LETTERS OF THE Cardinal Duke De RICHELIEU Great Minister of State TO LEWIS XIII of France Faithfully Translated from the Original By T. B. In Two Volumes VOL. I. LONDON Printed for A. Roper A. Bosvile and T. Leigh in Fleetstreet 1698. EMINENTISSâ—…â—…DVS IOANNES DV PLESSIS CARDINALIS RICHELEVS etc To his Excellency Sir Joseph Williamson Knight one of His Majesty's most Honorable Privy-Council Keeper of the Records of State a Member of the Honorable House of Commons and one of His Majesty's Embassadors-Extraordinary and Plenepotentiaries for the Treaty of a General Peace SIR THis having been esteem'd one of the best Pieces of the Ablest Minister of State in the Age wherein he liv'd I thought I cou'd not do a greater Justice to his Memory than to address these Remains of his to a Person whom the Greatest Wisest and Best of Monarchs has made Choice of to be imploy'd in the most Important Treaty that ever concern'd Europe as one who by a Consummated Experience in Negotiations of this Nature has approv'd himself an Able and Faithful Minister Nor can such a Work as this be Dedicated to any Person more properly than to your Excellency since it consists of Letters of State and some of the Choicest and most Useful Instructions relating both to War and Peace during that Great Man's Administration and which may be of Publick Benefit at this Time May the Success of Your present Negotiation answer the Expectation which Your Country has of Your Great Abilities such as may establish Christendom in a firm Peace and lasting Tranquillity This I conceive is the best Apology can be made for the Presumption of Your Excellency's most Humble and most Obedient Servant T. B. THE PREFACE OF THE PUBLISHER THE very Name of Cardinal Richelieu is enough to set a Value upon the Collection of Letters that are here published The least Productions of so great a Man cannot but find an Universal Esteem This Illustrious Minister not only signaliz'd himself by his extraordinary Address in the Management of Affairs but reduc'd that difficult and mysterious Art into certain Maxims He was not only acquainted with the most refin'd Politicks but he likewise writ concerning them with a Penetration and Exactness that are admirable His Politic Testament sufficiently confirms the Truth of this Assertion That incomparable Piece has been deservedly looked upon as the best in its kind and * In his Speech to the Gentlemen of the Academy Monsieur de la Bruyere who as he is one of the most profound Authors of this Age is Master of the greatest Politeness thought himself oblig'd to take Notice of that everlasting Monument of his great Abilities and considers it as a Work that deserves to live for ever If these Praises are due to the Politic Testament of Cardinal Richelieu as must be acknowledged on all hands it may safely be affirm'd that they belong as justly to the following Collection of Letters We may in them discover the same Genius and the same Solidity with this difference however that whereas in the above-mention'd Book Matters of State are barely deliver'd in Rules and Precepts we behold the Cardinal in these Letters acting by those Rules and Precepts upon all emergent Occasions Here we behold his incomparable Address in the happy managing of the nicest and the most perplext Negotiations his indefatigable Activity his great Foresight which extended it self as well to small as to great Affairs his prodigious Intrepidity that engag'd him in the boldest Undertakings which generally succeeded with mighty Glory to him In short That Superiority of Genius which elevated him even above the Prince he served and made him formidable to the Grandees of his own Country nay to all the Princes of Europe These Letters are written upon different Subjects and are addressed to several Persons however they all along preserve the Character which is suitable to them That Simplicity of Style which is perpetually visible in them is so far from being Disadvantageous to them that it only makes them more grave and more proper for the Person that composed them Every one knows that it would look with a very ill Grace for a Minister of State to affect that scrupulous Nicety and Politeness of Language in his Dispatches which sits well upon none but one that is a Bel-Esprit by Profession Here the whole is accommodated to the Subject The Reader will all along discover abundance of pretty Maxims and judicious Reflexions but they are every where imploy'd to the Purpose and without the least Spice of Affectation Besides these things which are without doubt sufficient of themselves to raise the Curiosity of the Reader he will meet with a world of Remarkable Passages that fell out under the Reign of Lewis XIII and are to be found no where else I mean some particular Circumstances that have escaped the Diligence of the Historians of those Times and cou'd never have been known but for Cardinal Richelieu or other Persons that were actually in the Bottom of those Affairs Since the World receiv'd the Letters of Cardinal Mazarin so favourably I may without Presumption dare to say That they will read these with greater Pleasure and Profit for there is much more of Action more particular Things and a greater Variety of Matter than the former do contain The Reader need only compare these two Collections to be convinced of the truth of what I have advanc'd ERRATA VOL. I. Page 169. Line 31. for Monsieur de Nesmes read the Bishop of Nesmes p. 174. l. 23. for Plat r. Plan. p 248. l. 1. for the Count r. the Count de Soissons p. 253. l. 30. where the Reader meets the Word Madam put by it self there and in several other places he must read the Dutchess of Savoy p. 307. l. 4. for her Son's States r. her Son's Country Vol. II. p. 1. l. 11. for Monsieur of Savoy r. the Duke of Savoy So Monsieur of Lorrain in any other place for the Duke of Lorrain p. 89. l. 1. for Monsieur de Bourdeaux r. the Archbishop LETTERS OF THE Cardinal de Richelieu VOL. I. LETTER I. To *** SIR 'T IS an unspeakable Joy to me to find by your Letter that his Holiness has condescended to grant me that Dignity which the King was willing to have me honoured with since so authentick an Approbation will without question cover those Defects that I may be guilty of I shall think my self extremely happy if while I serve the King and State he gives me as frequent opportunities of serving the Church as I do and ever shall desire to have so long as I live In the mean time I give you a thousand Thanks for the great Satisfaction you have express'd upon this Occasion humbly begging you to believe that it will be a most particular one to my self when I shall have an Opportunity to convince you by the Effects rather than by Words that I am SIR Your most affectionate Brother to serve you The
Colmar and Schelstat that those places being well provided as 't is requisite they may be secur'd from all Inconveniences I don't doubt but you 'll husband the Money as well as you can and wait the Harvest which is now near at hand when you may buy it at a cheap rate especially if the Soldiers will be got to work when they have no Enemies to disturb them You will not take it ill I am confident that I have sent back my Company to you which has already behaved themselves very well under your Command together with ten out of my Regiment and others I thought fit to re-inforce you with these Men that you may employ them upon all occurrences where you have occasion for them Having receiv'd advice that the Poles and Croats had crossed over to Thionville to joyn Galasse Orders were immediately dispatch'd to Monsieur the Prince to send fifteen hundred Horse to Enchissen to joyn you that you might be in a condition to do something considerable The King has granted to Colonel Hebron the ransom of Meternick and precedence to his Regiment before all the new ones of twenty Companies that have been created since him I desire you to manage with good husbandry the forty thousand Crowns I have sent you to lay out in buying of Corn so that with the Harvest you may expect without any other Cost but that of cutting it the Garrisons may be provided for two or three Years beforehand and if 't is practicable make