Part 5 (1/2)
The peace of the Pyrenees, the king's e,--the return of the Prince de Conde, and the death of the Cardinal, gave a new face to the state
[Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Austria She was born 20th Septeust following She died at Versailles 30th July, 1683, and was buried at St Denis]
The eyes of the whole nation were fixed upon their king, who, for nobleness of racefulness of person, had no equal; but it was not then known that he was possessed of those superior abilities, which, filling his subjects with admiration, in the end made him so fors of the intrigues and cabals of all courts, attentively observed his first steps: pleasure promised herself an absolute enorance of the necessary rules of govern in the court except in the e on a sudden display such brilliant abilities, which prudence, in soed him to conceal
An application, inie, and which unlimited power very seldooverne, but all did not find their account in it: the great lost their consequence before an absolute master, and the courtiers approached with reverential awe the sole object of their respects and the sole master of their fortunes: those who had conducted themselves like petty tyrants in their provinces, and on the frontiers, were now no 's pleasure, were sometimes conferred on merit, and sometimes for services done the state; but to ier the arded his y: he could not conceive how he could sube to the rules he prescribed hiive up so many hours of pleasure, to devote theoverne was to be paid, no more court to be made, but to hi as he did the servile adoration usually paid to a minister, he could never crouch before the power of the two Cardinals who succeeded each other: he neither worshi+pped the arbitrary power of the one, nor gave his approbation to the artifices of the other; he had never received anything from Cardinal Richelieu but an abbey, which, on account of his rank, could not be refused hi from Mazarin but what he won of hieneral he had acquired a talent for war; but this during a general peace was of no further service to hiht that, in thein wealth, he could not eood opinion of his es which nature had given hiems in love
He succeeded very well in the two first of these projects, and as he had from that time laid it down as the rule of his conduct to attach hi in all his views of preferard for favour unless when it was supported by merit, to make himself beloved by the courtiers and feared by the ood, and to engage in nothing at the expense of innocence, he soon beca the ill will of the courtiers In play he was successful, in love unfortunate; or, to speak more properly, his restlessness and jealousy overcame his natural prudence, in a situation wherein he had encourt was one of thebeauty, she had draay lovers from the celebrated Meneville
[These two ladies at this period seeallantry One of their contemporaries ive a better account than most people; as, for instance, they had raised a report, when the queen-encourt, that it was on his score, when I arounds, that it was for entertaining the Marquis de Richelieu against her majesty's express command This lady, as one of her maids of honour, was a person whom I was particularly acquainted with; and that so much, as I was supposed to have a passion for her: she was counted one of the finest women of the court, and therefore I was not at all displeased to have it thought so; for except Mademoiselle de Meneville, (who had her admirers,) there was none that could pretend to dispute it” Memoirs of the Comte de Rochfort, 1696, p 210 See also Anquetil, Louis XVI sa Cour et le Regent, tome i p 46]
It was sufficient in those days for the king to cast his eye upon a young lady of the court to inspire her with hopes, and often with tender sentiments; but if he spoke to her ranted, and those who had either pretensions to, or love for her, respectfully withdrew both the one and the other, and afterwards only paid her respect; but the Chevalier de Graht fit to act quite otherwise, perhaps to preserve a singularity of character, which upon the present occasion was of no avail
He had never before thought of her, but as soon as he found that she was honoured with the king's attention, he was of opinion that she was likewise deserving of his Having attached himself to her, he soon beca her he was reeary of his persecutions, but he would not desist, neither on account of her ill-treatment nor of her threats This conduct of his at first reat noise, because she was in hopes that he would change his behaviour; but finding him rashly persist in it, she complained of him: and then it was that he perceived that if love renders all conditions equal, it is not so between rivals He was banished the court, and not finding any place in France which could console hiht of his prince--after having race, and bestowed a few iainst her as the cause of it, he at last forland
CHAPTER SIXTH HIS ARRIVAL AT THE ENGLISH COURT--THE VARIOUS PERSONAGES OF THIS COURT
Curiosity to see a man equally famous for his crimes and his elevation, had once before induced the Chevalier de Grareat privileges Whatever appears advantageous is lawful, and every thing that is necessary is honourable in politics
While the King of England sought the protection of Spain in the Low Countries, and that of the States-General in Holland, other powers sent splendid embassies to Cromwell
This n power by the greatest crimes, maintained himself in it by accomplishments which seemed to render him worthy of it by their lustre The nation, of all Europe the least submissive, patiently bore a yoke which did not even leave her the shadow of that liberty of which she is so jealous; and Cromwell, master of the Commonwealth, under the title of Protector, feared at holory when he was seen by the Chevalier de Grammont; but the Chevalier did not see any appearance of a court One part of the nobility proscribed, the other removed from employments; an affectation of purity of manners, instead of the luxury which the po but sad and serious objects in the finest city in the world; and therefore the Chevalier acquired nothing by this voyage but the idea of soate man, and the admiration of some concealed beauties he had found means to discover
Affairs wore quite a different appearance at his second voyage The joy for the restoration of the royal family still appeared in all parts
The nation, fond of change and novelty, tasted the pleasure of a natural govern oppression In short, the same people who, by a solemn abjuration, had excluded even the posterity of their lawful sovereign, exhausted thes for his return
The Chevalier de Grammont arrived about two years after the restoration
The reception he et the other; and the engageret he had in leaving France
This was a desirable retreat for an exile of his disposition
Everything flattered his taste, and if the adventures he had in this country were not the reeable of his life But before we relate thelish court, as it was at that period
The necessity of affairs had exposed Charles II from his earliest youth to the toils and perils of a bloody war The fate of the king his father had left hiraces
They overtook hiled with his ill-fortune to the last extremity that he submitted to the decrees of Providence
All those ere either great on account of their birth or their loyalty had followed hireatest distinction having afterwards joined him, composed a court worthy of a better fate
Plenty and prosperity, which are thought to tend only to corruptcourt
Necessity, on the contrary, which produces a thousand advantages whether ill or no, served the thelory, politeness, and virtue
With this little court, in such high esteeland returned two years prior to the period we mention, to ascend a throne which, to all appearances, he was to fill as worthily as the nificence displayed on thus occasion was renewed at his coronation