^ ^ ^*>, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A ^>. ^ 4^ A^> 4^ 1.0 1.1 Uf lift ■" 1^ 12.0 1.25 IJi& U 1 1.6 ^ ^Jt FhotDgrajiiic Sdenoes Corporalion 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WnSTIR,N.Y. MSM (716)t72'4S03 4fS A %>*. 'r' o THE PRIVATE LIFE O F L E IV I S XV. IN WHICH ARE CONTAINED THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS, HEMARKABLE OCCURRENCES, AND ANECDOTES, OF HIS REIGN, — — VIDEO MELIORA, PROBO(^£, DETERIORA SEQUOR. HOR. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY J. O. JUSTAMOND, F. R. S. y " ' ■ . ' I - ■ . ' ■ ^ IN FOUR VOLUMES. VOL, III. r*»» LONDON: f RINTED FOR CHARLES DILLY, IN THE POULTRY, M.DCC.LXXXI. • ; < \ 7 I A i ■,5 X t I ' ■ t f . ». .> J ^ '• 1 I * / i' r- J/ .n .1 ,t / ^A wi 'i ,; , >'-i * ,''"<^j ■•» -^ .4'».v McMASTER UNIVERSITY LIBRARY t H E PRI VAT E L I F E F LEWIS XV. IF any thing could have afforded confolation to France, for their recent lofs of Marfhal Saxe^ it would have been the long-wiflied-for birth of the Duke of Burgundy ; but nature brings forth thou- fands of Princes before it produces one hero^ Ncvcr- thelcfs^ this event occafioned all that joy and tranf- port to which the French, ever zealo'js for the pro- pagation of their maders, give themfelves up with fb much warmth of afFeftion. There were feftivals and rejoicings throughout the kingdom. The mofi: augufb perfons, or at lead , the Miniftry, were feized with a philofophic fpirit. A new plan was adopted^ and, in order to render an expence — which till that time had been as frivolous as the vain and idle pa- geantry which had been the objeft of it— advan- tageous both to the State and to individuals, the Provoft of Merchants, and the Sheriffs of the city of Vol. III. B Paris, 1754^ I 1 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1754. Paris, were ordered to employ the money deftincd — " for thofe purpofcs of feftivity, to give portions to in- digent young wonr^n. His Majefty, on his part> gave up to his people four millions * on the taxes ; this was a fallacious benefadtion, inafmuch as this deficiency in the Exchequer, not being compenfated by any felf-denial of the King's, by any retrench- ment in his houfchold or perfonal expences, or in his profufions towards his Courtiers, niuft neceflarily, iboner or later, be fupplied by an increafe of taxes. However this may be, the chamber of the city, in confequcnce of his Majefty's orders, married off fix hundred young women. Thefe weddings were cele- brated with great pomp and folemnity in the dif- ferent pariflics of Paris. The example was followed in fevcral provinces, by fome bodies and communi- ties, arid by individuals who were defirous of figna* )izing their zeaK The Marchionefs of Pompadour gave dowries, and married off all tlie young womea who were marriageable, upon her eftates. M. de MoDtmartd, King's Treafurer, did the fatne, as did likewife naany of the firft Nobility, and other wealthy people, in humble imitation of their matter. Ad* mitting, therefore, that this ttroke of policy and hu' manity in the Government brought on two thou- had weddings 'in the kingdom, fourteen years after this, in 1765, an author ■\ calculated that they might hsLYc added to the population from fifteen to fixteen thoufand ibuls. * Upwards of one handredand fixty thourancfjionnds. t The author of the UiJi$ri€Ml Journal »f tig riifft of S Soon .H OF LEWIS XV. &oon alter the birth of the young Prince, there was i great alarm raifed on his account. Among the women of fccondary rank, who were placed about him, there was a Madame Sauve, who had formerly dealt in fi(h, but had fihce become miftrefs of the Count d'Argenfon. This woman was anrt- bitious, of an intriguing fpirit, dedrous^ at any rate^ of immerging from obfcurity, Jtnd confequcntly not over ni^e in the means (he employed to fucceed in it. One day (he ran in a fright to the Dutchefs of Tallardj Governefs to the Prince, 'declaring, that Among the number of people, admitted to fee the Duke of Burgundy^ (he obferved one throwing fomething in his cradle. The King was made ac- quainted with this fa(5ti and the whole Court fhud- dered at the information. A parcel was found Hlled "With fome powders, which^ upon being analyzed^ were found to contain n6thing but cinders. Some trick Was fufpedted j the informer was interrogated, and was forced to own, that the great defire fhe had of making herfelf more cOnfpicuous, and morei re- girded, had prompted her to that impofture. The Minifter who protefbed her, was obliged to give her Bpi : he himfelf iffued the letter de Cachet^ to fend her to the Baflille, where (he remained for feveral years, in clo(c confinements The Court was fcarccly recovered from the panic, which this event had produced, when they were plunged into a more real occafion of grief, by the Ibfs of Madame Henrictte, who died at the age ot twenty-four, beloved, eftecmed, and regretted by all thof^ whor had the honour to approach her. The King efpecially, whom (he refembled more than any othfcf of her fiftcrs> was cxcefEvely affcfted. Nia- B 2 dame i •7J4. THE PRIVATE LIFE »7S4. s Aug. J7S». dame dc Pompadour redoubled her zeal to divert his Majefty. That charming houfe, her auguH: lover had built for her upon the borders of the Seine —and of which the name of Belle- vue, given to it, already befpokc it's enchanting fituation— was the fpot (he fixed upon, as the propereft to diffipate his grief, by it's novelty, it's air, and the voluptuous tafte in which it was laid out, which furpaffed every thing of the kind. Here Ihe caufed thofe little pieces to be reprefented; in which fhe performed herfelf. Fenus and Adonis were afted. The Monarch was defcribed under the name of the ten- dered of mortals, and his miftrefs under that of the Queen of Beauty. Afterwards the Impromptu de la Cour de Marbre, was played j an allegorical piece, upon the birth of a fuccefTor to the throne. Her intention was to pay her court to the Dauphin, and to all the Royal Family ; this had no better fuccefs, than the entertainment Ihc had given upon the re- covery of the father. ^ The Dauphin was feized with the fmall-pox, at an age, and in a feafon of the year, when this diforder, which is at all times very dangerous, is moft likely to become fatal. It foon manifefted itfelf by the moft alarming fymptoms. His auguft partner, knowing how much the Prince dreaded this diforder, in ofdcr to conceal the nature of his illnefs from him, caufed a French Gazette to be compofed on purpofe, where, in the account that was given of his complaint, fuch as he felt it, the name and the nature of it, was difguifed. She did not confine her cares to this delicate atten- tion ; fhe never quitted his bed-fide during the day- time, and did not leave the room till very far in the night. She rendered him the moft difgufting fer- viccs> OF LEWIS XV. C( cr f( vices, to fuch a degree, that Doftor Poufle, a fa- mous Phyfician, but rough, and not acquainted with the Court, miftook her for a perfon that was hired to attend the Dauphin. 