chief Minister of State with the Kings good liking Prince Thomas of Savoy as one who besides being his great Confident was of an incomparable Integrity in whom the King might wholly confide without any suspicion he left also the Count de Servient a Person no less Politick then versed in all the Affairs of the Kingdom Tillier the Secretary of State a man of great wit and understanding ready to execute the Court-orders with faithfulness and zeal and these three for the Negotiations of the State and the War he left besides with the Queen for the directions of the most important and most secret Affairs the Abbot Ondedei who was afterwards Bishop of Fregius Counsellor of State to Her Majestie of whose known and experienc'd fidelity and practice in managements he had full assurance This being done he took leave of their Majesties with that tenderness which his ardent affection urged him to and the 19. of August 1652. departed from Pontoise for Sedan passing first to the Mareschal de Turenne's Camp to view the Army which from Lagny was already advancing into Brie to oppose the March that the Duke of Lorain was taking after the Prince of Wirtemberg had sent back the Count of Fuensaldagna's Spaniards into Flanders and proceeding in his journey with a good Convoy he came to Sedan and from thence went to Bouillon where he staid expecting from time the fruits of his truth and innocency The Prince of Conde understanding that the Cardinal was going and by consequence the Pretext of the War ceasing He sent the Marquess de Jersé to the Army of Lorain to which were joyn'd the Troops that Wirtemberg conducted to the Princes with direction to take his time and set upon the Cardinal in his journey and take him prisoner But the Spaniards upon this becoming diffident he was by their means advertized and shunn'd the danger seeing the Ministry of Spain knew that it was for their interest that the Cardinal should subsist for under this colour the civil dissentions in France were kept afoot from which they drew much profit The same day the King the Queen and all the Court went to Compeigne and the better to dispose the minds of the Parisiens to joyn themselves to their party the King so soon as he was arrived at Compeigne put forth a General Act of Oblivion the Contents whereof imported after a summary Rehearsal of all things past from the year 1648. till that time a General Pardon and abollition of all that had been done against his Royal Service making void and of no effect all the Informations Decrees Sequestrations and other Proceedings following thereupon by occasion of the disorders from the first of February 1651. till this time as also His Majesties Declarations of the month of September and the 8. of October in the same year upon this Condition that the Duke of Orleans the Princes of Conde and Conty and all others of their party should lay down their Arms within three days after the Publication of this Act. To this end the Duke of Orleans should send to His Majestie within the term of three days an Act subscribed with his own Hand by which he renounced all Treaties Leagues and Confederations made with what Prince soever without his Majesties Approbation the like was enjoyn'd the Prince of Conde and Conty who were also at the same time to put into the Kings Hands necessary Orders as well to send the Spanish Souldiers out of Stenay and Burg in Guienne and other places wheresoever as also to cause the Enemies Ships to draw off from the Coasts of France That the said Duke of Orleans and Prince of Conde should cause the foreign Troops that were about Paris to march directly to the Frontiers of Flanders and unite their Souldiery to the Army of Turenne and la Ferté Seneterre and all those who were further off within the space of fifteen days declaring that those who should fail to perform in the space of three days the Contents of this Amnesty should reap no benefit by it from which his Majestie only excepted the Crimes committed betwixt particular persons which were to remain as before without other alteration This Amnesty with such an Exception at the end of it was esteemed only as an Artifice by those that did not desire it though for that time it took no effect for it was publish'd abroad that not including those that had fought in duel and assaulted the Town-house the 4. of July it rested in the Will of the King to chastise whom he pleased under colour of this Delinquency yet it ceased not to leave an impression in many who understanding the cavil introduc'd by the Princes and the Frondeurs were much offended having always believed that when the Cardinal should be gone the Princes and the Parlement would have cast themselves at the Kings feet But although those with the Frondeurs had no thought to receive the said Amnesty though it should be made in the forme they desired nevertheless they feined themselves zealous for the publick good shewing themselves very well pleased at the Cardinals departure The Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Conde went afterward to the Parlement where it was concluded to present the King their thanks for sending away the Cardinal and the Sovereign Courts and the body of the City send Deputies to the King to the same effect and to compleat all that was necessary for the welfare and repose of the State A little after the Parlement resolved to desire the King again to return to Paris and the Princes declared that they were ready to lay down their Armes so an Amnesty were granted them in good forme making the same Protests in the Chamber of Accounts and Court of Aids The Duke of Orleans dispatch'd a Courier to the Duke d' Anville his Friend and a Minister of State very dear to the King and most faithful to the Queen to obtain of his Majestie Passports for the Deputies that were appointed to negotiate the final Peace But d' Anville having kept the Courier a while sent him back empty because it did not seem decent for the King to enter into other Treaties since by the Amnesty he had perfected every thing and expected that the Princes should suddenly lay down their Armes as they had formerly declared to do so soon as the Cardinal was gone from Court D' Anville writ withal another Letter to the Duke of Orleans importing that he believed the Passports would be granted if they renewed their requests directly to the King himself which being done a Passport was granted to the Mareschal d' Estampes to come to Court not as a Deputy but as a meer Courtier and at the same time some secret Negotiations were renewed betwixt the Secretary Goulas the Marquess de Chasteauneuf and the Dutchess of Aiguillon the drift of which was to take off the Duke of Orleans from the Union with Conde they clearly perceiving that the Declarations that he made
at Court that Barbarin had changed his first inclinations having been gained by the Pope and the Spaniards upon the hopes of having the Ecclesiastical Revenues of Naples and Sicily restored to him and the money seized upon in Rome by the Chamberlains when the Pope pretended to ruine the family of the Barberines by forcing them to an account The Pope was inclined to a reconciliation with the Barberines because having not long to live he thought it not convenient to leave his Kindred at variance with these great persons who were still very powerful in Rome the Spaniards also concurred herein thereby to disengage this Family from their dependence on France that they might not oppose them in the Election of a New Pope Cardinal Francesco cherishing himself as was supposed with these hopes complain'd having no other pretence that they made little account of him in France seeing that Cardinal Mazarine had married his Neece to the Duke of Mercoeur without concerning himself to finde out a Match for the Princess Lucretia Barberini at which he manifested so much displeasure that he sent his Nephew the Abbot Don Maffeo to Lions to bring away privately the said Princess and the Prince Don Carlo Praefect of Rome into the Countrey of Vicenza in Italy which was done while Cardinal Antonio was at Paris without his having the least inckling of it This resolution seemed strange in France and the more because the same Cardinal Barbarine had sent his Cousin Colonel Vaini a Person of great value and esteem some years before into France to ratifie the Espousals betwixt that Prince and his said Neece After this uniting of Cardinal Barberin with the Pope to engage that family to him by a streighter Tye a Marriage was concluded between Don Maffeo Barbarine at that time Abbot and a Grand Neece of his Holiness in consideration of which the Prince Governour was promoted to the Cardinalship who renounced his Primogeniture to his Brother Bride-groom as hereafter shall be said FINIS THE TABLE A. Anger 's in Armes page 155 Archbishop of Rouen deputed to Court page 157 Assembly of the Citizens of Paris page 172 Army of the Princes at Estampes page 175 Encamped betwixt St. Clou and Furenne page 218 Assembly at the Palace-Royal page 349. Gives great disturbance to the Princes page 347 B. Brisac put into the Kings hands page 326 The Battel in the Surburbs of St. Anthony page 230 Barcelona rendered to the Spaniards page 415 C. Cardinal Mazarine his Birth 1 His Voyage into Spain 2. He betakes himself to the Wars 3. Makes a Relation of the Affairs of the Valtoline 5. Endeavors to put himself in the Barberins service ib. Returns to his Studies 6. Goes to Milan with Sacchetti ib. Returns to Rome 8. is sent back to Cardinal Antonio 9. treats with the Count de Collalto ib. He captivates the affection of the Duke of Savoy 11. Chasteauneuf banished Paris 433 Chavigny endeavours to make his Peace with Mazarine 380 his death 383 Counsellor Brussel lays down his office of Prevost of Merchants 346. Cardinal de Retz deputed to the King 328 The City begins to treat with the Court 338 Casal delivered to the Duke of Mantua 416 Cardinal Mazarine his Advice to the King 318 His return to Paris 477 His Artifices to render the Princes odious to the Parisiens 292 his Plots to to reduce Bourdeaux 451 Contrives the Imprisonment of Cardinal de Retz 435 He goes to the Camp 432 Endeavors to gain those of the contrary party 423 Cardinal Antonio Barbarin Legate à Latere for the Peace 8 Protector of France 27 Sends Mazarine to Spinola 16 Cardinal Francesco Barberine complains of Mazarine 21 Grows jealous of him 27 Cardinal Richlieu takes an affection to Mazarine 12 Conspiracy of the Duke of Beaufort against Mazarine 45 Cardinal de Sancta Cicilia Vice-Roy of Catalonia 48 The Coadjutor of Paris and the Count de Chavigny envy Mazarins fortune 60 Commotions at Bourdeaux quieted 87 Cardinal Mazarine sent to the Court of France 11 treats with Cardinal Richlieu ib. He begins to render good Offices to the French treats with Spinola ib. passes into Savoy to the King of France 14 after the death of Spinola he propounds a Suspension of Arms 18 Concludes the Peace 19 treats secretly with the Duke of Savoy to deliver Pignerol to the French 20 Enters into the service of Cardinal Antonio 23 is made his Auditor ib. is sent Nuntio Extraordinary into France ib. gains the Affections of the French Ministers of State 24 is recall'd to Rome 25 the King of France recalls him to Paris 28 Nominates him to the Cardinalship 29 Flempotentiary for France at the Treaty of Munster 30 Extraordinary Embassador into Savoy ib. is made Cardinal 32 Extraordinary Honour conferrâ—d on him he causes the Command of the Army to be conferr'd to the Duke'd Anguien 35 Godfather to the Dolphin 38 He endeavours to confirm the Alliance with the foreign Princes 40 He draws the Princes of Este to the French Faction 49 His good Offices to the Barberins 52 Endeavours to preserve the friendship of England 61 His dissimulation with Conde 72 His Art to draw the three Princess together ib. He endeavors to quiet Bourdeux 78 He leaves Paris 103 Arrives at Havre de Grace 102 Departs the Kingdom 105 He is complemented by several Princes 112 endeavors to divide the Princes and the Frondeurs 113 Recall'd by the King 126 Returns into France with an Army 142 is kindly received by the King 151 Endeavors to gain the Duke of Lorain 187 Raises discord among those at Bourdeaux 414 He encourageth the Court of Savoy to persist in their Union with France 421 Great commotions in Paris 130 Chafteauneuf chief Minister 132 retires from Court 156 The Count de Servient recalled to Court 158 the Count de Chavigny and others dispatched to Court 177 consternation of the Parisiens upon the retreat of the Duke of Lorain 217 The Cardinal de Retz hinders the Peace 242 The Court resolves to destroy the Army of the Princes 228 The Court of Aids assemble at Pontoise 338 The Colonels of Paris go to the King page 386 D. The Duke of Angoulesm imprisoned 311 Duke of Orleans Lieutenant General of the Crown 286 The death of the Duke of Bouillon 226 Designes of the Cardinal the Retz 324 The Duke of Nemours slain by the Duke de Beaufort 295 Duke of Beaufort invites the people to assemble at the Place-Royal 208 Made Governour of Paris 258 renounces his Government 385 The Duke of Savoy complains of Spinola 14 the Duke of Lorain stopt going out of Paris 387 Dutchess of Chevreuse disgusted with the Prince of Conde 68 Divers Lords banish'd Paris 406 Disturbances in divers parts of the Kingdom 76 Duke of Wittenbergs baggage plundred 359 Dutchess of Chevreuse undertakes to free the Princes 81 Duke de Mercoeur marries the Cardinals Neece 126 His Marriage questioned in Parlement 127 Decrees of the Parlement against the Cardinal 132 Death