the Governours give you a Certificate of the Corn which they have in their Towns Monsieur de Noyers will sollicit for a Month's Pay which you writ to me about that it may be sent to you in time I am concerned that the fifteen hundred Horse which we sent to you for the Franche-Comté are not yet arriv'd for I am of opinion that you 'll have an opportunity to do something worthy of your self this Summer You may be confident I will do you all the good Services I can who am My Lord Your c Conflans June 23 1636. LETTER LII To the Cardinal de la Valette My Lord THis Courrier going to wait upon you about a certain Occasion which you 'll find by the Dispatch of Mousieur de Noyers that he will deliver to you I cou'd not let him depart till I had given him this Letter to assure you of the continuance of my Affection and Service upon which you may certainly depend upon all Occasions It is so long ago since I receiv'd any News from you that I protest to you I have been in a great deal of Pain about it You wou'd in a most particular manner oblige me to let me hear from you as your Occasions will permit and to inform me of all the material Occurrences that happen in your Parts In the mean time rest assur'd that no Man living more esteems you or is with more sincerity than I am My Lord Your most Humble c. Charonne July 7 1636. LETTER LIII To the same My Lord I Can't express to you my great concern for the Death of poor Colonel Hebron not only for the esteem I had of his Person but for the Affection and Zeal he always testify'd for his Majesty's Service His Loss has touch'd me in so lively and sensible a manner that 't is impossble for me to receive any Comfort I don't question what you tell me in your Letter that it has afflicted your self in particular for to say the Truth he was a Gentleman that was very necessary to us at this Juncture I have paid to his Memory all that lay in my power to express my great value for him ordering Prayers to be made to God for him and assisting his Neâ—hew with what he has occasion for as if he were my own Relation The Ransom of Maternic is secur'd for him and whatever is due to his Unkle shall most punctually be paid to him Saverne costs us exceeding dear but we must patiently bear what pleases God We find it a matter of great perplexity upon whom to bestow the aforesaid Colonel's Regiment because his eldest Captain who is related to him is a Hugonot and the Catholicks earnestly petition to have it conferr'd upon one of their Party among whom we find the Sieur Douglass who is descended from one of the best Families in Scotland In the mean time nothing shall be resolv'd upon here relating to this occasion till we have receiv'd Advice from you which we desire you to send by the first opportunity We have another Difficulty too upon our Hands that gives us no less trouble and that is to find out for you a proper Mareschall de Camp such a one as you want The King willingly consents that you have Monsieur de Bussy but him you cannot have soon enough As for Monsieur de Rambure he is sufficiently taken up with the business of his Place So we have sent to you the Grand Provost in in this Quality who is a Gentleman of very good Sense great Courage and sweetness of Temper He will get together the Recruits of Foot and Horse that are in Lorrain to aid you to make some opposition to Offlans who lies quarter'd on that side with about some twelve hundred sorry Horse The King gives his consent that Saverne be put into the hands of the Duke of Weymar provided he gives his promise in Writing to leave the Exercise of the Catholick Religion in that place such as he finds it without the least alteration Altho' you are deliver'd from the fears of that Siege it will concern you and the Duke to follow the most advantageous measures you can for the King's Service If Galasse shou'd post himself any where where you might have some notable Advantage over him it wou'd be a great Blow but I can scarce bring my self to believe any such thing can be done till Dole is taken which will happen with God's assistance according to your advices by the end of this Month. You must take care that nothing incommode you in the Franche-Comté but especially favour the Harvest in Alsatia For the rest his Majesty leaves you at full liberty to take such Methods as you shall judge to be most expedient If you please to acquaint us with them we shall send you our Thoughts without obliging you to follow them or hindering you to execute what you shall think proper till you have receiv'd our Answer After the Siege of Dole is over and the King Master of the place we will see what a Re-inforcement we can then send you the present Posture of Affairs in these Parts not permitting us as yet to part with any of our Troops We are providing to send you the second Months Pay which you sollicit for and that you may suffer no Disappointments of that nature it shall be sent away towards the third or fourth of the next Month. The Enemy have taken Capelle on the Coast of Picardy because the Place made no manner
Difficulties attend a Siege and therefore don't desire that you should hasten your Attacks more than you can do it in Prudence I can assure you that this is not only his Majesty's Opinion but likewise of all those that have the honour to be near his Person Monsieur de la Meilleraye is marched to joyn you according to the Orders he has receiv'd from hence occasion'd by what you writ to us some time ago viz. that you wanted to be re-inforced with some Troops He is ready to act as you shall order him the only reason why we sent him being to execute your commands either on the Siege or any where else where you think fit to employ him Since you are of opinion that you still want Horses to fetch in your Provisions we are going to raise two hundred more in order to relieve yours when they begin to be harrassed As for the Artillery Monsieur de la Meilleraye may joyn yours with that which was design'd for him in case you have occasion for it and thus I hope you 'll be supply'd with every thing necessary to carry on your Design Bergerac told me as from you that you have receiv'd advice that the Enemy are taking abundance of Cannon out of Sedan to be employ'd against us We cannot imagine what shou'd be the meaning of it because they do nothing at Sedan as we are inform'd by the Mareschal de Châtillon who acquaints us with what passes there I beg of you that as you continue your Attacks which you send me word were begun last Night you wou'd not forget to finish your Lines of Circumvallation and rest assur'd that nothing that lies in our power shall be omitted which may facilitate the reduction of the place Knowing that the Enemy may be in a condition to make some Effort by the end of this Month the King whom I shall accompany makes account to be at Soissons about that time to strengthen either by his Presence or by the addition of his own Troops your Army which perhaps may want such a Re-inforcement Be assur'd that in whatsoever place 't is my destiny to be I am and ever shall be My Lord Your c. Challiot July 19 1637. LETTER LXXXV To the Cardinal de la Vallette My Lord THO' I have nothing at present to write to you yet I cou'd not let the Sieur de Bergerac go without giving him this Letter to assure you of the continuance of my Affection and Service on which you may certainly depend upon all occasions We begin to have News of Picolomini that he has not above eight or nine thousand Men in all with him half Horse and half Foot Monsieur de Châtillon has got his Forces together and has a sufficient power with him to despise all the Efforts that the Enemy can make on that side The King will be infallibly at Soissons or â—…on by the end of this Month. The Sieur de Saintou has taken care to send away all those things that Monsieur de la Meilleraye said he had a necessary occasion for We will not fail to supply you with every thing that may be expected from us Rest satisfy'd of this and that I am My Lord Your c. Challiot July 15 1637. LETTER LXXXVI To the same My Lord I Am overjoy'd to find by you that the Siege of Landrechy is so fairly advanc'd We are in hopes to hear every Day better News than