7%ere iSy faid he, pointing her out to fomcbody, an invaluable nurfe, What is her name ? Upon being anfwercd that it was the Dauphinefs, in cxprcffing his regret at not having paid all the refpcft to her that (he deferved ; ** Well," added he, ** let our precious Ladies of Paris refufe now to nurfc their Tick hufbands, I will talk to them plainer than I ever did j I will fend them to this fchool." When it was reprefented to this Princefs, that (he cx- pod'u hcrfelf too much : JVhat does it Jignify if I die, CacI aimed (he, provided he lives j France will never want a Dauphinefs, The' Dauphin, during his con- valefcence, being ftill more fenfible of the obliga- tions he owed to his virtuous confort, endeavoured to crafe from his memory the image of his (ir(t wife, which ftill exifted in his heart. He had carried his weaknefs to fuch a degree, as to infill upon it, that the prefent Dauphinefs ihould wear bracelets with the miniature-portrait of the deceafed : he now got rid of all the objects which revived in him an idea, too much regretted — (hewed more and more attention to the prefent Princefs — and gratitude fupplied the place of love. The King not being able to avoid infringing, for this time, a law which he had impofed upon himfelf, of not (hewing himfelf any more to the Parifians, came with the Queen, the Dauphin, and all the Royal Family, to N6tre Dame, in order to return folemn thanks to God for the re-eftabli(hment of the health of the heir apparent to the Crown, and they a(rifted at the Te Deum that wa$ fung ther^, P ^ During 1754. ^ -tBfL PRIVATE LIFE f 754* Paring the time of the Dauphin's illnc^, and co^-r rAug.- yaiefccncc, thp Marquis of P^ulniy yifited all the places belonging to the fouthern provinces of France, ^s well as the troops, in quality of AflTiftant Miniftei; foi* the war department. He continued that impor- tant operation, begun in Flanders by his vincle, at th^ peace j the bufinefs was, to order fuch repairs an4 improyepfients in the frontier towns as they were gapable of admitting. The other Minifters were iniligated by a laudable emulation ; for the Minifler of the marine department was gone to examine into the fi lyation of Dieppe, and other por^s in the Chan- nej. M. dc Paulmy, at his return, gave an account tq the King, that the people, in all the parts he hac) p^flted through, had expreiTed the moft lively intereft inthp double event that had taken place, by their grief and joy ; but that he had been efpecially edified by the condu.ft of the Proteftants of thofe parts, who, at a time when they were calumniated, and accufed of having had, during the war, an intention of revolt, and that they were ftill fuppofed to be difaffeded, yrere affembJkd in their churches, imploring^ Heaven for the preferyation of the Dauphin. This Prince was at that time little refpe6ted in the nation. During his infancy, his wit was the general topic of converfation. But, at the clofe of ' his education, and efpecially after his iecond mar- riage, he did not feem to have any. K(e was ^ft^? na^d for his cpnduft and rpora^s, but he was looked upon as a bigptu wl^p fp?nt the greateft part of t;hc day ifl lingi.ng pfakns in the chpi.i;^ — who ^ajs fcand,alized{ ^5 feeing a n?ck uncovered ^— and wko> li^c Mplicre'^ * See the XXVIth Letter, of the firH part of Letters dcMadai^e , ae Pompadoar. ' O F L E W I S XV. ^ ^artttffe, thought it neceffary that a decent handker- 1754* chief fhould veil fuch a fcandalous fight. A thou- fand trifling and childifh flrokes were reported of him. However, during his illnefs, the French — who are meerly led by that blind attachment which cha- racterizes them, for the blood of their maflers, let them be what they may — faw only the hopes of the kingdom in the Dauphin, and exprelTed the moft lively tranfports of joy upon his recovery. Among the Princes, the Duke of Orleans, in whom the death of the Dauphin might have raifed the greateft ex- pectations, had the policy to fignalize his joy at his recovery, by the moft fuperb entertainments; and the favourite, who knew how much he hated and de- tefted her in his heart, afFedled to fliew her zeal by a new allegorical entertainment on account of this fortunate event. She communicated the piece to the King, before it was performed, as an effort of' her genius. The fcene, which was likewife at the caflle of Belle-vue, reprefented fcveral caverns, fur- rounded by a piece of water, in the middle of which was an illuminated dolphin * : a number of monfters, fpouting Bre and flames, were advancing to attack it i but Apollo came down upon a cloud from hea- ven, all the Deities of which took a part in the fpe6baclet and flruck thefe monfliers with thunder- bolts, after which they were totally deflroyed by arti- ^ ficial fire-works. To this decoration fucceeded, in a monnent, the palace of the Sun, refplendentwith light, where the dolphin appeared again in it's former lullre, "Xhe Monarch was too much infatuated with * BuafbiMr iii French, means both tRe Dauphin, and the fUh wlr^li'w^ciaUd^l^luQt »4 WS # «754. iSOft. THE PRIVATE LIFE his miftrefs, not to applaud her ; and the infipid Courtiers, who were admitted to this entertainment, thought it delightful; but when they returned to Paris, they owned thac no idea could be more trivial, more flat, or more ridiculous. The moft fingular circumftance is, that neither the hero, who was the objedt of the feftival, nor even any of the Royal Family, were prefent. There was an eftablifhed rupture between them and the Marchionefs. However, if the entertainment had been ever fo good, it would have had no efFeft to-^ wards a reconciliation with the Dauphin. . Thi^ Prince, a little before he was taken ill with the fmall-pox, had received a mortification which he had not forgotten. M. Silvefter, his Drawing Maf-^ ter, had folicited the place of Keeper of the draw- ings of the King^s cabinet, vacant by the death of Coypel i and M. Cochin the fon, favourite of the Marquis de Vandieres, being preferred, Silvcfter, with all the acrimony of difappointed vanity — ^which is ftill niore irritable in artifls, if polHble, than in authors— wrote him upon this fubjeft a very in- decent letter, reproaching him with his choice. The Marquis carried the letter to his fifter, who ihewed it to the King ; and his Majefty fent M. Sil? vefter to Fort PEveque, It required all the. intereft of his auguft fcholar, to get him out of this fcrape. Lewis XV. made amends to the Marchionefs of Pompadour for the contempt Ihe received fronti his fon, by conferring new favours upon her. In or- der to fhew her how much he was fatisHed with her entertainment, he had granted her the Tahuret, and the honours attached to the rank of a Dutcihefs. ^/ '' It OF LEWIS XV, Jt may be eaftly imagined how much the Dauphin i7S4' was provoked at it j he, who the firil time this ""^ ' beauty had been prefented to h»m, in faluting her according to the ceremonial, had, by an affronting aftion *, expreffive of his difguft- — though (he could pot perceive it, but which had, been remarked by all the fpedtators — ftrongly fhewn how much this ceremony was difplea(ing to him. This had occa- Honed his being banifhed for fome ;ime from the King's preiience. The Princes of the blood were more tradable, that