imprisonment of the Princes were taken out of the Monastery and brought to live in the Palace Royal with the Dukes of Mercure and Candale only son of the Duke of Espernon so that they plotted all they could to hinder the chastisement of those of Bourdeaux and to reconcile themselves to the Princes and to release them with design to fall altogether upon the Cardinal and having ruined him to fall upon the Princes and remain sole in the Government To this end they flattered the Dutchess of Chevreuse with hopes of marrying her daughter to the Prince of Conty and she being in great credit and esteem with the Duke of Orleans by her means they gained the good-will of that Duke and with various Artifices perswaded him to press the Queen that the Princes might be brought from Vincennes to the Bastile of which place the Councellour Brussel one of the chief of the Frondeurs being Governour they thought by this means to get the Princes into their custody and to unite themselves with them to confound the Cardinal or if they should be able to ruine the Cardinal of themselves then to detain the Princes still prisoners and keep the dominion in their own power They joyned themselves thereupon in a stricter union and diligently laboured to hinder the King from going into Guienne using innumerable devices to frustrate this intention of the Cardinal who for all that mock'd at all the tricks of his enemies and with more discerning and wise Counterplots deluded them Their endeavors to hinder the Voiage into Guienne not succeeding they found out another pretext to stir up the people giving out that Mazarine was the only Obstructer of the Peace and that they ought to consider of the means to force him to conclude it the the Duke of Beaufort with like pretexts endeavored to regain his credit with the people from which he was much fallen ever since the Cardinals Visit The Court at this time went into Guienne The Duke of Orleans remained in Paris in quality of Lieutenant General of the Crown The Cardinal though he found himself strong enough in forces to chastise the Bourdelese yet did not omit according to his wonted custom to seek by fair means and by treaty to quiet these differences knowing the ill consequences that follow the bloody remedies of Arms against ones own Subjects But the Bourdelese that were back'd by the Parliament of Paris by the Faction of the Princes by the Frondeurs and by the very Spaniards obstinately prepared themselves to a defence The Spaniards making advantage of this diversion recovered Piombino and Portolongone in Italy And in Flanders joyning with Mareschal Turenne they took Rhetel and la Chappelle over-running the Countrey within ten Leagues of Paris The Frondeurs rejoycing at this Progress of the enemy thought of nothing more then of the delivery of the Princes to counterballance the Cardinal hoping that the Obligation in freeing them from Prison would cancel the demerit of making them Prisoners None was more zealous to serve the Dutchess of Chevreuse then the Coadjutor who by means of Letters reciprocally convey'd to and from the Princes had gained a promise from the Prince of Conty to marry her Daughter Hereupon the Dutchess pressed the Duke of Orleans that he would likewise set his helping hand to their liberty But the Persuasions of Monsieur Tillier Secretary of State left by the King at Paris to assist the Duke of Orleans prevailing with the Duke and knowing the danger that if the Spaniards should advance as far as the Castle of Vincennes they might set the Princes at liberty consented that they should be remove to the Castle of Marcoussy to keep them still in the Kings Power The Spaniards making use of this favourable conjuncture for their interests thought to increase the animosities of the Parisiens by sending a Trumpet from the Arch-Duke with Letters to the Duke of Orleans inviting him to a Treaty for a General Peace with a shew of sincere intentions The Duke willingly lent an ear to this invitation hoping thereby to acquire no less glory abroad then credit and good-will amongst the French wherefore dispatching several Courriers to Court they to please him sent him Power and Authority to Treat the Cardinal not doubting but that quickly as it afterwards happened he should discover the Arts by which this Engine was levell'd The Princes friends in the mean time did not let slip this opportunity to instigate the people so much the more against Mazarine affixing several papers in divers parts of the City in the Mareschal de Turenne's name containing in substance that there being in the Cardinal as great a reluctancy to the peace as in the Archduke and the Spaniards there was a readiness and inclination for it they ought by no means to lose this opportunity of enjoying again so great a happiness aggravating withall the miseries and ruine that by the continuation of the war hovered over all France To this effect the Marquess de Bagni Apostolical Nuntio with the Count dâ— Avaux went to Soissons to confer with the Archduke about the first Overtures Where they not onely found none on the part of the Catholick King but also were slightly answered by Don Gabriel di Toledo that it behoved them to expect Orders from Spain whilest the Archduke made account he had been Plenipotentiary having made the invitation with such earnestness and importunity Those of Bourdeaux in the mean while were reduced to great streights by the assault made upon the Town by the Kings Army so that they inclined to an Accommodation nor did the Court shew much aversion thereunto for the apprehension they had of the commotions of Paris wherefore the King granted them a general Amnesty without giving ear to their importunities for the delivery of the Princes but giving them the satisfaction in the removal of the Duke of Espernon from that Government the rest remaining in the same state This Peace of Bourdeaux was received with unexpressible bitterness by the Frondeurs who jealous that the Cardinal would set the Princes at liberty without acquainting them they united themselves afresh with the Duke of Orleans and sought by all means to set him at odds with Mazarine whom they gave to understand that the Court should return Paris and this with intent to hinder him of those advantages that he might reap by the Voyage of Tholouse and Provence which was of the Cardinal for many weighty reasons who preferring the urging desire of the Duke of Orleans for the Kings return to Paris and the necessity of providing for the securing of the Princes in causing them to be transported to a safer place then Marcousy before any other consideration he brought back their Majesties towards Paris and they remained at Fountainbleau whither the Queen invited the Duke of Orleans to consult Affairs of great importance but in effect it was onely to win him to the removal of the Princes a thing dreaded by the Frondeurs who foreseeing
sole occasion of all these disturbances The Affair was remitted to the Council of State they examined the Answers The Cardinal renewed his instances divers times made for leave to depart alledging that it was not convenient that for him alone the tranquillity of the Kingdom should be discompos'd He was oppos'd by the King himself saying that he was Master and would be served by them that liked him best nor did he acknowledge any to give him Laws but God The Sunday following the Deputies return'd to the Audience of the King who plucking out from under his Garment a Writing said that by that they should know his Will Monsieur de la Vrilliere Secretary of State read it and afterwards deliver'd it to the President Nesmond who return'd with it to Paris It contain'd that the King did wonder very much that having in his Parlement so many persons endued with so excellent understanding and acuteness they did not discern that the request of removing the Cardinal was onely a specious and varnish'd pretext since it was manifest the true cause of the present disturbances was the Interest and Ambition of them that had taken Arms and kindled the Civil war when the Cardinal was as far as Germany from the Court and Ministry which made it clearly appear that the evils of a State were not to be healed so long as they rested upon pretences whose roots do produce as much as are lopp'd off wherefore the onely remedy left was to pluck up the deepest and most principal That if His Majesty should resolve to permit the Cardinal to retire upon some imployment abroad and with due reputation to his Honour what Security should he have that the waverings of the unquietness of the Male-contents should calm since it was fresh in memory that his departure in the beginning of the last year had rather augmented then moderated the Troubles which if they were not allay'd by his going then though it was proposed for the only remedy nor ought he less to believe that it would succeed otherwise if he were sent away a second time unless at the same instant the occasion was taken away that caused these matters That the prudence of His Majesty sought a prompt and permanent repose to his Subjects that they might not fall again into the same inconveniences of which they had too much felt the sad effects It being very well known that in the same time that the Princes declar'd themselves ready to lay down their Arms if the Cardinal was sent away they endeavoured to fortifie their party by fomenting of strangers and drawing other of His Majesty's Subjects from their obedience That the Declaration made a few days before by the Duke of Orleans to the Communalty of Paris shewing that he had no Authority over the Forces of the Duke of Lorrain which he boasted he had drawn into France was not conformable to that he made in Parlement That the Treaty concluded by the Prince of Condé with the Spaniards did not speak of laying down their Arms when the Cardinal should be sent away nor could it be mentioned for when it was concluded Mazarine was in Germany That in the mean while therefore it behoved to have real and positive Security of the Princes for the entire performance of what they offered and therefore he desired to know if they would renounce all their Leagues and Associations contracted with strangers and all Treaties concluded in particular with his Subjects against his Royal Service If they would make no other pretensions after the departure of the Cardinal If this being done they would repair to His Majesty to serve him according to their duty If they would cause the strangers they had brought in to depart the Kingdom and would promise that the Spanish Troops and the Duke of Lorrains should retire without giving them that they might pretend to in prejudice of the King and the State If the Souldiers that under their name made war against His Majesty should be disbanded If those of the King of Spains at Stenay at Bourg in Guienne and in other places should retire and refusing to do it what way should be taken to force them If the Prince of Conty and the Dutchess of Longueville would return to their devoir and whether the Prince of Conde had power to promise for them If the Prince of Conty would lay aside all pretensions If they have joyntly the power from the Persons of Quality that have engag'd with them to give Security for their obedience If the Cities and Fortified places kept in the name of the Pr. of Conde should be put into the same state and being that they were before If the City of Bourdeaux would return to its duty If the Establishment made against the Kings service since these present troubles should be revoked And finally all things settled in their former state according to the Articles in the Kings Declaration of December 1649. Concerning which Points when His Majesty should receive full assurance of their performance without cavils and and new pretences he should be induced to believe that the Malady which afflicted the Kingdom might be easily remedied This Answer being read in Parlement with the twelve Questions in reply to that of the Princes the Duke of Orleans said it was all of the Cardinals dictating who ill-inform'd of the Customs of France framed Questions to the Princes of the Bloud in form of Interrogatories which was never yet seen practised and having declared over and over as they did now again to lay down their Arms so soon as the Cardinal should be out of France there was no need of other Security since all was done with sincerity and without any doubleness They disputed a great while upon this subject in the Assembly in which it was proposed by those on the Kings side that they ought to send again Deputies to His Majesty with Authority to treat of Peace so necessary to the State The Counsellour Brussel stood still fix'd in his averseness to the Conference and to hold themselves simply to the Declaration There followed other Disputes and Contests in words amongst some of the Counsellours and the 21th of June the Chambers met again where they made two Propositions one to seek a way to maintain the poor and the other to raise 150000 Crowns for the price of the Cardinals head having thoughts that there would be some rash enough to offer themselves to kill him but this was laid aside as then as an unworthy thing and detestable in Christians and all that was done was to raise 100000 Crowns for the relief of the poor every Counsellour taxing himself 100 Livres Many of these poor people were paid expresly to clamour at the Parlement door and raise some tumult to oblige the Assembly to a declared Union with the Princes which was the design of these to necessitate Paris to provide Moneys and other necessaries for sustaining the War As the Counsellours came out of the Palace People