other for places that are reduc'd to such a Condition as yours is make no long opposition when they once begin to decline I have spoken to the King about what you were pleased to write to me that it was high time to find out a Governour for the Town His Majesty was of opinion that the two fittest Men in your Army were Nettancourt and Vaubecourt but the latter he thinks the properer of the two in regard of Nettancourt's Religion which wou'd extremely prejudice the reputation of his Majesty and check the progress we may expect to make in Flanders So you must put the aforesaid Sieur de Vaubecourt with his Regiment and such other Troops as you shall judge convenient into the place as well to guard as to fortifie it We continue to make a considerable Progress in Burgundy as well on the part of Monsieur de Longueville as of the Duke of Weymar and the Count de Gransay Landrechy will balance the loss of Hermestein and after this we will push our fortune farther in Flanders The King will set forward by the end of this Month as I have already sent you word for Laon. I am persuaded that two or three Days before our departure we shall hear the agreeable News that you have pluck'd down the Stag that you have been chasing I am and always shall be My Lord Your c. Challiot July 21 1637. The Hollanders embark'd some fifteen Days ago at Ramekins but the Wind was so contrary that we don't know which way they are gone However we are certain that they will do us some notable Service LETTER LXXXVII To the same My Lord YOU will receive two of my Letters in one Day The latter comes to inform you that the Hollanders having been in great Pain at some Reports that have been scatter'd abroad that your Army consists of no more than eight or nine thousand Men I beseech you that for the future you will not suffer the Commissaries that make the Reviews to order their Accounts so as has been practised of late They cannot be too exact to set down no more Men than they find in the Army but then 't is reasonable they should put those in the Number that are reckon'd in Pay Now in their present Supputations they never reckon the Captain the Lieutenant the Ensign the two Sergeants the Drummer the Haut-boy and the Quartermaster nor what is more the three Men that are allowed to the three great Officers for want of which they are forced to take other Soldiers when their Baggage marches Thus not reckoning in every Company the eleven Men that are effectually there it comes to pass that in a Regiment consisting of twenty Companies we lose two hundred and twenty Men. By this means the Enemy having always Spies in our Army and knowing that People are seldom guilty of making their numbers less than they are imagine that we are fewer than in reality we are which may occasion a world of inconveniences The Sieur Usquerque who is Secretary to the States has been again with us to be informed of the Truth of your Army which is represented so small on this side that it looks as if these Gentlemen wou'd use this as an Excuse for not doing the great Service we expected from them 'T is to little purpose for us to tell them how things really are for People are apter to believe the flying Reports of an Army than our Assurances which is an unspeakable damage to us We have dispatched two Courriers to the States to satisfie
Days ago for this purpose I have sent you thirty thousand Livres more that if you make an Attempt upon N you may want nothing All that I have written to you above being presuppos'd although the King gives you full liberty to act as you shall see most convenient for his Service and 't is a difficult matter for a Man to give his Advice at a great distance yet for all that I am of opinion that if you cou'd succeed at N and the place is really as advantageous as it is represented to be it wou'd be no very hard matter by keeping a considerable Body in all the good Country that lies between this Post and Maubeuge to take Avenes with a few Horse and no great number of Foot In a word My Lord I leave all to your Prudence beseeching you to believe that as I by no means desire you to attempt any thing above your power so we at least expect that you should perform all you are capable of doing Heaven be praised every thing goes well on all sides We do better and better every Day in the Franche-Comté Monsieur de Châtillon is in hopes to make some good progress in Luxemburgh And just now we have receiv'd Advice that on the First of this Month the Duke of Savoy met the whole Spanish Cavalry near Verseil beyond Sezia and resolv'd to attack them with Vigour Which he perform'd so well that there are at least two hundred of them dead upon the Spot two hundred taken Prisoners and above four hundred Horses made a Booty Spadin and several other Persons of great consideration were killed in this Aâ—…on This My Lord is all I have to communicate to you in this Letter I have no more to add but my desires that you wou'd believe me to be with all sincerity My Lord Your c. Challiot Aug. 8 1637. Le Plessis Bezancon will part within a Day or two You must excuse me if I tell you that in truth you write with so much deference of 44 that I am afraid you are not satisfy'd with him All the Letters he writes to me are full of Expressions of Gratitude for the great Civilities he has receiv'd from you He looks upon it as an honour to be under your command but shou'd he ever do any thing to disoblige you I wou'd most assuredly disown him My Opinion is that we ought to end this Campagne as we begun for since the Prince of Orange cannot march into Flanders as he proposed in his first Design nothing obliges us now to separate his Majesty's Forces any longer However if you find the Party aforesaid a Burthen to you the Friendship between you and me is great enough to make me find an Invention to rid you of him Addition SInce the writing of this Letter the Sieur Talon your Secretary brings us advice from the Sieur de Roquepine who commands for you at Metz that after an exact view of Picolomini's Troops that are quarter'd between Treves and Vaudreurange he judges them to be reduc'd to six thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse Since which advice the aforesaid Sieur de Roquepine assures us that they lose so many Men as well by want of Provisions as by sickness that he believes they cannot be above five thousand five hundred at most By this we may conclude that it will be impossible for him to march into Flanders at the head of 13 or 1400 Horse and 4000 Foot so that by God's help he will not be in a capacity to do us a Mischief I conclude from this Account and the Siege of Breda that till the 20th of August or thereabout you will have no great Business upon your hands because the Spaniards will endeavour all they can to hinder the Lines of Circumvallation from being finish'd at Breda and when they find there is no possibility of saving that Town 't is probable they will come to attack us in their own Country and that we may be so happy as to conclude this Campagne with a successful Battle I conjure you to take care that Landrechy be well fortify'd and that nothing be wanting there LETTER XCII To the Cardinal de la Valette My Lord I Was extremely glad to be inform'd by yours of the 9th of this Month after what manner Affairs went on your side You found by my former Letter which I gave Monsieur de Combour to deliver to you that the King gives you full liberty to act at your Discretion and that your Advices and ours did not differ I never knew particularly what sort of a place St. Guillain was for which reason I writ to you concerning it as a thing fit to be undertaken if you judged it worth the while The Difficulties we must expect to find there now upon account of the two Men that were hanged have wholly alter'd the Face of this Affair so that we must comfort our selves if Maubeuge as you represent it can do us the same kindness In such a case it will be necessary for you to fortifie your self there as well as you can I did not so much apprehend the difficulty of taking St. Guillain as that of keeping it which cou'd not be done without great Convoys that require abundance of Troops and in the Winter are