is to fay, more feryile. They obtained favours through her nieans j they did not fit down in herpre- fence. The Prince of Conti alone, never would proftrate himfelf at the feet of the idol ; he had even treated her with haughtinefs, or rather had taught her what was due from her to him. One day, when Ihe fufFered him to remain in the pofture of a fuppliant, he fat down upon her bed, and faid, Mafiame, voila fin coucber excellent f , It may eafily be imagined, how much (he was affronted at the fpeech, and the adtion, and how difpleafing it was to his Majefty. He did not love the Prince before, but from thi§ time, when he had given fo good. a leffon to his miftrefs, the King detefted him. The Pfince of Conti appeared no more at Verfailles, ex- cept at ceremonies of parade, and to keep up ap^ . pearances. The Prince of Gonde, already devoured by am- bition, and greedy of appointments and favours, though very young, was the mofl: fervile attendant upon the will of the Marchionefs. He accepted * It is faid that the Dauphin lolled oat his tongae when he laluted her. It t Tbit it tm txmding gwd ^i, Mkdgm, from lO THE PRIVATE LIFE 1754- from her hands Mademolfelle de Soubife, daughter ^o the Prince of that name, who was the King's friend, and confequently the meancft of his mif- trefs's Courtiers. This marriage was difgufting to the other Princes of the blood. Being aflbmbled in the King's clofet to fign the contraft, in which the father-in-law had taken the title of Moft High and Mofi Mighty Princey they declined, becaufe they could not countenance, by their ligna- (ure, a quality which belonged to them alone, in right of their birth. They defired, in cafe his Ma- jefty fhould command them to fign, that he would permit them to enter ^ proteft beforehand j which was agreed iipon. Three months were allowed them, at the fame time, to produce their title to thefe exclufive pretenfions. The Houfe of Rohan had already a difpute of the fame kind with the Nobility, the origin of which is curious. An Abbe d*Aubenton, author of letters in favour of the Clergy, reipefting their difpute on the affair of the Vingtieme, formerly tutor to Cardinal Soubife, being difTatisfied with that fa- mily, which, in his opinion, had tiot fupported him Efficiently by their credit, to maintain him in his place of Superior at the college of Maitre Gervaist at Pari^ of which he had been deprived, was de- termined to revenge himfelf. The day that Prince Rene prefented hi« petitioi^ to the Sorbonne, tl^e Abbe went there to require of the Dean to ihewi him the deeds by which the dif- tin<5tion was granted to the Houf^ of Rohan, o# difputing with theii^ gloves and hat on. The Dean* having declined to. fatiafy* him upon this fubjefk, he went to the Marquis dq Beaufreniont, and mflame<^ him OF LEWIS XV. II \\\m to much as to induce h\n\ to c^.Je it to be 1754. fignified to the Dean, that he would pppofe, as well in his own name, as in that of the Nobility, the granting of afiy privilege to the Hoiffe of Rohan, proteiling, 8fc. The Vprger did not dare to make the fignification, till the ad holden by Prince Rene yr&s concluded ; but as it was not much attended to, ^. de Beaufremont prefented, on the 5th of De- cember 1752, a petition to the Parliapient, where, in the narne of the Nobility over which his grand- father pr^fided at the laft naceting of the States, he afked perniiffion to fummon the Dean of the Sor- bonne, that he might produce the claim upon which was founded that pretended privilege of the Houf^ pf Rohan — and that till then the I>o6lors, Liccn-r tiates, and Other member* of the faculty pf Divinity, (hould b? ordered not to grant ynto the aforefaid Houfe, the liberty to arrogate to themfclves any fights or privileges to the prejudice pf the No- The Govrt promifed the fummons,^ and the King having taken the matter into his OWQ hands, prp- Rounged fcntence upojn the whoJte, At the fame time he eftabliflxed to the K[pufe of Eoh%n, as well as to that of Bpui]!l:oA9 the po{]fe0ipn pf the title they had a(iume4 of ^|oft high and TOoft excellent Prince, and anu^ilikd the pro^eft of ^he Princes of th,e Bipod j but the latter haying pr^ feixted a petition to the King againA hi^ discifioQA his Majefty^ unwilling to occafion any con/p€ir» tp the Marchionelfl of Pompadour, who iuterefted h^r- felf in the ftrpngcft manner in this affair, and not venturing at the fanae tjfne to gir^ s^ ppfitive dec!- IS THE PRIVATE LIFE 1754. fion, adopted his ufual mode, and wrote them the fpllowing letter : " I will neither decide, nor fufFer to be decided, ^* whether MelTieurs de Rohan are Princes or not, ** but I choofe that all things fhould remain in the " fame ftate they were in before the marriage of the '* Prince of Conde with Mademoifellc de Soubifc j •' and the fignatures of the contract are not to be ♦* underftood to prejudice or to favour the rights '' and pretenfions of either party." This was, in fa6t, deciding in favour of the Princes, not of the Blood. It is well known, that fuch kinds of queftions, far from becoming more clear in the courfe of time, can only be more embar- raiTed j but Lewis XV. was determined to live in peace, and not give any caufe of difcontenc. Madame de Pompadour was of the fame mind upon this occaiion ; flic was fond of one party, and wiflied to keep well with the other. Shp was flat- tered with the idea of having been in fome fort a mediatrix between thefe great perfpns, and her vanity was increafed by it. Since flie had obtained the rank of Dutchefs, flie had given herfelf a greater fcope, and in order to be conveniently lodged, had fet apart about 600,000 livres f for the purchafe of the hotel d'Evreux. A Knight of the Order of Saint Lewis was her Gentleman Uftier ; a young lady of family was her firft: Gentlewoman of the bedchamber ; her Steward was a proAor of the Chatelet, named Colin, for whom likewife ftie obtained the honour t Twenty-five thoafand poundf. of OF LEWIS XV. 13 of the Crofs, on account of his belonging to an of- 1754* fice in that order. . " Her vanity, dcfirous that her brother fhould keep pace in fome proportion with the dignities with which (he was loaded by the King, would have led her from that time to wifli that he might be ad- vanced to the blue riband. The Monarch, who could refufe her nothing, was very much inclined to it i but a Nobleman of his Court, whom he confult- ed, having only anfwered by a jeft, faying that, U jpoijfon n'etoit pas ajfez gros pour itre mis au bleu J, Lewis XV. who had a good underftanding, com- prehended the refined meaning of this raillery, and gave the matter up, till fome years after, when the Marquis de Vandieres having received his fe- cond metamorphofis, and become Marquis de Ma- rigny, the place of Secretary of the order was given to him ; an office which requires no proofs of Nobility. To pave the way for this dignity, in the letters patent creating this Marquifate in his favour, the King had declared that this new Noble- man fhould enjoy all the honours belonging to the high Nobility, and to people of quality, and he was prefented at Court under the laft title. » oft. But the objeft on whom the