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The　Memoirs　of　Louis　XIV。；　His　Court　and　The　Regency；　V14

by　Duc　de　Saint…Simon






MEMOIRS　OF　LOUIS　XIV　AND　HIS　COURT　AND　OF　THE　REGENCY

BY　THE　DUKE　OF　SAINT…SIMON

VOLUME　14



Contents


CHAPTER　CV

Quarrel　of　the　King　of　England　with　His　Son。Schemes　of　Dubois。
Marriage　of　Brissac。His　Death。Birth　of　the　Young　Pretender。
Cardinalate　of　Dubois。Illness　of　the　King。His　Convalescence。
A　Wonderful　Lesson。Prudence　of　the　Regent。Insinuations　against　Him。


CHAPTER　CVI

Projected　Marriages　of　the　King　and　of　the　Daughter　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans_
How　It　Was　Communicated　to　Me。I　Ask　for　the　Embassy　to　Spain。It　Is
Granted　to　Me。Jealousy　of　Dubois。His　Petty　Interference。
Announcement　of　the　Marriages。


CHAPTER　CVII

Interview　with　Dubois。His　Singular　Instructions　to　Ale。His　Insidious
Object。Various　Tricks　and　Manoeuvres。My　Departure　for　Spain。Journey
by　Way　of　Bordeaux　and　Bayonne。Reception　in　Spain。Arrival　at　Madrid。


CHAPTER　CVIII

Interview　in　the　Hall　of　Mirrors。Preliminaries　of　the　Marriages。
Grimaldo。How　the　Question　of　Precedence　Was　Settled。I　Ask　for　an
Audience。Splendid　Illuminations。A　Ball。I　Am　Forced　to　Dance。


CHAPTER　CIX

Mademoiselle　de　Montpensier　Sets　out　for　Spain。I　Carry　the　News　to　the
King。Set　out　for　Lerma。Stay　at　the　Escurial。Take　the　Smallpox。
Convalescence。


CHAPTER　CX

Mode　of　Life　of　Their　Catholic　Majesties。Their　Night。Morning。
Toilette。Character　of　Philippe　V。And　of　His　Queen。How　She　Governed
Him。


CHAPTER　CXI

The　King's　Taste　for　Hunting。Preparations　for　a　Battue。Dull　Work。
My　Plans　to　Obtain　the　Grandesse。Treachery　of　Dubois。Friendship　of
Grimaldo。My　Success。


CHAPTER　CXII

Marriage　of　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias。An　Ignorant　Cardinal。I　Am　Made
Grandee　of　Spain。The　Vidame　de　Chartres　Named　Chevalier　of　the　Golden
Fleece。His　ReceptionMy　Adieux。A　Belching　Princess。
Return　to　France。




CHAPTER　CV

For　a　long　time　a　species　of　war　had　been　declared　between　the　King　of
England　and　his　son；　the　Prince　of　Wales；　which　had　caused　much　scandal；
and　which　had　enlisted　the　Court　on　one　side；　and　made　much　stir　in　the
Parliament。　　George　had　more　than　once　broken　out　with　indecency　against
his　son；　he　had　long　since　driven　him　from　the　palace；　and　would　not　see
him。　　He　had　so　cut　down　his　income　that　he　could　scarcely　subsist。　　The
father　never　could　endure　this　son；　because　he　did　not　believe　him　to　be
his　own。　　He　had　more　than　suspected　the　Duchess；　his　wife；　to　be　in
relations　with　Count　Konigsmarck。　　He　surprised　him　one　morning　leaving
her　chamber；　threw　him　into　a　hot　oven；　and　shut　up　his　wife　in　a　chateau
for　the　rest　of　her　days。　　The　Prince　of　Wales；　who　found　himself　ill…
treated　for　a　cause　of　which　he　was　personally　innocent；　had　always　borne
with　impatience　the　presence　of　his　mother　and　the　aversion　of　his
father。　　The　Princess　of　Wales；　who　had　much　sense；　intelligence；　grace；
and　art；　had　softened　things　as　much　as　possible；　and　the　King　was　unable
to　refuse　her　his　esteem；　or　avoid　loving　her。　　She　had　conciliated　all
England；　and　her　Court；　always　large；　boasted　of　the　presence　of　the　most
accredited　and　the　most　distinguished　persons。　　The　Prince　of　Wales
feeling　his　strength；　no　longer　studied　his　father；　and　blamed　the
ministers　with　words　that　at　least　alarmed　them。　　They　feared　the　credit
of　the　Princess　of　Wales；　feared　lest　they　should　be　attacked　by　the
Parliament；　which　often　indulges　in　this　pleasure。　　These　considerations
became　more　and　more　pressing　as　they　discovered　what　was　brewing　against
them；　plans　such　as　would　necessarily　have　rebounded　upon　the　King。　　They
communicated　their　fears　to　him；　and　indeed　tried　to　make　it　up　with　his
son；　on　certain　conditions；　through　the　medium　of　the　Princess　of　Wales；
who；　on　her　side；　felt　all　the　consciousness　of　sustaining　a　party
against　the　King；　and　who　always　had　sincerely　desired　peace　in　the　royal
family。　　She　profited　by　this　conjuncture；　made　use　of　the　ascendency　she
had　over　her　husband；　and　the　reconciliation　was　concluded。　　The　King
gave　a　large　sum　to　the　Prince　of　Wales；　and　consented　to　see　him。　　The
ministers　were　saved；　and　all　appeared　forgotten。