almost impossible If we cou'd take Avenes as I most assuredly believe we may we shou'd have reason to say that this Campagne was employ'd happily enough This is therefore the Point to which we must stick and by keeping the Sambre whereof now you are Master still in your power you may hinder the Enemy from coming to the relief of it Bezancon when he was here promised to do Wonders in the good ordering of the Army for which reason we have sent him word to go to wait upon you that by your Orders he might as far as is possible hinder the Soldiers from making havock of the Corn for I well foresee that it will be an impossible Matter to furnish so great a Body with Corn enough if you don't make them sublist upon what you find in the Country where as I am informed 't is exceedingly plentiful In the mean time one Touches of Metz is gone to convoy four or five hundred Muids of Corn that are now at Guise to Landrechy in which he will be forced to employ more than two hundred Horses which you demanded and which have been employ'd in carrying one thing or another ever since you have taken the Field A Message has been sent to Monsieur Lambert to joyn de Bussy's Army at Estren between Capelle and Avenes and to stay there till you send him farther Orders As for the Owners of the Horses that bring Provisions to your Army they shall have all due encouragement to make them continue in the Service In the mean time you must take care to prevent them from leaving you I have seen a Letter of the Sieur Arnauld dated the 10th of this Month and written to the Reverend F. Joseph
will prove sufficient Motives to incline you not to lose a Minute's time But my Business at present only is to remember you how much it will be for the Reputation of his Majejesty's Arms and the good of his Affairs in general I hope you won't be less fortunate than you were at Leucatte and that if the Spaniards have but the courage to stay for the King's Army you will make known to 'em how much you are able to do I wish it with all my heart and furthermore desire you to pay the Prince all that deference is due to his Quality and Charge to the end that his Majesty's Affairs may proceed vigorously and I have a fairer occasion to recommend your deserts who am unfeignedly c. P. S. I beg of you to pass by some rash Humours in the Prince and which are only the Effects of his Natural Constitution and his Extraordinary Zeal for the King's Service You know what I have always been to you and what I still am In God's Name Do whatever you can to shame the Spaniards in their Vndertaking and assure yourself I will never suffer your Actions to be obscur'd but take all imaginable Care to set 'em in their due light LETTER CLXII To Mareschal de Chatillon SIR THese few Lines are to acquaint you That the King would be glad if before you put your Army into Garison you would demolish the small Castles about Metz which are in your Instructions with Sancy Nevertheless he refers it to your Judgment assuring himself that as you would not be wanting in what was for his Advantage so you would not undertake what would be any ways prejudicial I pray God assist you in your Endeavours and I conjure you to believe that I am c. LETTER CLXIII To the Same SIR I Think fitting to add nothing to what you are order'd by Monsieur Noyers not doubting but you will do whatever is in your power to comply with the King's Pleasure I shall only acquaint you I should be very glad you would effect something before you put your Men into Garison and this as well for the King's Satisfaction as to advance your own Interest in his Favour You may be always assured of my constant Esteem and that I am c. LETTER CLXIV To Mareschal Schomberg SIR MOnsieur Tagenac returning to you I thought fit to send you this Letter to testifie a-new the Satisfaction I have in his Business and of the Assurances he has given me on your part of your Resolutions to relieve Salces if practicable The Confidence I repose in your Courage your Sincerity and your Carefulness makes me look upon this Design as good as finished and to be almost assur'd that God will bless the Justice of the King's Arms under your Conduct I pray for this with all my Heart and desire you Sir to believe that I will recommend your Services upon this occasion in such manner that you shall have no reason to believe any body values and esteems you more than he that is truly and sincerely c. Instructions sent by the Lord Cardinal Richelieu to Monsieur Chavigny how to proceed in acquainting the Bishops at Paris with the King's Declaration forbidding them to confer with the Nuncio Scoti SIR I Here send you the Order that Monsieur de la Barde and his Colleague are to shew to the Bishops now at Paris and if there be any amongst 'em that desire a Copy as I do not doubt some will for their Satisfaction as others to communicate to the said Nuncio this is what I think proper to be made publick I should be very glad if you would shew it first to the Chancellor and the Messieurs Bullion and Bowthillien to the end that if they think any thing necessary to be added or alter'd it may be done before it be communicated to the said Prelates You would oblige me also shew it to the Proctor-General acquainting him that I were willing he should see it before it were publick I suppose by this Order we shall sufficiently acquaint the World with what has pass'd at Rome and at Paris relating to the Nuncio and give occasion for those that have a mind to know the Truth to enquire further into the matter and I hope prevent such as are willing to conceive an ill Opinion of the King's Proceedings You must also Order the Captain of the Watch to be more Diligent than usual at the Nuncio's Door arresting all such as shall come out thence at an unseasonable Hour that is after the Night once shut in If by chance they should meet with some that you know of we should be glad to hear it the next Morning after they had lodged all Night in the Watch-house If there be an Opportunity of taking any of these it must not be perform'd near the Nuncio's Lodging but in the turning of Harp or James-Street for fear it come to his Excellency's Ears LETTER CLXV To Cardinal Bagni concerning the Affairs of Monsieur Scoti My LORD THE Friendship I have always had for you has made me hitherto decline what I thought might trouble you But at length give me leave to acquaint you with the unadvised and rash Behaviour of Monsieur Scoti some Months ago perpetrated and since condemned by all the World Nay at present his Proceedings are so very extravagant that I shall forbear Particulars for the same Reason I am willing to believe however that this good Prelate has a great deal of Zeal but certainly he is so unacquainted with France and deviates so much from the good Instructions you have given him that it will be rather prejudicial than advantageous to him in the end if he does not moderate his Heat I refer you for a further Account to the Relation I have order'd Monsieur Chavigny to send you Sir I take no notice of what he may say in my Prejudice because on the one side I am willing to forgive all upon God's Account and on the other I think my self sufficiently known in the World not to fear any Aspersion that I would wrong thro' a private Interest the very meanest of Persons I wish to God your Eminence may be capable of working upon this turbulent Spirit that he may deserve a better Character than he has already with most People and that you would be pleased to make use of all occasions to experience the sincere Professions that I am and will be always my Lord c. LETTER CLXVI To Mareschal Schomberg SIR I Send from Mance directly to your Quarters to know what is to be farther done at Leucatte It seems strange to me that although there have been 80000 Livres remitted thither for the Works yet there is nothing much advanced although the Place be so very important both to the King and the Country as the first Town that it is likely the Enemies will pitch upon I promise my self however that you will speedily contribute for the future what is in your Power that it