favourite concen- trated all her attachments, was an only daughter, called Mademoifelle or Madame Alexandrine, and put by that title upon a par with young ladies of the higheft birth, and even with the daughters of Sovereigns. ' She was very beautiful, having all of * Tht fifliit mot hig enough to bt drejfednuitb hliufauee\ allude ing to the Marquis de Vandiere*8 real name, which was Poiflbn, and to a manner in which the French fometimes drefs large iilh. the U triE Private Lit'E 1754. the graces of her mother : fhe was brought lip at "^ the Convent of Affumption, with the train of a • Princefs, and was notv entering lipon a proper age for marriage. Madame de Pompadoilr, for this purpofei thought of the Diike de Frortfaci fon to Marfhal Richelieu ; fhe expected fo much the lefs oppolition in her prdjed, as the father paid the moft adiduous court to her^ wds loaded with thti King's favoursj and had always fhewii the moil ab- ]t6t fubmiillon to the inclinations, caprices^ and fancied of his niafter. He had lately in fome meafure contefted irt fer^ Irility to the Marchionefsi with the Duke de la Va- Herej on occafioh of the little theatrical reprefenta- tions at her houfe. The latter of thefe Noblemert prefided there^ equally as a rnan of letters, a fa- vourite of the King, and the very humble fervarit df his miftrefs. The Duke de Richelieu, in quality of Firft Gentkman of the Bedchamber, claimed that honour^ which other people would have deemed tinworthy of them, and obtained the preferencci The Vignerots, indeed, Were not of an exf raftiort Ancient enough, nor fufRciently acknowledged, to be very nice* The Marchionefs was not ignorant of a fpeech that had been made to this Noblenfian, Upon his fuccceding the Duke de Rochechduart,by • . it {Atyncal Courtier : I give you joy, Mon^eur Id Due, jfeu are at lafi beconte a Gentleman. Thefe wbrds, tinder the appearance of complimenting him on his new promotion, were a bitter refleftibrt upon his birth. The Duke de Richelieu, not being yet mean enotigh to be fiattefed by this' propbfal, but too much attached to Gourt-favours, to give them up by an abfolute refufal^ contrived a dexterotis manner OF LEWIS XV. manner of eluding it : by anfwering, that he vms much flattered with Madame de Pompadour's choice, and received it with gratitude; but that, his fon having the honour to belong to the Princes of the Houfe of Lorraine on his mother's fide, he could not difpofe of him without their confenc^ which he would earneftly folicit, if flic perfifted in her refolution. Madame de Pompadour was fen- fible of the finefle of this fpeech j flie was afraid of the ridicule which would be call upon her, if her pretenfions were made public, and of the fliame Ihe fliould be expofed to by a refufal. She chofe rather to difiemble, to temporize, and to negotiate^ This was perfedly confiftent with the Marflial'3 wifties, who hoped that time might procure hint fome method of relieving him from his embarraff- ment. He was fortunate enough to extricate him- felf by the fureft way. Mademoifelle Alexandrine died foon after. Her mother was deeply afflidbed i and the marriages of Mefdemoifelles de Bafchy, and de Guitry, her relations, which were to have been celebrated with a great deal of eclat at Belle-vue, were fufpended on this account, and concluded without any ceremony. An epitaph was made upon the young lady^ beginning in this remarkable manner : Here lies Jane Jltxandrina, daughter to Meffiri Jofepb le Normant, and Jane Poiffony Marchionefs of Pompadour, Lady of CreJJy, ^c, 6f f . Some months afterwards, the body of this precious child was transferred, with great pomp, from the Af- fumption convent to one of the chapels which be- longed to MeiTrs. de Crequi, at the convent of the Gapucines, which her mother had bought for the burial* >754. i6 THE PRiVATfe LIFE 1 714. burial-place of the family, and where (he intended t(f ' crcdt a fupcrb maufoleum to her daughter. Another death, which happened a little M'hile aftef this, and which ought, according to tht feelings of nature, to have increaf<^d the grief of Madame de Pompadour, was, on the contrary, an alleviation to it, by freeing her from a moft infuppbrtable burthen/* She loft M. PoiiTon, he^ father. This man, who had neither education, morals, decency, nor rtCpH^ for any body, was a torment to her, and a perpetual fource of humiliations. She did hot d^re to bring him nearer her perfon, becaufe he was not fit tb be prefented any where, and that it Was impoflible t6^ improve him*, nor did (he dare to fend him from hefj not only becaufe (he felt a reludtance to confine the author of her being, biit alio becaufe he had si - great deal of fpirit : a meer letter de cAchtt would no6 have kept him within bounds j iind, by making li greater eclat, (he ran the rifque of difclofing moW' publicly the meanncfs of her extraftion. His daugh^ ter had therefore refolved to take no notice of thd opprobrium he caft upon her, artd to btfconle infefti^ fible to his behaviour and his rildenefs. She "Waii'' afraid of i^fufing any favours to hinri, and carfcfRid^ him as much as it was in her power. As (ooti as Wif ' appeared, he had free admifTion. One day, a new' valct-de-chambre, who did hot knoW him, not bein^'* much prejudiced in his favour, from his mean ap- pearance, and his grotefque drefs, making a di(KcurtJf^-' to introduce him : Tou rafcal, he bawled out to him,'*' don*t you knew I am father to the King's wh^-^e. He treated his fon with equal rudenefs, whom he looked upon as a blackguard — a poor creature, of whom hfe* ' * ufcd to fay, that hejhould have a great deal of trouHle to OF LEWIS XVi^r io make any thing e/ him. One day, being at table with a number of the Financiers, after a fplendid dinner, his head being heated with winej he burd out a laughing like a mad man. " Do you know, Gen- " tlemen," faid he, afterwards, ** what makes me " laugh ? It is at feeing us all here^ with the pomp " and magnificence that furrounds us. If a llranger *' were to come in^ he would take us all for fo many ** Princes. And you^ M* dc Montmartcl, are the " fon of an ale-hoUfe-keeperj — you, M. deSaralette, ** fon of a vinegar-merchant \ — you, Bouret) fon of a *' footman. As for myfelfj who does not know me?'