152

The king left Paris, June 1654. [B. XIV.

never obtain that honour; and therefore he had conceived, that he was obliged, in good manners, "to remove so unacceptable an object from the eyes of her majesty, by not coming into her presence; which all who knew him, could not "but know to be the greatest mortification that "could be inflicted upon him; and therefore he "most humbly besought her majesty at this audience, which might be the last he should receive "of her, she would dismiss him with the knowledge of what he had done amiss, that he might "be able to make his innocence and integrity

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appear which he knew had been blasted by the "malice of some persons; and thereby misunder"stood and misinterpreted by her majesty." But all this prevailed not with her majesty; who, after she had, with her former passion, objected his credit with the king, and his endeavours to lessen that credit which she ought to have, concluded, "that she should be glad to see reason to change "her opinion;" and so, carelessly, extended her hand towards him; which he kissing, her majesty departed to her chamber.

It was about the beginning of June in the year 1654, that the king left Paris; and because he made a private journey the first night, and did not join his family till the next day, which administered much occasion of discourse, and gave occasion to a bold person to publish, amongst the amours of the French court, a particular that reflected upon the person of the king, with less license than he used towards his own sovereign, it will not be amiss in this place to mention a preservation God then wrought for the king, little inferior to the greatest

1655.] The amour of the earl of Bristol.

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that is contained in the bundle of his mercies vouchsafed to him; and which shews the wonderful liberty that was then taken to promote their own designs and projects, at the price of their master's honour, and the interest of their country, or the sense they had of that honour and interest. There was at that time in the court of France, or rather in the jealousy of that court, a lady of great beauty, of a presence very graceful and alluring, and a wit and behaviour that captivated those who were admitted into her presence; her extraction was very noble, and her alliance the best under the crown, her fortune rather competent, than abounding, for her degree; being the widow of a duke of an illustrious name, who had been killed fighting for the king in the late troubles, and left his wife childless, and in her full beauty. The king had often seen this lady with that esteem and inclination, which few were without, both her beauty and her wit deserving the homage that was paid to her. The earl of Bristol, who was then a lieutenant general in the French army, and always amorously inclined, and the more inclined by the difficulty of the attempt, was grown powerfully in love with this lady; and, to have the more power with her, communicated those secrets of state which concerned her safety, and more the prince of Condé, whose cousin german she was; the communication whereof was of benefit or convenience to both: yet though he made many romantic attempts to ingratiate himself with her, and such as would neither have become, or been safe to any other man than himself, who was accustomed to extraordinary flights in the air, he could not arrive at the high

154 The designs of the earl of Bristol and lord [B. XIV,

success he proposed. At the same time, the lord Crofts was transported with the same ambition; and though his parts were very different from the other's, yet he wanted not art and address to encourage him in those attempts, and could bear repulses with more tranquillity of mind, and acquiescence, than the other could. When these two lords had lamented to each other their mutual infelicity, they agreed generously to merit their mistress's favour by doing her a service that should deserve it; and boldly proposed to her the marriage of the king; who, they both knew, had no dislike of her person: and they pursued it with his majesty with all their artifices. They added the reputation of her wisdom and virtue to that of her beauty, and "that she might be instrumental to "the procuring more friends towards his restoration, than any other expedient then in view;" and at last prevailed so far with the king, who no doubt had a perfect esteem of her, that he made the overture to her of marriage; which she received with her natural modesty and address, declaring herself" to be much unworthy of that grace;" and beseeching and advising him "to preserve that affection and inclination for a subject more equal "to him, and more capable to contribute to his service;" using all those arguments for refusal, which might prevail with and inflame him to new importunities.

Though these lords made themselves, upon this advance, sure to go through with their design, yet they foresaw many obstructions in the way. The queen, they knew, would never consent to it, and the French court would obstruct it, as they had

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1655.] Crofts to persuade the king to marry. 155 done that of mademoiselle; nor could they persuade the lady herself to depart from her dignity, and to use any of those arts which might expedite the design. The earl of Bristol therefore, that the news might not come to his friend the chancellor of the exchequer by other hands, frankly imparted it to him, only as a passion of the king's that had exceedingly transported him; and then magnified the lady, as a person that would exceedingly cultivate the king's nature, and render him much more "dexterous to advance his fortune:" and therefore he professed, "that he could not dissuade his ma"jesty from gratifying so noble an affection;" and used many arguments to persuade the chancellor too to think very well of the choice. But when he found that he was so far from concurring with him, that he reproached his great presumption for interposing in an affair of so delicate a nature, as by his conduct might prove the ruin of the king, he seemed resolved to prosecute it no farther, but to leave it entirely to the king's own inclination; who, upon serious reflections upon his own condition, and conference with those he trusted most, quickly concluded that such a marriage was not like to yield much advantage to his cause; and so resolved to decline any farther advance towards it. Yet the same persons persuaded him, that it was a necessary generosity to take his last farewell of her; and so, after he had taken leave of his mother, he went so much out of his way as to visit her at her house; where those lords made their last effort; and his majesty, with great esteem of the lady's virtue and wisdom, the next day joined his family, and prosecuted his journey towards Flanders; his small step

156

The king comes to Cambray.

[B. XIV.

out of the way having raised a confident rumour in Paris that he was married to that lady.

Though the king had received a pass from the archduke for his passing through Flanders, so warily worded, that he could not but take notice, that it was expected and provided for, that he should by no means make any unnecessary stay in his journey; yet he found the gates of Cambray shut when he came thither, and was compelled to stay long in the afternoon, before they were opened to receive him; which they excused, by reason that they understood the enemy was at hand, and in"tended to sit down before that city;" of which there appeared in the face of all the people, and the governor himself, a terrible apprehension. But, upon recollection, his majesty was well received by the governor, and treated and lodged that night by him in his house; who was the better composed by his majesty's assuring him, "that the French

army was at a great distance from him, and that "his majesty had passed through it the day before," (when marshal Turenne had drawn up the army to receive his majesty; the duke of York having there likewise taken his leave of the king,) " and, by the "march that they then appeared to make, there was great reason to conclude that they had no

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design upon Cambray;" which good information made the king's presence the more acceptable. But besides the civility of that supper, and lodging that night, his majesty had not the least address from the archduke, who was within four or five leagues with his army, but passed, without the least notice taken of him, through those provinces; so great a terror possessed the hearts of the Spaniard, lest