'em and so concluded that his Retreat must be the end of this Affair This he grounded upon two Reasons First The Queen not being pleas'd to give an Account of the Occasion of her Anger and Indignation the Effect might be delayed for some time but the Cause not being taken away she could never be thoroughly appeased Secondly That not resolving to make known the Jealousies and Suspicions she might have of her Servants they might be convicted in her Thoughts of a Crime they were never guilty of without having any Means to prove their Innocence The Law never reputes a Man guilty till he is convicted and is always ready to receive a Justification where there is no positive Proof to prevent it If he had been allowed this Justice he had even esteemed himself happy in his Misfortune but on the contrary he had no such Liberty granted but bare Suspicions were both his Witnesses and Judges The evident Falseness of their Calumnies made his Accusers cautious not to make known their Informations nor their Persons As they were assured they could never maintain their Allegations they thought it best to repose their Security in their being conceal'd They perswaded the Queen that if she should discover herself to him there would be no Security for them for he would not only know 'em by their Names but also guess at 'em by the least Circumstance of the matter They added farther That his Wit was so piercing that if he had but the least knowledge of what they accused him he would immediately disguise himself so that black should seem white and that consequently she could never be able to find out the Truth By these Means all the Avenues and Ways he might make use of to shew his Innocence were stopt up and these Precautions had that Power over the Queen that whatever he could say in his behalf appear'd rather to be the Industry of his Wit than an innocent Truth She made as much of them that told her a Falshood as who discovered a Truth She kept all secret from one and the other and both were treated alike Which occasion'd every one to lend his Money freely without fear of its being enquired into the false Alloy She put as great Trust in her Jealousies as Oracles and flatter'd herself like Magicians who are bewitch'd with their false Science and which deceives 'em in most Points for one that may happen to be true The truth of one trifling Suspicion made her conclude fifty of greater Consequence infallible All these Considerations tormented the Cardinal's Mind more than is possible to be express'd He would freely have given his Life to have undeceived the Queen in the Designs and Artifices of his Enemies and has a hundred times begg'd of God to take him out of the World in her good Opinion He found himself attacked by a Disease and saw no Remedy to free him which made him resolve upon a Retreat as the only way to cure On the other side he considered That he who quits a Party loses it and who turns his Back upon the Court gives opportunity to them that are arm'd with Hatred and Envy to injure him unreveng'd He knew there were some that wish'd him ill for no other Reason but that they could not endure the Prosperity of the State and the Establishment of the King and consequently endeavoured to weaken both by prejudicing him He considered also that being once retreated they would endeavour to make his most signal Services not only false Steps but Crimes He thought further that if he should continue at Court and endeavour to regain the Queen's good Opinion by doing her all the Service he was capable of he could not prevent ill Men from representing to her that he tarry'd only to oppose her Pleasure He reflected that when he had formerly been in her Favour he found it difficult to preserve himself against the ill Advice was given her but now he thought it almost impossible to perswade her he serv'd her well tho' he should kill himself in the Endeavours He thought whilst he was in Place he could have no other Power than to injure himself it being certain that if God should give him any Opportunities to do his Country Service it would be to no purpose because he should be with held by so many Considerations fearing to do amiss and displease that it would be almost impossible to put any of 'em in Execution He saw plainly that tho' the Queen herself might be well affected to the State yet there were a great many People that sought to please her otherwise contributing to some ill Event the Blame of which might possibly be imputed to him so that he could not hope to have any Success from the best Design This he has often been sensible of by the Crosses he has met with in the greatest Affairs that have been concerted for these three Years He easily perceives his Afflictions do so enervate the Vigour of his Body and weaken his Mind in such manner that he shall not be able much longer to support any Publick Employment Also that he has so much to do to defend himself from those that torture him within that he shall not be capable any longer to resist his Enemies that assault him without He considered moreover that as he has been hitherto able to resist the Enemies of the State by the Queen's Favour he shall for the future be altogether incapable to oppose them being in Disgrace He also saw well that the Queen being once possessed against him she could not want malicious Spirits to foment and augment her Prejudice especially when they found she had so great a Disposition to it Whereas he formerly had been a Comfort to the Queen in her Afflictions he considered that her Jealousies and their Designs against him might now make him the Cause Thus having thoroughly weigh'd all these Reasons he resolved upon his Retreat as the only means to justifie his Fidelity and convince her Majesty that his Business at Court has always been hers and the King's Interest which as their Respect for him oblig'd him to it so that for them made him quit it Assoon as the Queen was inform'd of his Resolutions she did what she could to disswade him from it But her Jealousies preventing him to think himself secure he persisted in his Design He represented to her further that during his late Persecutions though those that sway'd the King aim'd at nothing but his Ruine yet he fear'd neither their Power nor their ill Will so long as he had her to speak in his Defence and that she would hear nothing to his Prejudice But now matters were in such a plight that her Heart is shut up her Mouth clos'd and her Ears open to every body against him So that finding himself slighted by her Majesty he determined to retire from the World But the King hearing of it would by no means suffer it and endeavoured all that was in his Power
delivered out of the Precipice which through her own Neglect she is fallen into instead of doing her utmost to assist Count Harcourt in the Execution of a Design in which she is principally concern'd and to reinforce him with fresh Troops she not only took away those which were maintained at the King's Expence and which she was promised should be drawn off assoon as they had received the King's Money This Negligence affects me so sensibly that I confess I am out of Patience and I cannot tell what Opinion to have of Madam's Intentions after such an extravagant Trick I conjure you to represent to her the Prejudice she does to the general Affairs and to her own in particular by that ill Conduct which is enough either to ruine the Enterprize of Turin or at least to give this Advantage to the Enemy to take another Place without much Resistance while the King's Army shall regain with much Difficulty that which others have lost because they would not keep it Monsieur de Chavigny writes so fully in Cyphers upon the Subject of your Express that nothing remains but to conjure you to solicit Madam to do that which Reason and the Necessity of her Affairs together ought to have made her have already done that if she persevere to neglect her own Advantage the King will take his as Reason and the Publick Good shall require In the mean time be assured that I am c. LETTER CCXXXCVII To the Prince of Orange SIR MOnsieur d'Estrade will acquaint you what past with us in the business of Monsieur Bouillon in which your Highness's Intervention could not make for his Assistance He will tell you also how I acknowledge