The　excess　to　which　things　had　been　carried　between　father　and　son　had
not　only　kept　the　entire　nation　attentive　to　the　intestine　disorders
ready　to　arise；　but　had　made　a　great　stir　all　over　Europe；　each　power
tried　to　blow　this　fire　into　a　blaze；　or　to　stifle　it　according　as
interest　suggested。　　The　Archbishop　of　Cambrai；　whom　I　shall　continue　to
call　the　Abbe　Dubois；　was　just　then　very　anxiously　looking　out　for　his
cardinal's　hat；　which　he　was　to　obtain　through　the　favour　of　England；
acting　upon　that　of　the　Emperor　with　the　Court　of　Rome。　　Dubois；
overjoyed　at　the　reconciliation　which　had　taken　place；　wished　to　show
this　in　a　striking　manner；　in　order　to　pay　his　court　to　the　King　of
England。　　He　named；　therefore；　the　Duc　de　la　Force　to　go　to　England；　and
compliment　King　George　on　the　happy　event　that　had　occurred。

The　demonstration　of　joy　that　had　been　resolved　on　in　France　was　soon
known　in　England。　　George；　annoyed　by　the　stir　that　his　domestic
squabbles　had　made　throughout　all　Europe；　did　not　wish　to　see　it
prolonged　by　the　sensation　that　this　solemn　envoy　would　cause。　　He　begged
the　Regent；　therefore；　not　to　send　him　one。　　As　the　scheme　had　been
determined　on　only　order　to　please　him；　the　journey　of　the　Duc　de　la
Force　was　abandoned　almost　as　soon　as　declared。　　Dubois　had　the　double
credit；　with　the　King　of　England；　of　having　arranged　this　demonstration
of　joy；　and　of　giving　it　up；　in　both　cases　solely　for　the　purpose　of
pleasing　his　Britannic　Majesty。

Towards　the　end　of　this　year；　1720；　the　Duc　de　Brissac　married　Mlle。
Pecoil；　a　very　rich　heiress；　whose　father　was　a　'maitre　des　requetes'；
and　whose　mother　was　daughter　of　Le　Gendre；　a　very　wealthy　merchant　of
Rouen。　　The　father　of　Mlle。　Pecoil　was　a　citizen　of　Lyons；　a　wholesale
dealer；　and　extremely　avaricious。　　He　had　a　large　iron　safe；　or　strong…
box；　filled　with　money；　in　a　cellar；　shut　in　by　an　iron　door；　with　a
secret　lock；　and　to　arrive　at　which　other　doors　had　to　be　passed　through。
He　disappeared　so　long　one　day；　that　his　wife　and　two　or　three　valets　or
servants　that　he　had　sought　him　everywhere。　　They　well　knew　that　he　had　a
hiding…place；　because　they　had　sometimes　seen　him　descending　into　his
cellar；　flat…candlestick　in　hand；　but　no　one　had　ever　dared　to　follow
him。