* By abuflng himfelf in this manner, he thought he was intitled to fay more difagreeable things to the reft of the guefts j and when he had taken a review of them all, it was found not only that none of them were even of a mercantile family, but that feveral of them had made their fortunes by the moft unlawful and infamous means. Some Courtiers have pretended, that the circum- ftance which rendered the lofs of her daughter ftili more bitter to the Marchionefs of Pompadour, was the finding herfelf deprived of the hopes (he had con- ceived, of her fucceeding her in the King's affcftions. She knew that his Majefty was not ftartled at the idea of inceft, and that it feemed rather an additional incitement to him. A difagreeable and difgufting in- firmity, which Ihe laboured under, having obliged her lover to feparate from her, it would havc'been but a trifling (hock to her ambition, if fhe could thus, in fomc meafure, have furvived herfelf at Court. For- tunately, this afliftance was not necefiary for her: ihe had acquired io complete an afcendency over Lewis XV. that he ftill continued to be her flavt. Vol. III. C U fS TflE PRIVATE LIFE >^54' It is true, that her fituation feqiiircd ndronfy' sptY- "*■ petual watchfulnefs, but alfo a defpicablc fubjeftion. She was obliged to keep away continually from the King's pefits foupers all the women of quality whom he feemed to admire too much : fhe caufed them 'fometimes to be punifhcd by banifl>ment> for the ■ crime of being too defirous of pleafing. Bemg be- come fuperintendant of the King's plcafures, fhe was obliged continually to recruit, from all paft» of the kingdom, new and unknown beauties, calcwhted to 1753- renew the feraglio, which fhe governed at pleaftirfc. Such was the origin of the Parc-att-Cerf, the gul|3h ' of innocence and ingcnuoufnefs, where multitudes of 'viftims were fwallowed up; who, reftoi'ed afterwards to fociety, brought into it corruption, a t«fte fof de- bauchery, and all the vices With Which they ntctffa- '^ rily became infefted, in their inrercourfe with the iil- * famous agents of fuch a place; Independent of the injury which this abominabJe * mftitution did to manners, it i« dreadful' to 'ciilcul ate * the immehft fums which it cofl: the State. tnfiiSt, 'who could fum up the expences of that ferks 6f "agents of -all kinds, both principal and ftfbordiiiace, ■ , • exerting themfelves to difcover the objefts <>f tjieir ,*refearches~to go and fetch them from tftfc dttnhiU ' ties of the kingdom — to bring them to the place of their deftination — to get them cleaned — to dfefi^to i perfume them-*-*and> in a word, to fupply them with "*%11 the means of fedufbioft that art could imagine. ^!fVdd to xKxii the fijms given to thofe. Who, not hav- ing the happinefs to rouze the languid fenfatipns of tht Sultan, were not the lefs to be indemnified ibr their ferviccs,for their drfcrctioni and efpecklly ' for ■ his contempt i'-^thercwatd' due to tfcofc more fomi- ' *" . natc i^.. O F LEWIS XV. : 19 nate nymphs, who gratified the tcmpot beganxq be more exorbitant from year to year i ib '.much, that the Parliament of Paris, in their remoa^ itraaces,- reproached the King, that thefe acquits, jWhichy under Lewis XIV. had never exceeded ten ll\ons ^ were at that time above a hundred mil- . ,j pChfii-Nforchionefs — for fo (he was called by pre- iorenpc^ic Court*— not being able any more to intoxi- cate Jier lover by her charms, was obliged to increafe .. Si ^.i -r :. ■ ■ ■if' * J^etwoen forty-one and forty-two thoofand poancU. . ', f tJpwards of forty-one millions fterling. * I? * ' X By aefuiti du eomptaHt, we are to anderftand, fomi delivered Auto 'the royal treafury, upon the bare fignatore of the King, jwit|i9iM; fciy mention being made of the obje^ of.thfir d^iAt' (ion. The keeper of the public treafury has no need of any other fonbher to the chamber of accounts, to haTC thefe expeoccj al- lowed him. 'f S Upwards of four hundred thoufand pounds^ *»} tt UFKardaoffimriiuiUona^ling. . * . 30 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1754, her afliduity to captivate his mind, to fubdue hinn, ~~ and to make herfdf fo uieful, that he could not be without her. . Adulation, which fo infallibly prevails with all mankind, was one of the principal mean^ fhe ufed for this pujpofe. This adulation did not only confift in the art employed by the fnoQ: ftupid Courtier, of putting the Monarch in good-Jiwmour with hinofelf— of praifing hiro upon his. moral, and philofophical qualities— his actions— his arrange- ments — his converfations ; nor even in the more re- • fined way of ftudying what would gratify him j. .but in the afliduous and painful attention to remove from Lewis XV* the cares, the folicitudes, and the anxie- ties of government— to make him enjoy, iipon the ;. throne, that idle and retired life, which was'th^^pb- jcft of his wifhcs. What a tormenting life; Wft^thj!,* j i and how dearly did fhe buyiher apparent, gnwudfu^! But ambitious, people have enjoyments, the Cw^fets pf . .^which are unknown to the philofophcr. , S^chv^s .that experienced by Madame de Pompadpur,^on fe- cciving a letter from the Dutchcfs of Chanillon^ ^J^o begged of her to make the King acquainted withihe "^ regiret her hufband felt, at having been fo unhappy ^as to difpleafe his Majefty, and of dying i^jdiigracie. _• 1^0 Tec Jit her feet the governor of the. heir apparent l^to the throne, depending more upon her credit, than ■),^upon that of his auguft pupil, wis. a, delightful .^triumph, which fhe obtained, not only over this ;^reaturc of the Dauphin, but even over the Dauphin 5,-himfelfi who, though he detefled her, paid an iridi- l?rcft homage to her influence and benevolence, by this tacit acknowledgment j for it is to be prefumcd, , J. that this flep had not been taken without comrouni- ^.f mating it to the Princ?, whofo conftant attachment to 'W'r the a„ OF L E >W I S XV. ai the Duke was well known. She anfwcredj in the King's name, that his Majeily was muph affedted at the difmal fituation of the fick man — that hc was perfuaded the Duke had not intentionally offended him— that he reftored him to favour, and hoped the Duke would foon be able to come to Court, where his Majefty would be very glad to fee him again. -. When fo auftere a Courtier as the Duke de Cha- tillon has recourfe to fo humiliating a protedlion, it may readily be imagined, that he has no other re- fource. He died a few days after having received this anfwer; but his family reaped the benefit of it, by feveral favours. Thefc tranfitory comforts unfortunately happened vtry feldom, and could not compenfate for the trou- ble fhe had with the Kjng — opprefled with bufineis fjfoth foreign and domeftic—^inwardly embarrafTed %ith the important duty of attending to the rcmon- ftfances of the States of the kingdom, and to thbfc of the^^roteltors— tired with the faftidipus quarrels, l^reVer renewed, between the clergy of his realm, '^lid l^etw^en. the ecclefiaftical and civil jurifdiftjons— ^rtd deceived at the fame time by infidious negotia- tions j — forced to aftonifh his enemies, by his pre- bafatipns for war, in the fudden re-eflablifhmcnt of ;iiis navy-T-to furprize all Europe by the unexpefted ■'jrcfburccs of his politics— and, in the beginning of jthc war, to prepare and procure brilliant fucccfs to ^is arms, in all parts of the world :— while, at laft, j^epreffed by a continual revcrfe of fortune, hc was qon^pelled to accept a mofl: fatal and (hameful ' |?cace.- . . , •■ . ii::^{ t-i., r:^.. ^ In this rapid (ketch of the reign of ti#is XV.'it is impbfnble to giVe a detail of the troubles which C 3 agitated 1754. ■.