those advantageous Sentiments you had relating to my Sickness and of the Troubles some turbulent Spirits would have given to his Majesty's Affairs I want Words to express my Gratitude for the Favour you have done me on those Occasions but I desire you to believe that I will omit none to shew you by the Effects that I really am c. LETTER CCXXXVIII To James King of England Concerning the Marriage of the P. of Wales SIR THis is not the first time that I am sensible that great Kings often conceive things according to their great Qualities and not as they are in themselves that they magnifie mean things by the Esteem they have of them and those whom they honour by their Benevolence cannot be inconsiderable The Letter with which your Majesty was pleased to honour me confirms me in this Truth because it lets me see that I have so much Merit in your Esteem as in effect I have Admiration of those great and rare Qualities which are in you They are Sir so shining that if by the knowledge of them I have no Advantage above the rest of the World who may be ignorant of them yet at least I am assured that few admire them so much and none can do it more than I. Respect has always induced me in the Service of the King my Master to answer your Majesty's Expectation in accomplishing the happy Alliance projected betwixt the two Crowns It was no difficult thing for I satisfy'd my Desire and did my Duty at the same time Because that as on one side the King never thought but of proper Conditions to give you an opportunity to oblige the Hearts of your Catholick Subjects with new Chains which you have already gain'd your Majesty on your part hath of your own accord granted that which being desired for their Good was also principally for your Advantage If they receive much Favour from your Majesty you will thereby gain a Glory the more inestimable because it will be eternal It is a thing Sir not to be at all doubted of because that as the first Water of a running Stream is sufficient to let us know that its Channel is not stopt so it is enough to know that your Majesty whose Bounty is inexhaustible hath once engaged to be gracious to your Subjects to be assured that they will receive continual Effects of your Benevolence and consequently your Majesty will more closely unite those Hearts which are already yours Heaven without whose Concurrence nothing can attain to Perfection hearing the Prayers of so many Creatures who depend upon your Majesty will unite those two Monarchies with an indissolvable Knot that as their joint Forces have formerly made the Levant tremble so they will now strike Terrour in all their Enemies and dissipate all the Efforts of those who desire to hinder that Happiness that they may effect in Christendom I beg it of God with all my Heart and that he would bestow upon your Majesty all those Blessings which such singular Qualities which concur in your Person deserve I am eternally c. LETTER CCXXXIX To the Prince of Wales SIR THE Letter which your Highness was pleased to honour me with is a Favour which transcends all the Bounds of my Gratitude and for want of Words be pleased to let me preserve in my Soul a lively Sentiment of this Obligation In the mean time that I may not be ingrateful I every where proclaim those Great and Royal Qualities which shew that the Excellency of your Wit is equal to your illustrious Birth With this Sence my Lord I shall in some sort do my Duty but not according to my Desire which in matters relating to you can have no Bounds If God had given me all those Qualifications which your Highness believes are in me I should esteem myself very happy to employ them in your Service to acquire your good Grace which I will merit by the Obedience I will pay to your Commands I am c. LETTER CCXL To the Queen of England MADAM BEing inform'd by Mr. Montague of the great Desire your Majesty has of a strict Union of those two Crowns I have so much the more endeavoured to add weight to those Proposals which he has made that he may let you particularly know what was done about them and with what Sincerity the King was pleased to receive them and gave them a favourable Answer according to your Desire As for me beside the Zeal which I have for your Majesty's Service the particular Esteem which I have for your Person and the noble Qualities of the King your Husband and the Respect I have for them make me that I never omit any thing which depends on me for your Satisfaction which I am assur'd Mr. Montague will not fail to let you know And as it is a matter of importance that the King your Husband be pleased to send hither an agreeable Embassadour being certain that many things are frequently spoiled or advanced according as the Ministers who manage them are ill or well received by the Princes with whom they are concern'd I presume to beseech your Majesty to weigh those Considerations because they have no other Design but to promote your Service which shall always be so particularly considered by me that you shall be
Comprotection of France in the Person of Cardinal Anthony because he only desired he should Exercise that Office to let the World know the particular Affection he has to the Pope's Family and to have more Ways to keep the two Brothers united when their Interests shall more require it They shall also particularly make known to Cardinal Anthony the Satisfaction the King has in him and shall give him Assurance of his Protection and Assistance in all things They shall communicate to Cardinal Bentivoglio the Resolution the King takes to put an end to the Preconisation of the Consistorial Benefices till the Pope putting an end to the Prohibition which he has given Cardinal Anthony repair the Injury which by that means they would do France And shall let him know That it is not that his Majesty dislikes that he should continue to Execute the Office of Comprotector but only that he might not give this Advantage to the Spaniards to think that France yields to their Desires In the mean time if his Holiness coming to himself will give his Majesty that Satisfaction which Justice and Reason require permitting Cardinal Anthony to Exercise the Functions of the Office of Comprotector for whom it doth not seem that the Pope has lost his Cause and the King has gained his yet his Majesty thinks it good that the Embassadours consent to this following Expedient which is That it be a Month before Cardinal Anthony execute the Functions of his Office in the Consistory upon condition that from that moment his Holiness pass his Word to the said Embassadours That from that time he shall agree That he Execute his Office without having a new Licence from his Holiness This Overture has not been made to Cardinal Bichi that the Embassadours may be able to manage it so much the better because they only are acquainted with it If the Pope is not satisfied things shall be left in the forementioned condition without any Preconisation of the French Affairs in the Consistory yet Mareschal Crequi shall return by the way of Venice giving his Holiness a Testimony That the Respect his Majesty has for the Church is such That notwithstanding former Passages the King has not failed to give him order to Negotiate the Pope's Affairs at Venice as tho' his Majesty had not been disobliged In taking leave of his Holiness the said Mareschal as well on the King 's as his own part shall make him all the Compliments imaginable assuring him withal That his Majesty will never change his Resolution concerning the Comprotection being by no means able to endure that any other beside Cardinal Anthony exercise that Office LETTER CCXLVII. To the POPE Most Holy FATHER AMong other Displeasures with which the Piety of the King is afflicted as he beholds the Miseries the Church suffers by the Division and Discord of Christian Princes his Majesty has been sensibly dissatisfied with the evil Proceedings of some of the Spanish Ministers toward your Holiness and with the little Respect which was paid you by one of those who are the most obliged to honour you I cannot enough admire that he has so far forgot himself as to have used nothing but Complaints and some less decent Terms instead of