he ended this Answer with a demand which he made them to try their good intentions and as a business most necessary which was That the Inhabitants would re-establish in their Offices the Governour the Prevost of the Merchants and the Sheriffs who had been turned out Which being done his Majestie would presently send Orders to be observed in the Town-house assuring the six Companies of Merchants of his entire satisfaction good-will and Protection The Princes the Parliament and the whole Faction were very much disturbed at this Message and as they clearly saw that those of Paris had changed their minds and most earnestly sought for Peace which was not a little destructive to their designs they applied themselves with all industry to finde out means to overcome the Kings Army by force of Arms and make themselves Masters of the Field esteeming this the only way to maintain themselves in Paris while it remain'd deprived of that support which on all occasions it might deceive from the Kings troops But to return to Mazarine who arriving at Sedan and from thence Bovillon out of the Kingdom there wanted not persons who interposed for the adjusting at least of the Duke of Orleans with the Court. The Cardinal de Retz and the Marquess of Chasteauneuf promising to themselves that if once his Royal Highness should return to Court he might by degrees regain His Majesties favour and taking his place again in the Council they should not be left behind To this end with the consent of the Duke of Lorrain the Marquess of Saint Lambert was dispatch'd to the Court to begin the Negotiation But the Queen and the Kings Officers who were attent upon the return of Mazarine and their own security could in no wise consent that the Duke of Orleans a Confident of the Prince of Conde's and a Confederate of the Spaniards should meddle in the Government considering that if the Duke of Orleans with his followers and Adherents should insinuate themselves into the Affairs of the Kingdom there would be more danger then ever of diminishing the Kings Authority for the secure support whereof it is requisite that no Officer of State should depend upon any other then the King himself for these by diminishing the credit of others would endeavour to dispose of all things after their own fancies threatning whomsoever should oppose them to turn all things upside down again The Prince of Conde who was engaged with the Duke of Orleans by the Promise of Marriage between his Royal Highness his Daughter and the Duke of Anguien and thought he went hand in hand with him although he was left out of the Treaty might in time also have made his Peace with those advantages himself desired and the Duke of Orleans had promised Mazarine therefore making prudent reflexions upon considerations so nice who though far from the Court yet directed all things was very sensible how inconsiderate advice this must be that exposed the Government to the will and discretion of others which under an absolute Monarch will admit of no Companion These Affairs being thus on foot the Princes and the Parliament stood much upon the Point that the Act of Oblivion granted by the King did not contain a full abolition and pardon of what had been done in the last five years past nor was expressed in those termes which were desired viz. in general and without conditions but served only for the inhabitants of Paris with design that if they were once satisfied not to matter much the Princes and Parliament They urged therefore that the King ought to give full and irrevocable Authority to the Duke of Orleans to forme another without any exceptions to be ratified in the Parliament of Paris where the Counsellors gone to Pontoise ought to appear and this to be done in the Presence of the King himself for this cause the Parliament met often some Letters were writ by the Duke of Orleans the Duke d' Anville and the Marquess of St. Lambert negotiated with the Kings Council and many things were done the particular relation of which would be too tedeous But Cardinal Mazarine knowing how prejudicial this would be to the Kings Authority by his Advice the granting of Pass-ports was absolutely denied to those deputed by the Parliament already declared invalid holding firm to their first resolutions so that Affairs remained in the same posture as at first each party endeavouring to uphold their own opinions The third of October the Parliament in Paris being assembled to hear what News the Marquess of St. Lambert brought from the Court two Watermen were laid hold of who cried aloud God bless the King and Cardinal Mazarine and were seconded by many others they were led to the prison of Conciergery and Order given to draw up their Indictment as also against divers others who cried the same in several streets of Paris giving out that such kind of Fellows were set on by some that gave them money on purpose to move the people to sedition This News being brought to Court and besides that the Parliament continued to proceed against some of those who met at the Assembly in the Palace-Royal the King with the Advice of His Council passed a Decree upon the fifth of October by which he cancell'd and annull'd all the aforesaid pretended proceedings informations and orders published or to be published imposing severe penalties upon the Commissioners or Judges that should proceed any further commanding all the Inhabitants of Paris to execute His Majesties Orders and Commands In the mean time the Kings Army was at Villeneufue St. George much streightned and pressed hard upon by the Troops of the Princes and their Confederates who were superior in number and in danger either to be forced as they lay or set upon in their retreat seeing that for want of provisions and forage many both men and horses died This troubled the Court very much and above all Mazarine who was the cause that the Army put themselves in that place and doubted some sinister event the winning of the day consisting in keeping the Kings Army near Paris by which means those Practices were fomented which were managed by the Cardinals directions in that City in favour of the King The Princes who understood the importance of this business and that if the Kings Army should preserve themselves all their designs were ruined omitted nothing either to overcome them or reduce them by famine and sufferings to the utmost despair but the nearness and delights of Paris together with the sickness which hapned to the Prince of Conde Wirtemberg and many other of the Principal Commanders which may be truly attributed to an effect of the Divine Providence was the break-neck of their party but besides the sickness of these Princes the Dukes of Lorrain and Beaufort and most of the other Chief Officers with a considerable number of the best Souldiers were also in the City as well for the suspicion they had that the Citizens might rise
entred the Town and not the Mantuans But the Marquess of Caracena kept his word punctually with the Duke in all what he had promised in so much that his Highness thinking it convenient for the security of that place to put in a Garrison of German Souldiers he proposed to take in some of those which had served in the Spanish Army after they should be disbanded by the Spaniards and had taken an Oath of Allegiance to him but the Spaniard would not consent to it left there might be some suspicion of deceit in this neither would he suffer any of his to enter into the Town nor would he go himself but in Company of the Duke of Mantua who came thither a few days after The Savoyards not being able to relieve Casale assaulted and took Crescentino and would have obtained their desired intents if those of Montferrat had corresponded with them but they being very faithful to their Prince were assisting towards the Recovery of the Town The Duke of Mantua declared the French Plenipotentiaries that whensoever his Territory of Montferrat should be restored to its former estate and put peaceably into his hands without trouble or injury to the Treaty of Chirasco he would presently renounce the three thousand Crowns a month which the Empress was to give him for the paiment of the Garrison and maintain it at his proper charge without any ones help This his Highness did to take away all jealousie or pretence which the French might have upon this account though this was not his principal motive for it is certain that he had not the least imagination of letting this most noble place go out of his hands again which rendred him conspicuous to all Italy and made him esteemed by both Crowns and this was always the opinion of the Marquess de la Val. But these Declarations of the Dukes and his Agents availed little for things being diversly suggested at the Court of France suspicion had such force that they judged always sinisterly nor could the Kings Ministers of State rest satisfied after the loss of so important a place and which rendred their Authority so considerable to all Italy Most of the other Italian Princes grew jealous also that Casale should at length fall into the hands of the Spaniards and therefore lamented that the French had not provided against it in time which they said they might have done very easily if they had not busied themselves more in persecuting Cardinal Mazarine and overthrowing his Counsels then in taking care for the concerns of the Crown their Jealousies and Suspitions were also much more encreased by the report which went about that the Spaniards after they had driven the French out of Casale were in a close Treaty with the Court of Savoy soothing their chief Ministers with a belief that his Catholick Majesty would restore Vercelli drive the French from Pignerol and the Cittadel of Turin make up the differences with Mantua and perhaps espouse the Infanta to the Duke of Savoy by which insinuations they went about to gain that house and keeping the French beyond the Mountains restore Peace to Italy and their own Authority to its former splendour These Propositions were hearkned to by the Piemontesi who opened their ears with no little attention and the more by reason that they were fearful that whilst his Christian Majesty was involved in Civil Wars and not able to contribute to the defence of Piemont the Spaniards might make some considerable Progress so that if they should defer the remedy to another time it might so happen that they should find neither time nor remedy These Treaties cast a great cloud upon the Affairs of the Court of France The Cardinal particularly considering the Prejudices which the King might receive if the Spaniards after they had setled their Affairs in Italy should employ all their forces in Flanders and Catalonia he endeavored with all industry by the means of the Embassador Servient and the Abbot of Aille to keep the Savoyards in hopes of a speedy and certain care of their Affairs so that Mazarine being in great credit and strict friendship with the house of Savoy his word alone prevailed more then all other means to elude the Artifices of the Ministers of the but because the troubles at home permitted not at that time the effecting of those things which the necessity of affairs required he sought no further at present then to keep Piemont united with the Court by putting them in hopes of restoring into their hands Verva and Villeneufve d' Astinelle and of the Honour of treating their Embassadours for the future equal to those of Kings Besides these Honours the Count de Quincé General of the French Forces in Piemont was sent to them who arrived at Turin in December accompanied with a great number of Officers and Persons of Quality Mazarine who amongst these dangerous storms had saved the Kings Authority from imminent shipwrack made himself known to all the World for one of the most expert and undaunted Pilots that sails in the Ocean of Policy so soon as ever he saw the Whirlwindes of those commotions which had so furiously agitated the whole Kingdom allayed by the Presence of the King in Paris He applied himself with all sollicitousness to search out means proper not only to calm the intestine troubles but to raise up the trampled upon credit and reputation of the Regal Dignity Wherefore he judged it would be easier to render it esteemed and honoured by pardoning then by punishing This being the Cardinals constant Maxime to win upon the generous humour of the French Nation rather by gentle usage then by violence of Arms. He began therefore to treat with those who were most contumacious He was of opinion that the sole love of the King ought to be the Quintessence fit to nourish that Concord amongst subjects which is interrupted by nothing more then by the apprehensions of hatred and revenge He revived new Treaties and Propositions of Peace with the Prince of Conty with the Parlement of Bourdeaux with the Count d' Harcourt the Count d' Ognon and with all the other Princes and great Lords of high spirit He sent also an Intimate of his to negotiate closely with the Prince of Conde to pacifie him and remove him from the Spanish service offering him the Sovereignty of some state out of France but whether the Prince found himself too far engaged with the Catholick King or whether the Nobleness of his minde would not suffer him to be worse then his word without cause or apparent reason or whether he judg'd the dignity offered him inconsistent or moved with other reasons or regards the effect of these Propositions vanish'd The Prince declared that he had no ambition of Sovereignty but was contented with the honour which he had of being first Prince of the blood-Royal that he knew not how to trust him any more who under the pretence of friendship had deceived him nor could