■~L' ir- 'r\- THE PRIVATE LIFE 17^4. agitated the States of Bfitany in 175a, whofe hiect- ~ ings had been the longcft and moft turbulent that had cVer been known. The readers, who are de- firous of fteing this curious, minute, but intereftin^ hiftory, will find it in a manufcript journal,' taken from original writings *. We (hall only obferve, at prefent, that the continuation of the tax, called the Vingtiemey notwithftanding the peace, was the ehief caufe of the ferment that has been kept up fiiice thai period i a ferment, fometimes quieted, but afterward re- excited with redoubled fury, and being the foufce of all the misfortunes of that province. The three orders of the State made the loudeft expoftuhatiorts^ that they might at leaft be allowed to compound, but without fuccefs. The Court foon intiittidatdd the Clergy, and the lower Order of the State, un- der a pretence that it did not become thtrti to H^ iift the King's will, which wAs clearly iWanifefted ; or rather, they bribed thefe ti^ro bodies bi rhen, who^ from t4ieir nature, and the fniallnefs of their numbdf*, are a! ways more open to fcduftion. But the Nd- 4ji I ity, too numerous, too haughty, and too mUtih -attached to that freedom of voting, which thiiy -tonfider as their moft precious and deaf eft pri^ vil^gc, difplayed more firmnefs, in pr'bportidri it6 the defeftion of the two inferior orders 6f tft^' State; The 'Duke dc Chaulnes, who prefided b^r the States, forefecing the injury which fo feandalous 'ft ,condu(5t would do him at Verfailles, and bieing peffonally pitqued, caufed fome of the members, Whom he defcrJbedas the promoters bf the diflbn* fion and refiftance, to be punifhed. Nine Gentle^ i(^» /^ * men .«t; ■-'^ ?*.» h%-MPAii O F L E<:W 1 S XV. *J men were baniflied, and even the wife of one of 1754* them (Madame de Pyre), and five were confined. •'--.-■, '.' Ta make afterwards fome amends to Britany, the > Intendant and the Commandant were recalled* M. le Bret, Solicitor- General at the Parliament of - Paris, fuGceeded to M. de Viarmes, and the Duke d'Aiguillon to the Duke of Chaulnes. It undoubt- ' cdly occafioned fome furprize, to fee that Noble- man, who was nephew to the Countefs of Maure- pasy arrive; but his ambition had made him fup- pie. Befides, he was more nearly conneded with the Duke de Richelieu by his name. He from that time entered into a brilliant but perilous career. We (hall only at prefcnt fpeak of his entrance into employment, which was fortunate. Madame de Pompadour being very defirous of perfuading the Kingr who was intimidated at the mod trifling tumult, that the province ofBritany was perfedly quiet, to give him authentic proofs of it, the new Con^mandant caufed the firft States, over which he prefidedy to perform the ceremony of the dedication of a magnificent monument of 10 Nov. bronze, which had been decreed to the King in 1744, in memory of his convalefcence, and of his vidbories. It confifts of three pcdeftrian figures, executed by M. Le Morne, a famous fculptor, ; . The firit reprefents the King, upon a pedefta), in a Roman habit, with a truncheon in his hand; the fecond, the Goddefs of Health, facrificing at. her-akar; and the third, the Province of Bri-^ tany, kneeling, and fhewing to phc people the object of their joy. n;^ .j His Majefty was fo much delighted, that he cora-% (^flloned the Bilhojp of Rennes to exprefs his fatis^ - Q ^ ftftioq* ^4 1-754- vr THE PRIVATE LIFE h&lon in his name to the States ; and accordingly he granted them the nomination to the two Hrft Abbeys that fhould become vacant, two companies of cavalry^ and Xttttis oi Nebleffe for two perfons whom they might choofe. The three orders thus partook of his fa- vours. The Commandant acquired a great deal of credit ; but he had lefs pacified matters, than prer vented any violent fteps. This was a material point. It began to be the fyftem of the Court to have no fettled plan, to forefee nothing at a diftance, to enjoy the prefent moment, and to gain time. It had been obtained, that the Vingtieme fhould continue to be levied as before, upon the faith only of a regiftry. This was all that M. de Sechellcs, Comptroller General, who had adopted the principles of hi^ predecelTor, wilhed at that time; he was defirous qf knowing the real produce of the tax, before he admitted of a compofition. While he avoided the redrefs of the abufes which the States complained of, by not reftifying the infringement of their privileges, he felt little anxiety at leaving the feeds of difcord fubfifting, which were to break out with fo much more violence, in proportion as they were longer i concealed. 10. #mj;iiH;i:fjjit'^- t ::; Marflial Richelieu, who prefided oyer the States of Languedoc, the privileges of which were already much infringed, had rendered a material fervice to %h.t Miniitry ; and by caufing a decree of Council to be regiilered by the States in 1752, which con- firmed them with emphafis, had contrived to annul them entirely i fo that they retained no more than the Ihadow of authority j and it may readily be Imagined, that they have not fmce acquired any ener- gy, which^ far frpm ii^creafing, is ufually weakened by time. tr'O F L E W I S XV. '^ timc» Thus by the incroachmcnts of authority, ever active to ufurp, the tax called the Vingtieme was now levied in that province without any difficulty ; and pvcn in the voluntary contribution, the words, accor-t- difam confequence *, fo facred to the privileges of the province, were no longer in ufe. -yln 1754 the Commandant was fortunate enough to conclude the affairs of the Proteftants of the Ceven- pes, which might have been attended with dangerous confequences. Notwithllanding the favourable ac- counts given by the Marquis de Paulmy, of thefo Religionifls, it was in agitation to renew the Drago- nades *, Thefe unfortunate people, who were neither allowed to emigrate, nor to follow their religion in France, were ccnfured for complaining that they .were deprived of the rights of citizens, and that they could not lawfully become either huibands or fathers. Fortunately, the Bifhop of Montpellier, a zealous Moliniity but who was endowed with all the mildne^ of the evangelic charader, facilitated as much as pofTible the arrangements of the Court, where fome of, the Minifters began to entertain more found and more philofophical notions upon this matter. Notwithitanding the violent counfels of the Bifliops ^f Alais and Ufcs, who differed in opinion from their brother Prelate, the legality of the marriage of the Proteflants was reftored: it was agreed, that no notice fhould be taken of their aifemblies, and that the Clergy (hpuld witnefs their marriages, as civil contracts. The troops that had marched, comimt- i |i A sd * ^'*°<*'^ ivithQat qftabliihing a precedent. .1 **■ ^°^i«» of 4ragoon? fenf to moleft the PfOtellan^ CoimcUf« and compel them tb fign recantstipns. '714. .5if: J*i„v". \^m *3 Au|j. a Dec. I755r THE. PRIVATE LIFE ted no a£bs of hoftility, and every thing was fettled- by negotiations. i> <«*. c.