Praises and most humble Thanks which are due to the singular Goodness and Wisdom of your Government Your Holiness has always appeared so manifestly to desire the Peace of Christendom and to appease the Differences which might trouble it that there is no body if he be not prejudiced with Passion but must acknowledge that you have omitted nothing that you thought convenient to promote so good a Design If amongst all those who are compell'd to behold this Truth some do profess the contrary any Man may plainly see that it is Interest alone which makes them shut their Eyes at Justice and open their Mouths to speak against the Sentiments of their own Conscience It seems that God has permitted things of this nature which are lately pass'd that your Holiness may receive new Testimonies of the Zeal of the most pious and the greatest-Prince of Christendom who will always think it a singular Glory to promote your Interest and to partake of the Cares and the good Resolutions your Holiliness has always had for the Advancement of Religion and the Establishment of the Publick Tranquility to which he thinks it will not a little contribute to let the World know the Deference which is due to the Holy Chair and to the Person of a Pope of such rare and singular Vertues as your Holiness As for me most holy Father I should think my self altogether unworthy of the Honour I have in the Church and the Favours I receive from so vertuous a Prince as he is to whose Service I am devoted with all manner of respects if I did not earnestly desire that Peace which your Holiness and his Majesty so passionately wish for Christendom which has hitherto been disturbed by those who desire to appear contrary to one another I hope that God will make this Truth more manifest to the World and that your Holiness will have reason to confess that as the King gladly makes use of all his Power to the Glory of God the Good of the Church and the Publick Tranquility he will lose no opportunity to give you Proofs of his sincere Affection for the interest of your Family which according to his Intentions and your Holiness's Merits I will always endeavour to promote as it is my Duty who am c. LETTER CCXLVIII To the Same Most Holy Father THo' the Choice which it has pleased your Holiness to make of the Person of Monsieur Mazarin to employ him in the Negotiation of the Affairs of Italy makes every one conceive how capable you judged him for it I think myself obliged to give this Testimony of him That he has behaved himself so well that beside the Love of all the Princes with whom he has treated which he has gained the King also was very much satisfy'd with him He will assure your Beatitude of the sincere Affections his Majesty has for you and to what degree he honours you not only by reason of your Dignity but also because of the great Merits of your Person As to my particular I most humbly beseech you to believe that I perceive myself so inseparably united to this Duty that all my Actions shall be so many Proofs of this Truth and of the Zeal and inviolable Constancy with which I am and ever will be c. LETTER CCXLIX To the Same Most Holy Father I Have this great while struggled in my self if I ought to represent to your Holiness the great Mischiefs which France suffers by reason of the Delays which for some time have been made use of in the Court of Rome in the Expedition of the Bulls of the Bishops nominated to your Holiness by his Majesty but at last the Salvation of Souls the Reputation of your Holiness and the Fear of my being
pleas'd to bless your Victorious Armes from day to day And I most fervently beseech him to continue the same and render you the most glorious of all the Princes of the Earth as he has exalted you to be the most Illustrious in Birth and for those Virtues which all the World admires in your Person In the mean time I cannot sufficiently set forth in Termes becoming my Gratitude how sensible I am of the good Offices which as M. Bouthillier sends me Word your Majesty vouchsafes to do me with the Queen your Mother Which is a Proof of the Goodness of the Best Master in the World in favour of his Creature which I shall endeavour to acknowledge by all the Services that shall ever be within the Power of a Servant to do your Majesty which as I hope will cause your Majesty to acknowledge that never any Person was is or will be equally as I am c. LETTER LIX To the King 'T IS impossible for me to tarry any longer without manifesting to Your Majesty my joy for the news which the Sieur de Raire has brought concerning what has happen'd at Cazal For tho' it be not confirm'd by any Courrier with particular Dispatches if it be true as he assures me that he was present at the Action there is no reason to question it Which being granted I cannot but give God thanks for it with all my heart as being one of the most glorious that your Majesty could desire for your own and the Reputation of your Armes and which heaps both Gladness and Contentment upon all your most zealous Servants Among whom I can assure your Majesty that there is not any one who more fervently desires the Continuance of your successful Progresses then he who is and ever will be c. LETTER LX. To the King YEsterday in the Evening I sent a Gentleman to Mr. le Premier to desire him to put your Majesty in mind that your fasting to day according to your intention may be prejudicial to your health I wrote to the same Effect to Father Maillan but understanding that he was at St. Germans I take the boldness to address my self to your Majesty and lay before you that you will do better to follow that Counsel which is given you to dispence with the performance of your intended Penance then to observe it actually to the prejudice of your health so necessary for the Good of your Realm and the welfare of the Church They who have not Bodies of Iron have need of preventing the Inconveniency that may befall 'em And you may be pleas'd to remember that your Majesty and your Creatures are in the same Condition Which makes me believe that you will so much the more willingly follow the advice which is given you by him who has the greatest Interest and Zeal for what concerns your Majesty To whom I am and ever shall be c. LETTER LXI To the King THo' I should live a hunderd years I should never be able sufficiently to acknowledge according to the Merit of it the Honour which you are pleas'd to do me I confess it is the onely thing which next to the Grace of God is able to support me in the perpetual Inconveniences of my unhappy Indisposition My Rhumatism runs every day from one side to the other but lightly now I have it under my jaws I keep it off as well as I can by little remedies In the prescribing of which I have a good share with my little Physitian whom you know to be de Poictiers But the best of all those remedies that do me any good is the continuance of the Honour of your Gracious Favours which is the onely thing in the World on which I most relye and your good Health which I wish for a hundred times more then my own life being able to averr with as much Truth as is due to the Solemnity of the day that I never had nor ever shall have a Passion equal to that which I have and ever shall have as long as I live for the Contentment and satisfaction of the greatest King in the world to whom I am Eternally c. LETTER LXII To the King MY Cousin de la Meilleray will testify to Your Majesty one true thing which is that Your Majesty confers both upon him and me many more favours then we can ever merit Had he not had a particular care all his life long not only to obey your will but to prevent your Intentions when he could dive into 'em I should disown him and heartily renounce him without ever thinking my self in a fault since it would be the least Punishment he could deserve and for that having shewn him this Letter he consents to it and acknowledges that he should deserve more I praise God for Your Majesty's Good Health and I beseech him with all my heart to preserve it as entire and as long as he desires it who wishes it more then the preservation of his own which he desires for no other end then to employ it in Your Majesty's Service to whom I