The Memoirs of Cardinal de Retz — Volume 3 [Historic court memoirs] eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 93 pages of information about The Memoirs of Cardinal de Retz — Volume 3 [Historic court memoirs].

The Memoirs of Cardinal de Retz — Volume 3 [Historic court memoirs] eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 93 pages of information about The Memoirs of Cardinal de Retz — Volume 3 [Historic court memoirs].

The First President told him that he was sorry to see him there before he had waited on the King, and that it seemed as if he were for setting up altar against altar.  This nettled the Prince to that degree that he said that those who talked against him had only self-interests in view.  The First President denied that he had any such aim, and said that he was accountable to the King only for his actions.  Then he exaggerated the danger of the State from the unhappy division of the royal family.

Finally it was resolved, ‘nemine contradicente’, that the Solicitor-General should be commissioned to prosecute those who had advised the arrest of the Prince de Conde; that the Queen’s promise for the safety of the Prince should be registered; that his Royal Highness should be desired by the whole assembly to go and wait on the King; and that the decrees passed against the servitors of Mazarin should be put into execution.  The Prince, who seemed very well satisfied, said that nothing less than this could assure him of his safety.  The Duc d’Orleans carried him to the King and the Queen, from whom he met with but a cold reception.

At the close of this session the declaration against the Cardinal was read and sent back to the Chancellor, because it was not inserted that the Cardinal had hindered the Peace of Munster, and advised the King to undertake the journey and siege of Bordeaux, contrary to the opinion of the Duc d’Orleans.

The Queen, provoked by the conduct of the Prince de Conde, who rode through the streets of Paris better attended than the King, and also by that of the Duke, whom she found continually given to change, resolved, in a fit of despair, to hazard all at once.  M. de Chateauneuf flattered her inclination on that point, and she was confirmed in it by a fiery despatch from Mazarin at Bruele.  She told the Duc d’Orleans plainly that she could no longer continue in her present condition, demanded his express declaration for or against her, and charged me, in his presence, to keep the promise I had made her, to declare openly against the Prince if he continued to go on as he had begun.

Her Majesty was convinced that I acted sincerely for her service, and that I made no scruple to keep my promise; and she condescended to make apologies for the distrust she had entertained of my conduct, and for the injustice she owned she had done me.

On the 19th, the Prince de Conde having taxed me with being the author of a paper against him, which was read that day in the House, said he had a paper, signed by the Duc d’Orleans, which contained his justification, and that he should be much obliged to the Parliament if they would be pleased to desire her Majesty to name his accusers, against whom he demanded justice.  As to the paper of which he charged me with being the author, he said it was a composition worthy of a man who had advised the arming of the Parisians and the wresting of the seals from him with whom the Queen had entrusted them.

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The Memoirs of Cardinal de Retz — Volume 3 [Historic court memoirs] from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.