^l^ v^. J This agreement difpleafed the Clergy, who are not fond of admitting a falvo -, but they were at that time too much occupied by the Janfenifts } they were enraged at the return of Parliament, and humiliated at it's triumph. The face of things was entirely altered : the King appeared to be for fome time re- foived to maintain his declaration of the ad of Sep*- tember, extolled by the party as a monument of his wildom: they ftruck feveral medals in honour of this Monarch, who, though he was at that time guilty of a double adultery, was, neverthelefs,. repre- fcntcd as the pacifier of the kingdom, the proteftor of the church, the avenger of the holy canons, and^ of the laws. The Duke de Berry, now upon the throne, was born at this period j and, by a remarkable fingulai'lty, there were no witneflTes to his birth, ex** cepc the Chancellor, the Keeper of the Seals, the Comptroller General, and M. dc Puyfieux. No Prince had attended at it, the Court being at ChoiHy and the Courier difpatched to the King having broken his neck, in making too much hafte«. However, this augull: embryo was made to figure in the engravings, and was delineated as the token of peace. The iVrchbilhop of Paris loft nothing of his firmnefs by the rejoicings of his enemies. He became again th^ firit vi^bimy and his Majeftyj being informed by the Parliament that the facpament had been refufed by theordep of that Prelate, banifhed him at laft to Cot\« fians. Soon after the Bifhop of Troyes, was banifhed, fpr the fanie reafop, to M^ry JUr Stine, and the Archbifhop of Aix to Lambefc. The Princes of the |i-i? • churcl\ OF LEWIS XV. af •S Ja"' & 3 Feb. • A church were ftill fparcd ; thefe pimifhments infli<5led 1755. by hi* Majcfty, were the means of protefting them "7^^ from the more rigorous purfuits of the magiftratcs : as* to the inferior Clergy, they were given up to the fecular power. The Rcdtor of Sainte Marguerife, as well as fonie pricfts of Saint Eiienne du Monty were taken up, and condemned to perpetual banifhment. If the courfe of jufticc could have been continued in the fame manner, the refufal of the facraments would foon have decreafed. But, as the Parliaments grew bolder, the Court did not fail to relax, and to (Htvt their ufual inconfiftency, under apprehenfion of being no longer able to reftorc the fyftem of equilibrium they had planned. ; ^•A decree of the Parliament of Paris had cbndierhri- ^ the deliberations of the Chapter of Orleans, oh account of the facrament having been refufed to M^ Gognion, one of the Canona, and had adnnitted th* Attorney General in appeal, ai from an abufe of authority in the execution of th'e Bull XJnigenitus j Homely, bieaufe ' no ecckjiajiics pretended to attribute to it the charaRer, or to give if the power of a rule of fMtb. A decree of Council expunged thefe erroneous words, inafmuch as the faid Bull was decided to be, d'rule of the Church and State, in confequence of fever al declarations from the King. This avowal renewed the confidence of the Clergy. Th6ir oppofition and titeir demands were redoubled. The Sorbonne was fo daring as to refufe to regifter a decree of the Court], which enjoined that body, and the Syndic, to.be morfe attentive in preventing the holding any thefes cpn- trarjr to the laws, and the rtiaxim^ bf the kingdom, ^nd to the filence lately ordained. They* were obUgfd to fommon the Dean, the Syndic; the Grand Maffer, ^ . and #S THE PRIVATE LIFE I^JJ. and the Profeflbrs of the Sorbonnc and Navarre, "^ and, after a reprimand given to theni by the Firft Prefident, in the name of the Parliament, to caufc it to be recorded in their prefence, by the Regifter, and to forbid their affembling any more till further or- 1 ders. Thus, by another inconfiftency, the Magifr trates— who had fo often complained of the conftraint they were laid under, by taking from them the liber- ty of deliberating and voting — who had fo often de- clared all regifters illegal, that were extorted by force and violenc^-r-who had confidered as pppreflive, and dcftrpftive of the laws, the being forbidden to remonftrate, to deliberate, and to aflenfible-r-chofe to tie down, by that ftroke of authority, a body, who declare^ that they were only fubjefted, with regard to thefp mattprs^ to their fuperior^ in the l^ierarch)^ and that ^hev had a right to cond.emp even the fa;:- Haments, ana lO judg^e the la>7s in points of faith ^n4 doftrine. ThcBodyo( Divinity purfucd thefarpje ft^^p as the Courts of Jufticc, and pretended,, that in the Itate of fubverfion, difcpuragement, and trouble they were in, they could not continue their funftioiis. THey appealed to the King, and prefented a petiiipn, 'prjayihg that the decree of the Parliament might be ai)- riuUed. The Miniftry, without prqtcfting too open- ly the Divines, fupported them however, and, fufFcrr ^|tig the Magiftrates to exert their defpotifm only tp a certain degree, prevented matters from being carr tied to extremities. The Doctors remained in ^: ^affive ftate of anxiety and uncertainty, till their ty- rant was again attacked. In the intermediate time was opened the Affembly 48 May. pf the Clergy,, which lafted five months, and con- ^\^6sd nodiing. The Cardinal de lai^ochefpucau(i: , prcfidc4 h~> 'V ■:? OF LEWIS XV. -'■ 29 prefided there, and it was the fecond time that he 175^. .filled that ftation. Although the fpirit of the Society . :. - ; " had prevailed in him, when it was intended to lay rcftriflions on his order, it was hoped that he would be more tradable in matters of religion. Accord- ingly, his quiet and paciBc difpofition retrained the fa<5lioni> in thofe tumultuous affemblies, in which our Paftors fometimes gave thcmfclves up to the moft petulant and indecent Tallies^ and even to clamours of fo grofs a nature, that it was reported in the moft diftant provinces, they had proceeded to blows *. , A happier incident foon furniftied the Prefident with the means of forming a party, to oppofe the blind and turbulent zeal of the fanatics. The late 3ifh6p of Mirepoix, the Tbeafin Boyer, was juft '^ead i this man, fo confined in his abilities — ;who had fucceeded BolTuet and Fenelon — who had'held the patronage of dhe church after Cardinal Flevri^^atnl wh0 had fru toted the good irttentioi^s of the King, "when he prbpofed rendering the order of St* l^ouis capable of church preferment— had only; ,bee^o raif?^ ion account of his attachment to the principles pf.liifi -predeceiTors : he had carried them itill further, J^ adopting the practice of certificates of coijIeflipiXi < he had employed the diftribution of favours,^ a fure .and infallible expedient to fill the church with C^at- Jiiiuents, and to favour fchifm. The Couct thought of deriving fome good from the fource of xhfi itiiP the Biili Unigenitus^^*€0 the notorltii/ ^ the right, and of the fa6t^-and to th«'t;oi»pe:«tiiDy •miih regard to facramental matters;, (; The copy, of ^Another leftter was filHb joined to tbis, which was ad- ^feScA tQ the POf>e,' in order to receive his pat«nial inftrit^ions upon thefe points, and co.fccure at^ej^- ^feft unanimity. ■• - -: ^fii -i,: ;::^^' AVtThe Pontiflr confulted was Benedid; XIV»>.whb jiad 'too fnucH learning to be very credulous, :aiid ^whi^fe difpofuion was chearful, and even droll. H^ :4id m&c auach fo nnuch importance to thefe quaritls ^ ) as -the fanatics could have wifhed ; and, although his 'digjftity obliged him to keep up appearances, he. hcovild not avoid laughing at them with his intimatei: he thought it fingular, that a King of France ihould not be powerful enough to pacify his kingdom, and faid. ■— - '•*» - J a?. ^f OF LEWIS XV. Taid, fpcRklng of the troubles with which it ^46 agi- tated) and of it's anarchy, buona machina