he had the will there might perhaps have followed considerable disturbances His Holiness called divers Congregations of the most learned Cardinals and in whom he most confided and although there were not some wanting who were more moderate to represent to them how circumspectly they ought to proceed in so nice an Affair yet Monsignor Marini was ordered to go to Paris and there to forme a pleading of what was imputed to the Criminal and to sollicit that the Judgment of it might be left to the Holy See which was the only Court and Tribunal for the Causes of Cardinals But as they were very certain at Rome that if they would not receive in France Monsignor Corsini in quality of Legat to that Court because there was not Advice first given of it to the King or his Ministers of State much less would they admit of the Arch-Bishop Marini with the like Commissions and consequently they determined a thing which could have no effect so they at Paris did verily apprehend that this proceeded from the Counsel of them who desired to arm the Pope with pretences to blame France for bearing so little respect to the Apostolick See giving him occasion to joyn with their enemies it being certainly believed in Rome as also in Paris that the King would never have venture to thwart the Pope in those unhappy Conjunctures so that by this bold Resolution of sending the Arch-Bishop Marini into France they should uphold the Pontifical decorum and make the Ecclesiastical Authority very glorious The Cardinal Prince Trivultio who was at that time in Rome to take care of the Spanish Interest and supplied the place of Ordinary Embassador for His Catholick Majesty wisely foresaw the bad success of this deliberation which fell out exactly as he had foretold for those that were concerned judging presently that these Maxims of the Court of Rome had no other foundation then a flattering opinion of their own wishes they quickly applied themselves to overthrow them Cardinal Mazarine convinced of the nature of the French as easie to give way to Novelties that bring their delight as inflexible to those things that threaten them he was constrained to minde nothing else but the maintaining of the Kings Authority and therefore Marini was not permitted to enter into the Kingdom the French were unsatisfied with the Court of Rome taxing them of great partiality For the Affronts and Abuses having been oftentimes represented to them that were put upon Cardinal Mazarine a year before by the Parlement of Paris against all Law divine and humane without drawing up his Indictment without lawful Authority and contrary to the Kings minde who defended him and acknowledged himself faithfully served by him and what was worse although the Parlement proceeded so far as to set a Tax of fifty thousand Crowns on his Head besides the Confiscation of all his estate yet for all this the Pope never concern'd himself for defence of the said Cardinal who had no other support left him then that of his Holiness the Kings Authority being at that time contemn'd and trampled on where on the contrary for the only detention of Retz which was done out of meer necessity for the publick good and for maintaining of the Royal Dignity against which he was accused to have a long time plotted they made so much noise They added moreover that the Pope had the less reason to find himself aggrieved seeing the most Christian King had no other intent then to stop the imprisoned Cardinal from going on in his Instigations and not to bring him to trial much less to judge him knowing very well that this did belong to the sole Vicar of Christ although the Parlement passing all respects due to the Holy See and to a Prince of the Holy Church had arrogated to themselves the Authority to do it against Mazarine These and the like Reasons were deduced by the French alledging likewise the example of Lewis the 13. who caused Cardinal Ballua to be imprisoned and detained many years for holding correspondence with the Kings Brother and the Duke of Burgundy and yet the Pope resented it only with fatherly Admonitions and good Offices for his freedom and his errours were not to be parallel'd with those wherewith de Retz was charged They said moreover that the King had caused to be conferr'd upon him the dignity of the Scarlet Robe to oblige him to serve him with the greater affection and not to make use on 't to the prejudice of the Crown That to Sovereign Princes all things were permitted for the security of their States And as the most Christian Kings did justly boast to have alwayes defended and protected the Holy See and to have also reverently and piously obey'd it assisting them in all occasions with their forces and power so His Majestie should glory to follow the footsteps of his Ancestours But that he ought likewise to take care for the benefit and quiet of his loving subjects of whom the King was the Common Father The Imprisonment of this Cardinal who was one of the principal Supports of the Faction of la Fronda compleated their total ruine and destruction for though there remained in Paris some Reliques of this Fire the Sparks were so weak that of themselves they were not able to raise the least Flame and therefore the Royal Authority being more and more setled the Ministers of State proceeded in those deliberations which they judged most proper for the re-establishing the Kingdom in its ancient splendour By these troubles the Kings Revenues were much diminished and the necessity of having money was very urgent great debts being contracted and the credit of the Court reduced to last extremity notwithstanding that the King enjoys a yearly Revenue of above eight millions of Pistols so that to raise money His Majesty made divers Decrees which upon the last day of December were ratified and registred in Parliament in Presence of His Majesty with all readiness although they amounted to the number of thirteen but to please them it was declared that the money raised should be employed upon the most urgent Affairs of the Kingdom and particularly in paying the Souldiery These Edicts were also ratified upon the 7. of January following in the Chamber of Accounts and Court of Aids in Presence of the Duke of Anjon who to that purpose was sent thither by the King with these Redresses of the Political Affairs the Military also took vigour in the Managements of the War with good success in regard of the ruines and losses suffered by the King and the whole Kingdom not only in those parts towards Flanders and in Guienne but also in Italy and Gatalonia Cardinal Mazarine was resolved to keep the War on foot in this last Countrey to divert the Spaniards from employing their forces more powerfully in other parts and therefore he opportunely reliev'd Roses with some barks of Provisions which he ordered to be sent out of Provence by the Duke of Mercoeur The
Preparations for War the Cardinal in the first place caused several sums of money to be paid to the Colonels and Captains of the old Troops for their Recruits and Commissions to be given out for new Levies he thought it necessary likewise to entertain a Squadron of German Horse as Persons very proper for his Incampments and constant to the Party in which they engage to that end he dispatch'd the Count de Nantueil Monsieur Milet Monsieur Gontier Monsieur Gravelle and others into Germany with ready money as likewise the Counts de Grandprè and Beaujeu into the Countrey of Liege And because of the loss of Casal and the Preparations for War which the Spaniards made in the State of Milan where great Recruits were expected as well from Naples as Germany Piedmont was so dangerously threatned that the Duke of Savoy by his rieterated solicitations prest hard for considerable supplies or else to be permitted to enter into a Neutrality with Spain the Court of France dispatch'd into Piedmont 4500 Foot and 1500 Horse which arrived happily in the Month of May at Anone as an insorcement to the French Troops already in those parts under the Command of Count de Quincy till the Arrival of a Mareschal of France who was expected every day And because the Spaniard continued the Negotiations which were begun long before with the Duke of Savoy to gain him to their party or at least reduce him to a Neutrality by their advantageous Exhibitions to which a Minister of that Court appear'd to be inclin'd The King sent Monsieur de Plessis Besanzon his Lieutenant General with the Title of one of his Gentlemen to all the Princes of Italy to Negotiate about the present Affairs of those parts In execution therefore of his Orders Besanzon advanced with great diligence to Turin from whence Having assured the Duke that his Majesty would maintain the Treaty of Chirasco that he would defend Piedmont always protect that State and cause an Army with considerable Commanders to march immediately thither to that purpose he proceeded to Casal where he found the Duke of Mantua at that time and being receiv'd with the honours usually exhibited to the Kings Embassador he contracted his business into two Points One was that His Majesty should be satisfy'd about the interest of Casal and that that place should be put into a condition not to be surprized exchanged or fall any other way into the hands of the Spaniard The other was about the pretences the Ministers of Spain might make under the name of the said Duke of Mantua to Montferrat which was then in possession of Savoy forasmuch as His most Christian Majesty waâ— ready to deposit the sum contained in the Treaty of Chirasco for thâ— discharge of the House of Savo To these two Propositions the Duke replyâ—d That he esteem'd the coming of the said Monsieur du Plessis as a particular favour not doubting but he as a prudent person would apprehend the necessity which obliged him to possess himself of those places and be perswaded that by no accident whatever he should be alienated from that devotion which upon so many reasons and obligations his Highness profess'd to His most Christian Majesty so he hoped also on the Other side he would shew himself so courteous as to convince His said Majesty that he was resolved to hazard his own life and estate and the lives and estates of all his subjects before he would suffer the Spaniards or any other to make themselves Master of the said places That it might possibly be the money for the payment of the Garrison might come out of the Coffers of the King of Spain which yet was more then he knew but however he protested he receiv'd it as coming from the Empress his Aunt and her Sister under whose Authority that Treaty was concluded That whenever he should be repossess'd of that part of the estate which the House of Savoy with manifest injustice detein'd from him and might freely make use of those Rents as he had formerly done and as he had often protested against the Treaties which were never consented to by the House of Mantua as being too much to its prejudice he would maintain that Garrison himself without the assistance of any one and therefore he conceived in that respect it would have been more proper for him to have been sent to the Court of Savoy to have interpos'd his Majesties Authority there and caus'd them without further expostulation to have restor'd what so unjustly they detein'd then to address himself to his Highness who would be more ready to embrace ways of Amity and Peace then of Violence and War which he knew would disturb the quiet of all Italy so much desired and endeavoured by the House of Mantua which would clearly appear to whoever would impartially look back and consider who they were which did really interrupt it and at length he told him that he could not in reason accept of the sum he was offer'd seeing he had not only not consented to but oppos'd the aforesaid Treaties and besides the said sums would fall much short of what was due by reason of the advantages had been made of the rents of it since the House of Savoy had it in their hands Du Plessis had declar'd before both to the Duke and the Marquess de la Val his Highnesses prime Minister that they could not satisfie France any other way but by putting the affairs of Casal and Monferrat in the same condition they were in before his Highness made use of the Spaniards to cause the French to march out But perceiving by their Answers both by word of mouth and in writing that that instance was in vain and believing it would be sufficient for His Majesty considering the importance of the place if it were well fortified and provided with a Garrison independent on the Spaniards and able to keep them out upon any pretence whatsoever he propos'd that to satisfie those ends if it were possible That half the Garrison should consist of the subjects of the said Duke and the other half of Swisses raised in the Catholick Cantons That all of them should remain under the Command and Authority of his Highness That one half of them should be paid by His most Christian Majesty and the other half by the Princes and Potentates of Italy his Allies and such as were most interested in that Affair He considered this Expedient would be a great ease to the Dukes Treasures till a General Peace could be concluded betwixt the two Crowns upon such conditions as should be proper to draw his Highness out of the necessity in which he was at that time of taking money of the Spaniards which was a thing much to the dishonor of those who had so often defended that place against them and might at length produce inconveniences absolutely repugnant to the quiet and security of the said Duke and his subjects John Coexens Secretary to the Emperess