shall ever be while I have Breath c. LETTER LXIII To the King THE Honour which it pleases Your Majesty to do me is more then sufficient to remove from me all my Greivances though they were greater then they are I do not believe the Inconvenience of which I spoke to Your Majesty Yesterday will come to any thing nor do I think the Advice which they have given Your Majesty is a real truth but only that they had a design to pass away the time as you are pleas'd to write me word of which I shall not open my Lips to any person living I saw Monsieur Puy-Laurence this morning who told me that Monsieur is not as not as yet so well converted upon the point of his Marriage as he desired but that by pursuing what he should say to Father Joseph and M. Bouthillier in that particular they would find a way to bring it to pass I am c. LETTER LXIV To the King 'T IS impossble to forbear manifesting to Your Majesty the extream satisfaction I receiv'd from the sight of you Your Sentiments are full of Generosity and so much the more to be highly valu'd because you submit 'em to reason and the just considerations of the Good and Wellfare of your Realm I beseech you never to be affraid of Communicating 'em to your Creatures and to be perswaded that they will make it their sole study to bring 'em to pass to your Content and Advantage I wish your Glory more then ever any Servant wish'd the Prosperity of his Master nor shall I leave any thing omitted that lies in my power to contribute towards it The singular Testimonies of your Grace and Favour which you shew'd me Yesterday have peirc'd my heart I find my self oblig'd in such an extraordinary Measure that I cannot express it I beseech your Majesty for God's sake not to do your self any prejudice
never had any Design to absent my self from your Person And if that good Father be no better acquainted with Your Majesty's Mind then he has been observant of the good Example of his Order during his Abode at Court I still preserve the same Resolutions But if he has better div'd into Your Majesty's Intentions then my self I should think my self too blame if I did not seek to render my Absence agreeable when my Presence could no longer be to your Benefit I beseech Your Majesty in that particular to do your self Justice and to make use of your Goodness in my behalf it being no less just that you should satisfie your self then it would be an Effect of your Goodness to let him take his Rest who could never think himself at ease but when he was certainly convinc'd that his Pains procur'd Your Majesty's Repose LETTER LXXV To the KING YOur Majesty will pardon me if I take the Boldness to return Your Majesty Thanks for the Honour you have been pleas'd to do me in conferring upon my Nephew an Abby the Air and Situation of which being near to Paris may be of great Advantage to promote his Studies I can assure Your Majesty he has a very authentick Dispensation from Rome and that in Acknowledgment of the Favour you have been pleas'd to do him I shall heartily pray to God that he will be pleased to heap upon Your Majesty his Blessings in abundance and make me able to manifest to Your Majesty how much I am c. LETTER LXXVI From Cardinal Richlieu to the QUEEN IT was impossible for me to represent to Your Majesty my Affliction when I understood by the Letter with which you were pleas'd to honour me that God has not as yet bestow'd that Blessing on your Nuptialls which we promis'd our selves from his Goodness I can assure Your Majesty that the King is no less griev'd for your sake then for his own and the Misfortune of his Kingdom However I beseech yee not to afflict your self it being certain that what God is not pleas'd to send at one time may come to pass at another And that he has hitherto manifested so particular a Care of France that he will doubtless crown the Blessings he has in Store for us with that which he knows to be the only one that can compleat our Happiness I fervently pray for it and beseech Your Majesty to believe that there is no Man who desires it with more Passion then I do who am and ever will be to my Life's End c. LETTER LXXVII To the QUEEN IF through the Fault of another I have fail'd Your Majesty by assuring you of a thing that has not come to pass so soon as I expected I hope Your Majesty will not think me too blame but rather condemn the Inconstancy of those who have not fulfill'd what they were oblig'd to by a Treaty Though there was no Fault committed by me in giving Your Majesty Advice of the Entry which the King was to have made into Nancy yet I must confess I was so sorry I had relied so much upon the Faith of another that I never durst have re-issum'd the Boldness to have writ to Your Majesty had not Time repair'd the Mistake I fell into I assure Your Majesty that it shall never be my Misfortune again to build upon that which not depending upon my self shall not be as absolutely certain as my Fidelity to Your Majesty which is and shall be ever c. LETTER LXXVIII From Card. Richlieu to the Count of Soissons I Told the Sieur Campion the Bearer hereof what I thought would be for your Good which terminates in this That you will always receive the Effects of the King's Goodness provided you will be pleas'd to put your self into a Condition to merit ' em It will not be Prudence Sir in you to juggle with His Majesty in certain things to which the Pretension aloneis odious so long as it tends to the Diminution of his Honour and Authority I beseech yee so to demean your self as may be for your own Good and to be confident that I shall desire all Opportunities to serve you And you shall find by the Effects that I am sincerely c. LETTER LXXIX From the KING to the same Person I have receiv'd your Letter wherein you assure me of your Innocence which being willing to believe I have nothing farther to say to yee but that I will always refer the Causes of such of my Subjects that fail in what they owe to my Person and my Realm to the Judges whose Susiness it is to take Cognizance of their Actions I promiâ— my 〈◊〉 that your Conduct will ever be such as I desire it should be And upon that Consideration I will assure yee of my Affection and pray to God to have yee in his hoâ—y Keeping c. LETTER LXXX From Card. Richlieu to the Duke of Vendosme I Have receiv'd the Letter you were pleas'd to write me concerning your Sons whom I will serve to the uttermost of my Power in reference to the Journey 't is your Pleasure they should take I dare be confident they are so well born and govern themselves with so much Conduct at Court that we cannot speak so well of 'em as they deserve I shall esteem my self happy If I may be able to testifie my Affection to Them and to your self that I am c. LETTER LXXXI To the Count of Soissons I Leave M. de Mazieres to let you know by Word of Mouth the King 's extraordinary Joy upon the News you sent him of the Queen's being with Child to the end I may tell you my self that for my own Particular I make no doubt of the Truth of what you are pleas'd to acquaint me with in the Letter which you were pleas'd to write me upon that Subject knowing as I do how passionately you desire the Settlement of the Realm and Their Majesties Contentment I beseech you to believe that a greater Felicity could not befall me then to meet some Opportunity wherein I might give you real Proofs of my sincere Affection as being and desiring to be ever c. LETTER LXXXII To the Count d' Harcourt THE Sieur Faret comes to wait upon you with the reasons which ought to perswade you to live in Amity with Monsieur the Archbishop of Bourdeaux whose Interests I cannot by any means relinquish 'T is for the King's Service your Honour and my particular satisfaction These considerations perswade me that you will demean your self upon this Occasion as his Majesty expects you should as you ought your self to do and as I most certainly promise my self I have written to the Sieur de Bordeaux that he shall correspond on his part as far as you can desire And I am confident he will not fail to contribute what lies in his Power toward so good a purpose which without question will be very advantageous to the King's Affairs and honourable to both sides