his Majesty's Person returned very well satisfied and constantly waited on the King at the Siege of Montauban where they began again to make Parties against him some continually buzzed the King in the Ear that he doted and others that he held correspondence with those of Montauban and the rest of the Rebels and that they were informed by him of every thing that was performed in his Majesty's Army and all concluded that he ought to be seized but I can certainly avouch as being well assured of this Truth that he served his Majesty faithfully and was so much concerned for the taking of that Place that he sought all possible means to effect it I was the Bearer at five several times of as many Directions that he sent to the King by what means he might reduce the City All competent Judges that understand the Art of War and were not possessed with Passion were agreed as to this Point and have since affirmed that if his Instructions had been followed without doubt the King would not have been compelled as he was to raise the Siege I am persuaded that if M. de Luines had been of the same Opinion he would have had a greater Deference to the known Experience of M. de Lesdiguieres for notwithstanding what was maliciously reported of him that he was not willing that Montauban should be taken on the account of his particular Interest it is most true that he was extremely displeased that the Attempt proved ineffectual M. de Luines was so far pre-engaged by certain Persons some of whom as I have already said intended to bring matters to the utmost Extremity and others to cause him to commit some Fault that they might thereby take an occasion to ruin him that he hearkened to no Counsels but theirs to this very purpose they so often inculcated to him the necessity of the Imprisonment of M. de Lesdiguieres that he was in a manner sorced to yield to their Persuasions which was the reason that to find means to avoid this Compulsion he was not sorry when he heard that M. de Mombrun whom the Assembly of Rochel had chosen Lieutenant General of the Churches in Dauphine had taken the Field with an Army that alarmed all those Countries because he thought that his Adversaries would be easily induced to defer their Persecution till some other more convenient time and to consent that he should be sent into Dauphine to appease these new Tumults The King was advised at the end of the Siege of Montauban to return to Paris by the way of Languedoc because the Rebels not having an opportunity to fortify their Places would be easily reduced to their Obedience by his Majesty as he passed without striking a stroke whereas if he gave them time to work therein he would afterwards find it very difficult to suppress them Thereupon an Assembly of all the Noble-men of the Court and of all those that belonged to the Council of War and that of State were gathered together wherein this Affair was debated and it was unanimously concluded that the return through Languedoc was necessary and would be apparently most advantageous The Council being adjourned and the Sieur de Blainville who was not as yet admitted into it and the Sieur le Maine Baron of Chabâ—n Adjutant-General appearing M. de Luines desired them to declare their Opinion concerning their Determination who being both instructed in this Matter gave advice contrary to what had been agreed upon with the general Approbation and Consent of the Convention which prevailed so far that the King took the nearest Road to Paris to the great Detriment of his Majesty's Proceedings for it is certain that no City durst then shut up their Gates against