Leonora whom she had sent Post with all possible diligence to the end he might in her behalf and in the name of the Emperess Regnant superintend the said Treaty was arrived and at that time present in the Court. Whereupon the Duke having communicated the aforesaid Propositions with him he replied That his Highness's Aunt and her Sister would have no small reason to complain if after his Catholick Majesty had pass't his Royal word that all things should always be maintained in the free disposition of his Highness and they received that Promise as a great Obligation he should have recourse to other persons for the subsistence of his Troops and demonstrate so little faith and confidence in his Majesty whose interest it was to conserve his Famil◠and his Estate To this Coexens added That it would be taken ill from his Highness if while he received Investiture for Montferrat from his Imperial Majesty he should receive into the places depending upon it either Garrison or money from any other Prince without the Privity and Consent of the said Emperour and the rather because the aforesaid Emperesses his Aunt and her Sister were his Sureties in that Affair At length all the Dukes Answers were reduc'd to one Point which was this That if the Estates which were taken from him and possest by the House of Savoy were restored and all the rents which belong'd to them he should be able without assistance from any person to secure and preserve those places himself But Monsieur du Plessis who foresaw that would be the most ready and the most proper Answer could be given was not however satisfy'd with his Answer though as the Duke told him he doubted not but upon a prudent and serious reflexion he would approve it and according to his accustomed courtesie represent it to the King adding a thousand Professions of the Obsequiousness and Devotion he intended always to preserve for his Majestie Du Plessis was not at all satisfied with his Answers and therefore finding his Propositions desperate having received many honours and demonstration of esteem as to his person but refus'd the Presents which the Duke out of his Generosity design'd for him departing from Casal he return'd to Turin from whence he gave the King an account of his Negotiation From Turin he was conducted to Genoa here he transacted with that state to their mutual satisfaction from thence he went to Parma and Modena and having managed his Affairs there with the same good success he arrived at Venice the 24. of July The substance of his Negotiation was to let the Princes of Italy know of what importance it was to them to have Pignerol conserved in the hands of the French That the Treaty of Chirasco should be observ'd and that satisfaction should be given to His most Christian Majesty by the Duke of Mantua in reference to the Affair of Casal to prevent those disorders which would be pernicious to the quiet and liberty of Italy if his most Christian Majesty should be constrain'd to transport his Arms into the very heart of Lombardy as without their compliance he would be necessitated to do The Mareschal Turenne was confirm'd in the Command of his Army against the Spaniards in Flanders for his Lieutenant-Generals he had deputed the Marquess de Uxelles the Count de Beaujeu the Sieurs de Castelneau and de Sant Maur all brave persons of great experience and renown There were designed likewise 7500 Horse and Foot for Rossiglion and Catalonia under the Command of Mareschal Hoqiuncourt and at last after several Negotiations by the intercession of the Bishop of Xaintes he prevail'd upon the Count de Ognon to resign the Governments of the Countrey of Aunis the Isles of Oleron and Rhe and the strong Town of Brouages which he held as the Queens Lieutenant-General upon the paying him 3000 Francs and delivering a Patent to be Duke Pair and Mareschal of France The Reasons upon which this person was brought to this resignation was this That not being able to stand upon his own legs he must have been constrained to have thrown himself under the Protection of Spain or of England or return to his obedience to his Majesty so that foreseeing discreetly he should at last become a prey to those who had undertaken his defence and considering that it is the property of a wise man to prevent other people and not attend till they be circumvented themselves and to return with security to his own Countrey and obedience to his natural Sovereign rather then plunge his Name and Family in perpetual Infamy he resolv'd to surrender all into His Majesties hands The Lieutenancy of all these Governments was confirm'd upon Monsiëur d' Estrades a Person of tried integrity and experience The Lieutenancy of Brouage was given to Monsieur Champfleury that of Oleron to Monsieur de St. Leonard the Fort of Preda in the Isle of Rhe to the Sieur de Louches and the Towers of Rochel to Sieur de Aunais all four the Cardinals Confidents with whose contrivances Fortune very courteously corresponding by his success and his wisdom together he managed things so well the effects still rendred his Actions most commendable and glorious Mazarine was in the mean time contriving all ways most probable to reduce the minds of the discontented by gentle rather then by violent means he heaped up great Treasures of money for the payment of the Souldiers and for the carrying on of the War The Recruits of the old Troops and the Levies of new were not small nor difficult in respect that the reputation of the Cardinal among the Souldiers prevail'd over any interest whatever they applying themselves with effectual diligence to such ways as might render them grateful and enable them to merit his favour which was so exceedingly desired by them all and this was the cause that by their fidelity and assistance he undertook such Enterprizes and succeeded contrary to the opinions of those who were emulous of his honour The principal design of the Cardinal was to calm all intestine Agitations and reunite the distracted minds of the French and considering that restoring France to its former Amity and Obsequiousness to its King there would be no further apprehension of any Foreign Power he addrest himself therefore with the utmost of his industry and his Arms to reduce Guienne to its duty not omitting what correspondences he could make with the inhabitants of the Town of Bourdeaux with several of which he treated to that purpose In the mean time he gave peremptory Orders that the River called the Garonne which passes by that City should be stopt up to the end that perceiving all succour excluded all Commerce intercepted and the Kings Army encompassing the Town they might be terrifi'd into a surrender without the hazard of fighting The Duke of Vendosme with his Fleet possest himself of the Passes upon the River and by building of Forts in places of most importance and with his Forces by land
to the Palace He clap'd double Guards at the Gates and in the Piazza's and the same night dispatch'd the Count de Bruny to the Count de Ligneville who commanded the Dukes Troops to give him an Account of what had hapned and to let him know that the next day he would come and discourse the business with the Officers and bring money along with him to satisfie the souldiers he sent him word likewise that the Count de Sant Amour was gone Post that night to acquaint the Emperour and to invite Duke Francis to come and take upon him the Command of the Army and to take care of his Brothers Concerns The next day the Duke was sent to the Castle of Antwerp accompanied with 300 Horse and the aforesaid Camp-Master General with several other Cavaliers and committed to the custody of Colonel Barnaby de Vergas This being dispatch'd Fuensaldagne went to the quarters of the Lorrainers though many disswaded him in respect of the great danger to which he expos'd himself among those people extreamly affected to their Prince he discours'd with the Officers and carried himself so dexterously that he perswaded them partly by fair words and partly by ready money to continue in his Majesties service without any more stir assuring them Duke Francis would be with them in a short time After this they consulted to oppose the French and drive them from their Neighbouring quarters and it was concluded that the whole Army should march against them They endeavor'd likewise to establish a good correspondence with the Elector of Colen which was easily effected by the means of a Conference held in Tirlemont by the Prince de Ligni and the Seecretary Navarro whereupon the French retired the Elector having signified to them that he had no more need of them much less of the Spanish troops by which means the Country of Liege remained free in this manner this great difficulty was overcome which might have produc'd great inconvenience in that countrey the souldiers were sent again into their quarters intending to fill up their Companies and recruit them Fuensaldagne issued out Orders for the good Government and setled all Affairs sparing for no money which upon such occasions ought to be liberally dispensed Many are of opinion the Duke did absolutely believ he should have his life taken away by some lingering death But the Count de Garcies told him very discreetly that he could not but wonder his Highness had such apprehensions That the King his Master desired only to secure him for some time upon some occasion that concerned the Crown A Manifesto was afterward publish'd by the Arch-Duke declaring that when the Duke retired first into the Spanish dominions to secure himself against the violences the French began to exercise both upon his person and Estate He was receiv'd by his most Catholick Majesty and his Lieutenant Generals with cordial friendship and assurance of protection and with so much sincerity to his interests that they included him in all Negotiations and Treaties for a General Peace giving hereby sufficient proof of their candid faith and honourable esteem of his person admitting him moreover into all Councils and Resolutions concerning the War which was carried on by his Majesties Ministers That not withstanding so many and so great obligations contrary to his duty and all terms of thankfulness and gratitude he had swerv'd from these streight ties of Obligation to the great prejudice of the interest and welfare of the Crown for besides the tears sighs and general Lamentations of the people which had rendred the inhumanities rapines and sacriledge of his souldiers sufficiently notorious committed even upon his own subjects whose insolencies were connived at by the Duke himself His secret Intelligences and private designes tending to the prejudice of the publick benefit and service to which he was bound to give a most sincere assistance with all his forces were amply discover'd every one might discern his inconstancy and dissimulated variableness Besides in the resolutions of war and the delays he affected in the execution of the most important expeditions form whence there hapned by his only fault so many funest and unhappy results in several considerable Enterprises which according to all humane Providence would have proved fortunate and successful That all these things were so manifest not only to the Lieutenant-Generals the Collonells and all the Officers of the Army but to the very Souldiers themselves and the common People who were eye-witnesses thereof every one exclaiming and wondering that such abuses should be suffer'd to run on and no remedy apply'd True it was his most Catholick Majesty out of his extraordinary kindness and affection for the house of Lorrain had bin indulgent to the last extremity being very much troubled to have recourse to such expedients hoping still that the remorse of his own conscience would some time or other awaken the Duke and putting him in mind of his ingratitude towards so favourable and incomparable a King dispose him to return to his duty But growing worse every day then other and the irregularities of his actions beyond all tolleration so that all his Majesties subjects all the Princes and Neighbouring States had him in such detestation that the effect of their vengeance was like to fall heavy upon Flanders That His Catholick Majesty not to provoke any longer the displeasure of Heaven the indignation of the people and the Princes that were abused in their own Dominions could not any longer defer the necessary precautions for the stopping of these disorders and therefore had caus'd his person to be secured in which he had neither transgrest the Law of Nature nor Nations which allow all Sovereign Princes liberty to remove without respect of persons the oppressions and violences against their States or their subjects and to do justice to themselves their People and their neighbouring Potentates friends after the trial of all ways of sweetness and perswasion proves ineffectual That what was acted was not done upon any aversion to the House of Lorrain protesting on the contrary always to protect it and its interests in testimony whereof he had proposed Duke Francis his Brother to the Command of the Dukes Troops and accordingly did declare and require all persons to receive and observe the Orders of the Count de Ligneville Lieutenant-General of the said Troops till the Dukes Arrival assuring moreover all the Officers and Souldiers of a General Pardon of all their Disorders committed till that time under the command of the said Duke Charles This Manifesto was made the same day the Duke was Arrested which was the 25. of Feb 1654. It was afterwards insinuated to the Souldiers that the Duke should not be sent into Spain at all but that when some certain points were adjusted and he had given security for his future fidelity he should be set at liberty by which suggestions they appeased the minds of the Officers and Souldiers who being wel-affected to the