Wondering　what　had　become　of　him；　they　descended　to　the　cellar；　broke
open　the　doors；　and　found　at　last　the　iron　one。　　They　were　obliged　to
send　for　workmen　to　break　it　open；　by　attacking　the　wall　in　which　it　was
fixed。　　After　much　labour　they　entered；　and　found　the　old　miser　dead　in
his　strong…box；　the　secret　spring　of　which　he　had　apparently　not　been
able　to　find；　after　having　locked　himself　in；　a　horrible　end　in　every
respect。

The　Brissacs　have　not　been　very　particular　in　their　alliances　for　some
time；　and　yet　appear　no　richer。　　The　gold　flies　away；　the　dross　remains。

I　had　almost　forgotten　to　say　that　in　the　last　day　of　this　year；　1720；　a
Prince　of　Wales　was　born　at　Rome。

The　Prince　was　immediately　baptised　by　the　Bishop；　of　Montefiascone；　and
named　Charles。　　The　event　caused　a　great　stir　in　the　Holy　City。　　The　Pope
sent　his　compliments　to　their　Britannic　Majesties；　and　forwarded　to　the
King　of　England　（the　Pretender）　10；000　Roman　crowns；　gave　him；　for　his
life；　a　country　house　at　Albano；　which　until　then；　he　had　only　lent　him；
and　2000　crowns　to　furnish　it。　　A　Te　Deum　was　sung　in　the　chapel　of　the
Pope；　in　his　presence；　and　there　were　rejoicings　at　Rome。　　When　the　Queen
of　England　was　able　to　see　company；　Cardinal　Tanora　came　in　state；　as
representative　of　the　Sacred　College；　to　congratulate　her。

The　birth　of　the　Prince　also　made　much　stir　at　the　Court　of　England；　and
among　the　priests　and　Jacobites　of　that　country。　　For　very　different
reasons；　not　only　the　Catholics　and　Protestants；　enemies　of　the
government；　were　ravished　at　it；　but　nearly　all　the　three　realms　showed
as　much　joy　as　they　dared；　not　from　any　attachment　to　the　dethroned
house；　but　for　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　a　line　continue　with　which　they
could　always　menace　and　oppose　their　kings　and　the　royal　family。

In　France　we　were　afraid　to　show　any　public　feeling　upon　the　event。　　We
were　too　much　in　the　hands　of　England；　the　Regent　and　Dubois　too　much　the
humble　servants　of　the　house　of　Hanover；　Dubois　especially；　waiting；　as
he　was；　so　anxiously　for　his　cardinal's　hat。　　He　did　not；　as　will　be
seen；　have　to　wait　much　longer。

The　new　Pope　had　given；　in　writing；　a　promise　to　Dubois；　that　if　elected
to　the　chair　of　St。　Peter　he　would　make　him　cardinal。　　Time　had　flown；
and　the　promise　was　not　yet　fulfilled。　　The　impatience　of　Dubois
increased　with　his　hopes；　and　gave　him　no　repose。　　He　was　much　bewildered
when　he　learnt　that；　on　the　16th　of　June；　1721；　the　Pope　had　elevated　to
the　cardinalship；　his　brother；　who　for　ten　years　had　been　Bishop　of
Terracine　and　Benedictine　monk　of　Mount　Cassini。　　Dubois　had　expected
that　no　promotion　would　be　made　in　which　he　was　not　included。　　But　here
was　a　promotion　of　a　single　person　only。　　He　was　furious；　this　fury　did
not　last　long；　however；　a　month　after；　that　is　to　say；　on　the　16th　of
July；　the　Pope　made　him　cardinal　with　Dion　Alexander　Alboni；　nephew　of
the　deceased　Pope；　and　brother　of　the　Cardinal　Camarlingue。

Dubois　received　the　news　and　the　compliment　that　followed　with　extreme
joy；　but　managed　to　contain　himself　with　some　little　decency；　and　to　give
all　the　honour　of　his　nomination　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　who；　sooth　to
say；　had　had　scarcely　anything　to　do　with　it。　　But　he　could　not　prevent
himself　from　saying　to　everybody　that　what　honoured　him　more　than　the
Roman　purple　was　the　unanimous　eagerness　of　all　the　European　powers　to
procure　him　this　distinction；　to　press　the　Pope　to　award　it；　to　desire
that　his　promotion　would　be　hastened　without　waiting　for　their
nominations。　　He　incessantly　blew　these　reports　about　everywhere　without
ever　being　out　of　breath；　but　nobody　was　the　dupe　of　them。

Shortly　after　this；　that　is；　on　the　las