much satisfaction and commendation of Mazarine who by his sweet carriage and by Gaming in which Fortune was very favourable to him he increased his acquaintance with great men and gained the good will and esteem of all that conversed with him The Pope afterwards being desirous to disburden himself of the charge of the Warre sent Giovanni Ginetti brother to the Cardinal of that name to the aforesaid General Conti and to Commissary Sacchetti with order to disband the Souldiers which being done Conti returned into Germany and the two Brothers Sacchetti retired to Fano where Cardinal Sacchetti was Bishop Mazarine being their great friend and familiar Acquaintance accompanied them The Cardinal was made Legate of Ferrara and Superintendent of the Military Forces of that Government Giovanni Francesco Sacchetti being bred a Soulider commanded the Militia and took Mazarine along with him in whom he confided above all others Giovanni Francesco afterward returning to Rome Mazarine went also along with him and endeavoured by all means to enter into the Service of Cardinal Antonio the Popes Nephew knowing how generous and obliging he was towards his Servants but he was hindered by the malice of those that envied his Endowments He strove likewise to put himself into the Court of Cardinal Francesco but there also he received little encouragement that Cardinal not being inclined to favour so Aspiring a Wit Perceiving therefore that he had no luck in that Court and having fail'd of making his Fortune by his Sword he returned again to his Studies declaring that Virtue although she be suppressed by Envy yet he is always Master who possesseth her nor can she be taken away by any thing but Death which levels all men In a years time he made a great progress in the study of the Laws improving still his Friendship with the Family of Sachetti In the mean while the war of Mantua brake out by the death of Duke Vincenzo last of that Line whereupon the Pope resolved to dispatch Giovanni Francesco Sachetti to Milan with whom likewise went Mazarine who quickly introduced himself into the management of those weighty publick Negotiations with intire satisfaction of Sachetti and of all that treated with him having a Genius so applicable to the humour of all Nations that when he negotiated with the Ministers of Spain he knew how to form himself to their garb and with the Frenchmen according to their mode but withall he had so pleasing a manner in his Discourse accompanied with so modest a Civility that every one was ambitious of his Conversation The occasion being come which I call Fortune that Sachetti was to depart for Rome by reason of his Indisposition and afterwards by the death of one of his Brothers the Superintendency of all those Affairs was by him in his absence left in the hands of Mazarine by which means he had a large Field to give proof of his Parts and Capacity advertizing continually the Court of Rome of what passed by Letters so well indited and relishing that the Pope greatly delighting in them resolved to continue him in his Service omitting to send any other in the place of Sachetti who was graced by His Holiness with the Government of his House which Place was vacant by the death of Sachetti his brother lately deceased The rumours of the War afterwards increasing Urban deliberated to send Cardinal Antonio his Nephew Apostolical Legate into Piemont and gave him Monsignor Panziroli for his Coadjutor with the Title of Nuntio who was afterward Cardinal and Secretary of State in the Pontificate of Innocent X. Mazarine having notice of this went in all haste to Bologna to inform the Cardinal of what had pass'd and from thence to Rome to give His Holiness a distinct Account of all those Negotiations with due Reflexions thereupon The Pope was highly satisfied with his acute Discourse and judged it necessary to make use of him as one who besides his being well instructed in all things had already acquired great credit and esteem amongst them with whom he had negotiated wherefore he dispatch'd him back to Cardinal Antonio ordering him to make use of his Service having found him capable of all Imployment He found the Cardinal still at Bologna and in a long Discourse together His Eminency rested so highly satisfied that immediately he sent him to Count Collalto the Emperours General who quatter'd at St. Benedetto in the Territories of Mantua He insinuated himself so far into the favour of the said Count that having dispatched Piccolomini for some Affair to Cardinal Antonio gave him to understand that he was so well satisfied with Mazarine that he would rather treat with him then with any other declaring himself not at all content with the austere manner of proceeding of the Nuntio Panzirolo In the mean time Don Gonzales de Cordoua Governour of Milan was gone with the Spanish Army to besiege Casal in Monferat but with ill success for that place being well fortified and well defended by Monsieur de Toiras held out so long till the French Army passing the Alpes it behoved the Spaniards to quit the Siege and retire The Catholick King much unsatisfied with Don Gonzales recalled him into Spain and sent thither Governour and Captain General Marquess Ambrosio Spinola the famous Souldier in the Warres of Flanders In the mean while the Pope and the Cardinal Legate efficaciously endeavour'd to divert the approaching ruine of Italy by seeking an Accommodation Mazarine was before all others employed and knowing how to lay hold on the occasion laboured to ingratiate himself with all parties and amongst the rest he captivated the good-will of Charles Emanuel the potent Duke of Savoy in such a manner that that wise Prince finding him capable of the most important Affairs desired him to make a Voyage into France to endeavour by his perspicacious Wit to prevail with Cardinal Richlieu to stop the French Army from passing over the Mountains Thereupon he went with leave of the Cardinal Legate and the Nuntio to Lions where Richlieu was already arrived with the French Army He had conference with his Eminence proposed divers Expedients and used all Art to stop him but all in vain This was the first time that ever Richlieu saw Mazarine and although his Proposals were little to his liking nevertheless he was extreamly pleased with his so pertinent manner of discourse affirming that he had found him far beyond what he expected so that in those few days Mazarine staid at Lions he so well knew how to deport himself with that great Minister of State that he ingrafted himself deeply in his favour But failing to serve the Duke as he heartily desired he endeavored at least to render him another service of no small moment which was to perswade Prince Thomas his son who was then at Chambery in Savoy to return into Piemont to avoid an open breach with the Crown of France which his Presence in those parts might occasion The Duke laboured by all means
with Restriction of the Council to the plurality of Voices he was confirmed in this determination by the Prince of Conde who by the Authority he had above the other Counsellors imagined to turn and wind all at his pleasure wherefore the Councel of Mazarine for the uncontrolled Authority of the Queen conformable to the examples of former Regencies remained fruitless That which only remained to settle the Kings minde was to have an assurance that the Cardinal would not return into Italy after his death wherefore having earnestly besought him never to abandon his sons importun'd him to a direct promise as likewise the Queen not to permit him upon any pretext whatsoever to quit the Affairs and to engage him the more he was pleased that he should answer for the Dauphine at the Holy Font in Quality of Godfather together with the Princess of Conde confessing that he did it more straitly to oblige him to his sons service His Majestie well knowing the need he should have of him in his unripe years The King dead it seemed not convenient to the Queen to suffer that Authority to be retrenched in such manner which other Queens had enjoyed freely wherefore she permitted her self to be perswaded against the sense and counsel of the Cardinal to make the Parliament annul the Will of her late husband which Mazarine foreseeing would prove a mortal blow to the State and highly prejudicial to the Regent her self did not only forbear to appear in Parliament but likewise prepared himself to retire which was by no means assented to by the Queen who having the Authority of the Regency confirmed to her not only assured him of an entire confidence but engaged him also to remain minding him of his promise made to the King never to depart from his children and notwithstanding the great oppositions made against Mazarine by the enemies of Richlieu and by the disaffected he carried himself so well that in a short time he engrossed all Affairs The Bishop of Beauvais whom the Queen had added to the Councel where in those few days of his direction all things were fallen into disorder being excluded On the contrary Mazarine entred upon the business of the Kingdom with very lucky beginnings when many important considerations would have been enough to have discomposed the stoutest mind in so dangerous a condition of so Infantine a Minority The unquiet nature of the French desirous of Novelties easie to be drawn into sedition the Court full of turbulent spirits many prisoners set free many returned from their exile others who before for their rebellious attempts durst not so much as shew their heads now so arrogant as to pretend a share in the Government The Parliament depressed and discontented desirous to recover their lustre and dilate their power The Provinces oppressed by the grievances of a long War more inclined to disloyalty then obedience the Princes disposed to the most desperate attempts to make their advantage of these Conjunctures the people animated to shake off so weighty a yoke The apprehension not ill grounded that the Confederates of France fearing the unstable Resolution in a womans Regency and for their own proper Interests were ready to relinquish their former Union And lastly all the Concerns of the Crown threatning on all hands fear and terror Yet nothing could dismay the courage of the Cardinal resolved to despise all danger for the Royal service He applied himself suddenly to strengthen and conserve the external and internal vigour of the Kingdom And procured in the first place to confirm the Confederates in their Adherence to the Crown writing to all with such assuredness of the stability of the Regency in the established mutual Union and with such motives of honour and profit to themselves that he easily confirmed them in their Confederations thus in that beginning was established to the Crown the Amity of the Swedes of the Duke of Savoy of the Langrave of Hesse of the States of Holland of the Catalonians and of the Portugals a League which rendred the Power of France so much the stronger and feared and which at last did so much cooperate to the Conclusion of the Peace And secondly considering that intestine evils are most dangerous and aptest to destroy the Individual and foreseeing how much Civil discords do indamage a State he placed all his care to preserve the Peace of the Kingdom by uniting the Royal Family which was easily brought to pass for some years To handsel the Regency with some egregious deed he propounded and against the opinion of every one undertook the Siege of Teonville a place of great importance which happily succeeding he gained great commendation Frieburg afterward being attacqued by the Army of the Elector of Baviere with manifest danger to be lost he opportunely provided to relieve it causing the Queen to command the Duke of Anguien to joyn speedily his Troops to those of Mareschal Turenne and to bring timely succours which succeeded prosperously by which means not only the possession of that City was kept which had already capitulated but also other considerable Conquests were acquired The French Armies passing beyond the Rhine the Danube and the Lech and the Duke d' Anguien having gained a singular victory they over-ran Spire Ghermensain Landau Bindemo Cronach and Magonza By like advantages in those parts the Confederates were got in a condition to lend their helping hand at any time of need who by making themselves Master of a great part of Franconia and Suevia they became much stronger then their enemies but chiefly by the taking of Hoilbrun yet an Imperial City of very grear importance confirmed to them by the Treaty of the Truce concluded at Ulme with the Elector of Bavaria He cooperated afterward to the Peace of Munster and quickly saw it concluded with notable advantages to the Crown of France to which he establish'd the possession of both the Alsatia's and the two very strong places of Brijac and Phillipsburg near the Rhine opening a Pass into Germany at their pleasure By this Peace there did accrew to France the three Bishopricks of Metz Tul and Verdun and by the creating Metz a Parliament heretofore found a matter of much difficulty firmly established the controverted Jurisdiction of them with an absolute and perpetual possession ratified by the Emperor and the several Orders of the Empire The cares of the Cardinal were not restrained to these Expeditions only but at the same time he was likewise intent upon the Caballs of the Cabinet finding himself compelled by the Court-Intrigues to apply himself to extinguish in the beginning every spark of Civil trouble and oft-times to ward his own life from the treacheries of his enemies By this his care he saved himself from the Conspiracy contrived against him by the Duke of Beaufort who thinking the Cardinal an obstacle against his high designes by the occasion of a certain Collation which the Count of Chavigny had prepared for the Queen at the Castle of
thousand Parisiens made them retire and from thence marching towards St. Denis where were 200 Swisses of the Kings Guards in Garrison and assailing those old and rotten walls they made themselves Masters of it taking those souldiers prisoners which were led to Paris in triumph But this City was soon recover'd by the Kings Forces commanded by the Sieur de Renville Colonel of Horse after which a Neutrality was granted to the Town of St. Denis upon condition that the Princes should also leave free the Passes of St. Cloud Neully Charenton and St. Maur. After these divers successes the Parliament assembled again and having heard the Relation made by the President Nesmond they determined to send him back to St. Germains to receive the Kings Answer which he had promised in three days But it being to the advantage of the Court to gain time Mazarine with great subtilty prolong'd the Resolutions keeping still the Treaties on foot not to put the people in despair and necessitate them when they should have no more hopes to declare for the Princes and for that cause the Duke d' Anville made divers journeys from Court to Paris on the Kings behalf managing dexterously the Treaty with the Princes who pressed more and more the Cardinals departure The Prince of Conde who by a particular gift of Nature was no less endowed with a most prudent faculty of discerning then with a marvellous and unparallel'd valor in Arms observing the instability of his Party grounded on uncertain and wavering designs he inclined to an agreement in any manner even without the removal of the Cardinal from the Ministry considering it better to treat with him who was of a sweet and gentle nature then others of a violent Genius as the Cardinal de Retz was reputed to be But the good intention of the Prince was diverted by his Kindred and Friends who declared that in such case they would forsake him and lastly by the Duke of Orleans sollicited thereunto by the Cardinal de Retz who was accused that for his private advantage he equally desired the ruine of the Prince and of Mazarine so that His Royal Highness vigorously opposed it and was cause that this Overture took no effect From S. Germain the Court removed to Melun for this City being upon the Sene and nearer to Estampes they might from hence with more ease send Supplies and Recruits to the Kings Camp stopping in the same time the Provisions which are wont to be brought down the River from those fertile Fields to Paris and here the King gave Order to Mareschal Turenne to endeavour what er'e came on 't to expugn Estampes and defeat the Army of the Princes who defending themselves bravely there followed many hot Skirmishes with no small slaughter of Souldiers and considerable Captains on either side wherefore the Princes perceiving that their Army would subsist a long time in Estampes sollicited the Spaniards that the Army of Duke Charles of Lorrain might advance to their succour The Ministers of Spain chearfully assenting to uphold the Party of the Princes and keep afoot the Civil War in France presently set themselves about it The Duke of Lorrain was wont every year to make a bargain with the Spaniards for the next Campania by which they obliged him for a certain summe of money to serve them with his Troops This year therefore 1652 they engaged him to pass into France to succour the Princes In pursuance of which accord he marched with his Army of 4000 Foot and about 5000 Horse with some Pieces of Artillery thorough Champagne towards the Sene to raise the Siege of Estampes leaving his Forces at Lagny he went to Paris where he was received with all the Honours wont to be given to a Prince of whom they stood in need At this news the Cardinal began to set his Wits at work and to give necessary Orders for securing the most important places He sought to gain Duke Charles by the mediation of the Dutchess of Chevreuse his Ally and of the same House She being a Lady of great sense and full of Intrigues making use of the natural jealousie wont to be betwixt the Princes of the Bloud and the Dukes of Lorrain and especially betwixt Conde and them who was much esteemed amongst the Spaniards she gave the Duke to understand that it would not turn to his benefit to assist them The Duke was convinc'd by her Reasons and inclin'd to imbrace her counsel so he could find a sufficient pretext to disingage himself from the Spaniards to whom he had promised to succour Estampes Mazarine sent the Marquess de Chasteauneuf to negotiate secretly with the Duke and they agreed together that to disingage his word and to keep himself from the blame he might incur he should raise the Siege of Estampes and the morning following that Turenne should retire from thence the Duke promis'd to retreat to the Frontier of the Kingdom to make a shew that it was not by compact but by reason of the State of the Kings Army that obliged him to take this course to which purpose they should furnish him with all necessary provisions The Princes knew him by his Conduct and by the difficulty he made in passing the Sene that he had intelligence with the Court wherefore they went to find him at his Camp and oblige him to pass the River but he represented to them that they ought to rest satisfied if so be he raised the Siege of Estampes and having some hopes that the Court would take the same resolution it was not necessary to engage himself further The Prince of Conde gave him to understand it was a small matter to cause the Siege to be raised if he did not give them the opportunity to put their Troops in safety because they could no longer subsist in a ruinated place so that after many Discourses the Duke permitted himself to be engaged before he was aware to give in writing a Declaration to the Princes by which he obliged himself to stay yet some days in the same Post upon the River Sene that in the mean while the Princes might withdraw their Troops from Estampes and come nearer Paris The Kings Army being retired from the Siege of Estampes and the Court seeing he failed in performing the private Treaty concluded with Chasteauneuf the Mareschal de Turenne by advice of Mazarine moved his Camp with expedition toward Corbeil with design to fight the Lorrainers before they should pass the River to joyn with the Princes Forces and they faced the Enemy so opportunely that being surprised and astonished doubting they should be engaged in fight they presently retired taking the advantage of the high Hills of Ville nieufve and S. George and putting themselves under covert of a little River that dischargeth it self into the Sene. The Kings Party advancing towards Corbeil took several prisoners which obliged Duke Charles to desire the Sieur de Beaulieu who was present with him to procure the fulfilling of the
Dance and not only disposed the mindes of the Inhabitants but observing what pass'd gave intelligence to Father Bertaut who follow'd the business whilst Ythier was sick Besides this another private Treaty was set on Foot with the Irish of that Garrison But the Governour not fully confiding in that Nation disgusted with those that had ordered them thither and not satisfied with those that had receiv'd them kept so vigilant an eye over them that having a suspition of some design he caus'd their Officers to be secur'd and disperst the Soldiers amongst his own companies he most trusted The Duke of Candale who was too Generous to approve of a victory obtain'd by Circumvention or treachery could not endure any such dishonorable ways but resolv'd to besiedge that City and reduce it with his Sword in his hand according to the more Glorious methods of War He had already caus'd the Artillery to be embarqu'd and dispatch'd the Marquess de Sovebeuf with part of his Troops commanded by the Marquess de Cavillac and the Count de St. Germain to invest it But the Citizens knowing how prejudicial it would be to expect a formal Siedge resolv'd after the example of the Bourdelots to betake themselves to their Arms and force the Guard of the Gates out of the hands of the Garrison The Governour having notice of their design and being at that time in Treaty about leaving the Countrey upon condition he might be permitted to march with his Troops to the Prince of Condy his Master he drew up all his men immediatly in the great Market-place and his head being a little hot with wine having been at a Wedding-dinner he went haftily accompanied only with his Page and one of the Consuls of the City to the house of Budan the Kings Attourney to demand the reason how they curst hold such private Assemblies without his cognizance and permission when he came there they repuls'd him very rudely and told him there was no such Assembly but he pressing on to enter by force some of the Attourneys friends discharg'd their Firelocks upon him so that he fell down dead in the place upon which the Inhabitants taking heart they issued into the streets arm'd crying out Viva il Ré e la Pace Long live the King and the Peace and dragging his body about in a most barbarous manner The Soldiers were in no small confusion upon this accident the Officers could not keep them together nor oppose them against the fury of the people they running from their colours some one way some another insomuch that the City remain'd entirely in the Citizens hands without further obstacle who immediately dispatch'd a Messenger to the Marquess de la Douze to desire a Passport for their Deputies to wait upon the Duke of Candale from whom they desired the benefit of the Amnesty and to return to their obedience to his Majesty as they accordingly did one of the most seditious amongst them being hang'd up several others banish'd and the Officers and Captains of the Quarters chang'd Villeneuf d' Agenois proud that they had resisted the Count de Harcourt and defeated his attempts emulating the fury of the Olmiera of Bourdeaux and in imitation of those inhabitants they listed several Companies boasting to defend their liberty To suppress their insolence the Kings forces under the Command of the Marquess d' Aubeterre approach'd the Town at the time when their grain being ripe with which that place does exceedingly abound the Inhabitants were preparing for Harvest so that the Citizens foreseeing the loss of their Revenues and that they could not live happily being deprived of their estates they preferr'd the fear of misery before the ambition of liberty and sent Deputies to the Prince of Conty supplicating him to send them succour or make their Peace But Bourdeaux having already capitulated and the Prince of Conty laid down his Arms and retir'd to Cadillac they began to treat with the Conte de Vaillac and afterwards with the Duke of Candale who sent thither la Ribere a Counsellour of State and Commissary of his Army with whom their Amnesty was concluded upon condition that their walls should be pull'd down their fortifications demolished and the Citizens who had bin too busie and pragmatical to pay 4000 Pistols besides to deliver 20 persons prisoners to be dispos'd of as the Duke pleas'd two of which were hang'd presently Dureteste also arrested by Order from the Count d' Estrade was executed at the same time Whilst the Duke of Vandosme and Candale were proceeding with great sweetness and Moderation towards the settlement of Affairs in Bourdeaux they omitted not to watch over the Actions of some perfidious persons who became more savage and brutal by how much the Generals repleat with all vertue used them with more then ordinary kindness and courtesie Sir George Cartret an English-man had intelligence that one Edwards sent by the Parliament of England lay privately in a certain place in the Town blowing up the coals of Rebellion which were not quite extinct but lay still glowing in the hearts of some seditious people About the same time a small Felucca was taken casually with Letters from Lenet to the said Edwards inviting him to a Counsel which was to be held aboard the Spanish Admiral Two Citizens of Bourdeaux were apprehended likewise with Letters from the said Lenet to several persons in the Town and particularly to certain Ladies By all these Discoveries it being sufficiently clear their design was to reunite with the Spaniards and to revive the hopes of the Frondeurs which were not yet quite extinguish'd the Dukes were more vigilant then before and applied themselves with all imagineable diligence to find out fit remedies for these wounds which were not yet well closed After the Procession of the 15. of August Espagnet was imprisoned and sent with a good Guard to the Castle of Angoulesme Passports were given to several persons suspected to contrive new troubles to remove elsewhere among which were the Counsellors du Duke de Manvesin and la Chese Some Troops were commanded towards Merau to be imbark'd if need were in the Kings Ships in order to the ingaging of the Spanish Fleet which was then at Anchor within sight of Royan a small Town but of great strength and importance having Xaintonge on its right hand and the Country of Medoc on its left Other Souldiers were sent into Xaintonge where the whole Countrey was in Armes apprehending the landing of the Spaniards in those parts And all Inconveniences were with such diligence prevented by the order of Mazarine that the Rebellion could by no wayes take Footing again nor disturb the peace and tranquillity of the Bourdelots Who being grown wise at their owne cost had found that the worth and excellency of good Orders is not to be discern'd without a sence and experience of disorders The HISTORY of the Managements of CARDINAL MAZARINE Part II. Lib. II. AFfairs going on in this manner in Guienne
the same time Charleroy having received his Arrears the Garrison was changed and Monsieur de Besemaux Captain of the Cardinals Guards was made Governour with whom were left several other Officers entirely depending on the King This Affair having succeeded as the Cardinal contrary to the opinion of many of the Council had presaged contributed much to his reputation and rendred his merits more considerable to the Crown The Cardinal after all this assured the Duke d' Elbeuf that being thorowly informed of the sincerity of Count Harcourt he had the same kindness for him as formerly that seeing he had submitted himself so ingenuously he would take an opportunity that he should have absolute satisfaction The Court remain'd very well pleas'd with the Respect and Generosity of the Count in that Action but those who were emulous of his glory and with several suggestions had wounded his reputation were much astonish'd and confus'd The Duke d' Anville who not many dayes before had been banish'd the Court was recall'd and receiv'd into favour again both by the King and the Cardinal The displeasure was grounded upon this that having promised to resign his Government of Limousin which was design'd for the Mareschal de Turenne in recompence of his services perform'd for the Crown by the instigation of the Arch-bishop of Burges d' Anville seemed unwilling to give his Consent whereupon to Court having engaged their word to Turenne thought themselves obliged to make it good as well to satisfie him who otherwise might have thought himself eluded as to signifie his Majesties resentment to the Duke but he acknowledging his fault and having perform'd what he promis'd was restor'd again to Court Whilst the Mareschal de Hoquincourt was preparing for his journey into Catalonia the States of Languedoc that Winter were held at Pezenas a Town and Castle seated upon the Confluence of the two Rivers the Peyne and the Eraut the Marquess de Plessis Belliere residing there and finding the humour of those people by the infelicity of the times more dispos'd to Factions and Cabals then to pay their Contributions to the King he used all possible means to reduce them to their obedience and at last perceiving the said States resolved to contribute nothing unless the Troops were drawn out of that Province and knowing that the Provisions of Oats for the Horse and other Necessaries for the Camp were to be made out of the Benevolences of that Country which would amount to a very little if nothing was given by the States and by consequence the Army would be uncapable of doing any thing considerable He offered to take the Field if any reasonable Contribution would be made towards the subsistence of the Army to which the States were well enough inclined He considered moreover that the time of the year was far spent That supplies of men were coming to the Spaniards out of Italy That the Enemy were drawing together and made Provision of Cannon Powder Ladders and other Necessaries of Warre at Castillon in order to the besieging of Roses wherefore concluding it would be too late to relieve it if their Line of Circumvallation should be finished before his Arrival it was necessary to provide against it in time He departed from Pezenas the 25. of May and advanc'd to Rigean and Rivesalta where he made some stay to get his Troops together and to see what the final resolution of the States would be Above all he consider'd the importance of conserving Rossilion about which the Cardinal had writ to him and recommended that Province particularly to his care He rendezvouz'd his Army at Baulori from whence he marched the 16. of July to pass the Mountain of Pertus his whole Number consisted of 2500 Horse and 4000 Foot all expert and veterane souldiers The Spaniards Army was a Regiment of Foot more in number then the French and was commanded by the Baron Saback the Constable of Castile and the Marquess Serra so that it was probably judged they would have opposed the French at that Pass but they only put a Guard into the Tower of Longuiera purposing that whilst these had stopp'd them to come in opportunely and defend the entrance but contrary to all expectation the Tower yielded at the sight of two small field-peeces which the French had brought with them from Rossillion here they stay'd a day attending the coming up of their Baggage and Rear-Guard thence they advanc'd into the Plain beyond Oustelnau Plessis Belliere divided his Army into two Battalia's upon intelligence that the enemy would expect him about Castillon who the more to engage their men to keep the Field had set fire on their Forts before Roses and drawn out the Garrison from Teguiers The French March'd in good Order directly towards the Spaniards leaving Teguiers on their right hand Their Vanguard discover'd the Spaniards drawn up in Battalia behind Castillon under the shelter of the Town a great Moor and several Canals and Ditches but as soon as they saw Night approaching and that the French Rearguard was at hand Their Horse which had faced the enemy till their Foot and baggage March'd off began to face about and retire under the benefit of the Night leaving only 1200 Men in Castillon to hinder the advance of the French The Marquess de Plessis Belliere call'd a Council of War to consider whether they should follow the Enemy or not and iâ— was concluded in the Negative because in a Country full of difficult and strait passes as that was it was impossible to force the Enemy to fight unless he had a mind to it himself Besides their provision of Victuals was not yet come up to the Army and they should be necessitated in a short time to return for want of it to the great prejudice of their reputation amongst those people accustomed to judg of things according to their outward appearance and it concern'd the French to preserve their friendship It was resolv'd on therefore to take Castillon before they procdeded any further and to advance fair and softly and not engage in long Marches that they should not afterwards be able to prosecute To this purpose two Pieces of Cannon were sent for from Roses and having taken a view of the Town they began presently to open the Trenches which were in a short time advanc'd to the very brim of the Ditch notwithstanding the perpetual firing from the walls Castillion has a Rampart about it lin'd with stone made curtain-wise with a small dry ditch the Garrison were Irish and Neapolitans commanded by Colonel Milon who being made Head of the people of Naples to their late Revolutions deserted their Party and entred himself into the Spanish service in which he behav'd himself with much reputation The Besieged made no Salleys as having no works to shelter them without but they threw such quantities of stones that the Assailants were obliged to raise a Gallery in the Ditch to get to the wall with more security which being
is despised As an example they alledged Cardinal Richlieu who by his extravigant greatness was become so odious to Lewis the 13th that without doubt had they lived longer together that Minister must of necessity have fallen That it would be better therfore to settle his Alliance further off to secure a retreat if any accident should happen without exposing himself to the inconstancy of that Nation who are friends to none but their own fortune But the Cardinal esteeming the advantage to be reciprocal his inclination to his own interest prevail'd above all other Advice so that the Contract was at last agreed on and the Marriage concluded by their Majesties to whose determination the Cardinal left the whole disposure of that Affair submitting his will to their pleasure as he said he had sacrificed all the rest of his faculties to their service but the consummation was put off because the Prince was unwilling to be present in the Parliament of Paris whilst they were forming a Process of High Treason against his Brother the Prince of Condy. He obtein'd therefore to protract his coming to the Court till the latter end of the Carnevale about which time he arrived and was received with all applause and satisfaction imaginable The first Saturday in Lent the Ceremony of touching the hand and signing the Articles of Marriage was perform'd The Princess had a Dowry of 200000 Crowns given her by her Uncle and 50000 by the Kings bounty besides a Pension to the Prince equivalent to his Ecclesiastical Revenue which he resign'd into his Majesties hands after this followed the Espousals and the Nuptials which were honoured by the continual Presence of their Majesties the Duke of Anjou and all the Princes and great Lords of the Court where there was not any one found so stimulated with envy or overwhelm'd with rancour no mind so enraged or corrupted that durst cavil at this Alliance since the deserts of the Uncle towards the Crown were unparallel'd and the Beauty of the Bride such an entire Compendium of the most conspicuous qualities in a woman which were able to excite the praises and commendations of the greatest Emulators and Detractors The Queen her self would needs do her the honour to see her in bed by which incomparable Civility her Majesty made appear how much she was pleased with this Wedding The King afterwards made a Present to the new married Prince of all the Estate and Offices belonging to his Brother the Prince of Condy but he out of an exemplary Grandeur of mind refused that grace as despising the riches which came from that spoil To express the content and joy every one conceiv'd for the reuniting this Branch to the Royal Stock The days following were spent in Balls Feasting Musick and other Recreations and Divertisements becoming a Royal and Majestick Court as is that of the most Christian King The HISTORY of the Managements of CARDINAL MAZARINE Lib. II. Part III WHilst Paris was thus full of joy and festivity at Brussels all was in sadness and confusion for the Imprisonment of Duke Charles of Lorrain who was Arrested Prisoner in that City as shall be related in the ensuing Narrative The Spanish Troops were retiring into their Winter-quarters and the Count de Fuensaldagna considering that by reason of the Numbers of great Officers and the Generals of the three Armies it would be impossible to quarter them all in the Low Countreys he treated with the Duke of Lorrain and paid him a sum of money upon condition he would quarter his Troops and some of the Prince of Condy's out of the Countreys belonging to his most Catholick Majesty as he was accustomed to do at other times under pretence of being General of the Empire by which he made bold with several Neutral Countreys in those Provinces and other Principalities of the Empire as were most expos'd to that inconvenience The Duke began to take up his quarters accordingly and about the middle of Winter marched with his Army into the Countrey of Liege pretending the Elector of Colen had given Sanctuary to Cardinal Mazarine in his State permitting him to make levies there and giving him other assistances against the Prince of Condy. The Elector desir'd help of the King of France against the Troops of the Prince and take Duke Immediately Orders were sent to Faber the Governour of Sedan to draw a Body of an Army together and march to the assistance of the Elector He executed the Orders with all possible expedition marching with the French Troops directly towards Liege The Duke of Lorrain so soon as he had notice hereof in stead of meeting and engaging them as he might easily have done being much stronger then Faber retired into the Territories of the King of Spain took up quarters there for his men and came himself to Brussels The proximity of these Troops of the enemie being as it were in the heart of the Countrey and the Dukes retreat without attempting in the least to oppose them The various Advices they received from several parts that what was acted by the Duke of Lorrain was done by private Intelligence with Cardinal Mazarine gave no small trouble to the Arch-Duke and the Count of Fuensaldagne and so much the more because these Advertisements did quadrate with the Treaty the Duke made with the King of France near Paris deserting the Princes in their greatest need With the withdrawing of his Troops from the siege of Rocroy with the Negotiations which were lately discover'd he had held with the Crown of Swedeland and other Princes to hinder the New Election of the King of the Romans hoping himself by the help of his money and the assistance of the King of France and the Protestant Princes in Germany to be able to pretend to that dignity This jealousie was not a little fomented by the strait correspondence he held at that time with the Elector Palatines Family with the Swedes and with other Princes of Germany to whom he had sent Ronselot his Secretary having sent likewise for the Prince Palatine of Sultzbach in the place of his Brother killed at the battel of Rhetel with design to marry him to his daughter By the displeasure he expressâ—d for the assistance granted to the Prince of Condy by whose Treaty with the Court of Spain he pretended to be very much prejudiced by reason that all the acquisitions made in France being to be deliver'd into his hands there remain'd no place in the power of the Spaniards to exchange afterward for those of Lorrain at the General Peace He began therefore to doubt that the bare Protection of Spain would not be sufficient to restore him to the Sovereignty of his Dominions This was one of the principal Reasons that renewed in the Duke the ancient emulation betwixt the Houses of Lorrain and Bourbon not being able to endure that the Prince of Condy should be Master not only of Stenay Clermont and other places belonging to Lorrain but of the Conquests