che andafoU *. He made an ambiguous anfwer, and paid his Court to Lewis XV. in feeming to truft entirely to bis piety and zeal for religion, and in exhorting him to give out a declaration to confirm his brief. Thus he availed hinifclf of the Monarch's foible, by flattering Jiim, and by fhcwing a fpirit of peace and xMn- cord. The fearful and fupcrftjtious difpofition of ' Lewis XV. rendered him already naturally favourable to prieds ; who being fatisfied with his fubmiflioa \o the tenets of religion, did not torment him On ac- count of his pafllons j and whd even fuggefted '\o "liim, that Heaven forgave a great many weakneflTes, - ii> Princes attached totheinterisfts of the church, and ''dtffettdets of the faith, fiefides, fevcral Prelates, fmcc 'the death of the ancient Bifhop of Mirepooft, ■ 'mtf^ b«6ginning to draw nearer co the Court, and to 'tlitb favourite, and to pay an attention to her4 She •dfd''not yet diipofe of the benefices^ nor fe)l ithem t^^ly, as Ihe has fihce done » but the Cardiiii2i;de ^oehefouoault wa& too great a politician, not to;pjty J^^regard to'her recommendations, which tht^tbeatin Soytr, confcientioufly credulous and fcmpukais, ;be- tatife he was fimple and ignbnlnt, would njever haVe done; and who, moreover, WoUld have been forced nto this referve, in order not to difpieafe the -Dau- phin, his pupil, if even he had not been fo, by755 THE PRIVATE: LlFfe I* April. 1756. the Bilhop of Troyes to be taken up with cclat, trtd condufted into a more rigorous exile at the farther end of Alface, to the Abbey of Mourbach, in order to keep others in awe by this example of feverity. The more his Majefty gave way to the Magiftrates, the more did they extend their inquiries and thcii* watchfulnefs. He faw that there was no compofition td be expected with thefe perfons, who were as in-» flexible as the law. Their obftinacy difpleafed him. In 1755, the Parliament of Paris had requeued to have no vacationsi that they might fettle the bufi- nefs in arrears ; and, having obtained letters pateat for this purpofe, had employed themfelvcs more in promoting their own authority, than in judging the caufes of individuals. Although they had loft the chief prop of the Janfenift party, in the peribn «f that famous Attorney General, loly dc Fieuri^a mfkn of vaft erudition, of fkilful and feducing eloqucnpe, ahd who had been their fupport for tlie fpacc of forty yeairs; although his fon, who fucceeded hiro,-, had^ neither his underftanding, his fineiTe, nor his adiyity ; . the Company was ilill filled with oM- membersi nt-^. tached to their prejudices, who could not grant any . tvuce to the MoUniJls, and wifhed to make the App^l^i lants triumphant. They had jufl caufed a paitorali> tnflrudtion of the Bifhop of Troyes, on fchifm^ to he ^ torn and burnt by the hand& of the common hai^-. tami The Prelate had been fo highly incenfed, as ^ t June* iQ publifh a mandate, by which he condemned the decree of Parliament, forbad it's being read, or kept ^ by any peribn, under pain of exdommunication. t ^•. This had obliged the King to exprefs his difconteiit>( and even his indignation againft him. , 1 s» April. :^j^« I4 -. 4 OF LEWIS XV.*^ ' •"* To punifli the Sorbonnc for it's rcfiftaftce, the Magiftrates, not lefs fanatic in their way, renewed n conteft which ha 1 lain dormant fince 1729. The point in queftion was, a decree by which the Sor- bonne had recalled it'^ appeal, had accepted the ConftituHoH^ and had eftabliflied a foirmulary that was to be figned by all the candidates. It was pre- tended, that this decrfce of the Body of Divinity, was contrary to the obfervation of filence injoined to themi and dfter fix-and- twenty years it was de- clared void, and of no effeft. But the Court found ftill more oppofite to their views of pacification, a piece of chicanery, which tended to raife the party oi the AppellantSi th^t was alnrioift crulhedi and to renew arid incffeafe the divifions .imong the Clergy : a decree of Council was accordingly iffued, which annulled the decree of the Parliament. * The appointmerit of a Superior to a convent of Nuns, having excited a frefh conteft between the Parliament and the Archbilhop of Paris, the latter, —who had been bariiflied a fecond time, but by the King's goodnefs fufferdd to return from the Abbe3r dc Paghy to his delicious villa — had not imagined that the clemency of the Sovereign ought to abate his zeal. Alhamed of the example given to him by the Bifliop of Troyes, he had got into the pulpit at Qonflans, and had read a mandate or paftoral inftrudlion^ in which he excommunicated all the non-acceptants of the Confiitution Unigenitus-^tht confeffors who did not inforcc it's reception at thtr- tribunal of confeffion --thofe who either had of* ihould procure the decrees and refolutions of Par-' liament pointed out, and namely the Nuns taking care of the fick in the fuburb Saint JMancl, a** like- Vox.. III. D wife 1756. . ^ 19 Sept, 34 T H E P R I V A T E L 1 1 £ wife all the Pricfts who fliould fay mafs in theif church. This excommunication was not fimply ver-^ bal, and threatening ; it was fulminated iRrith all the formalities, the lights put out, and the bells toll- ing. The modem Athanafius, in his difcourfe, ex- tolled his brother Prelate as a perfecutcd Confcflbr, - to whofe fentiments he adhered, whofe firmnefs and conftancy he admired, and was defirous of imitat- ing. Several Bifhops adhered, in their turns, to this vigorous ftep, and their number inereafed cv«y day. •"-'''' * The King — more embarraffed than ever, at feeing the flame of the fchifm, far from being extinguiih- ed, increafing it's ravages— held feveral councils tc ■ confult upon the meafures neceffary to put an ef- feftual ftop to it. The enemies of the Parliamens ' took advantage of this to lay fome frcfli trotibles to f their charge, accufing them of not acting with that \ fpirit of conciliation and mildneis which his Ma^ ^ jefty had fo often recommended to then>*^f being- ' guided in their conduct more by pafllon than rfttt ^ zeal*-^and of theiT having recendy fupprelled th^' Pope's bricli the wifdom of which was i'' mired by his Majcfty. They fliewcd the n^d^flit?)^'- of reftraining thcextenfion the Pariiameftt gave to»'^ the authority his Majefty had ifttifirftcdf thtffi^r^ withj efpccially at a time, when it was more fban ' ever expedient, to find thaft Court ti^a^ablc to fc^^ ciTeatial a point as the regiftcring of the aceomu" * iated taxes which the prefent war required, ,^ The dilute begun between that Court and; the'v Gfand^ Council, was another iubjetft of complaim^/^ that was made wfe of againft them. We cannpig' avmd making a digreflion hetCx QPi^ccming thi» d\(^^ iii^ A i.vJL '■t, F LEWIS XV.. j"r pute, the fatal beginning of a revolution projefled 1756. long before, and which hath at length been effeded in the cohftitution of the French monarchy. oi^.> . , The enemies of the Parliamenti^ finding that they had in vain^ attempted to crufli themj and that this jgreat body had acquired more ftrcngth from the at- tacks carried on againft themi became fchfible, that their greateft fault had been» the not having a body in readinefs to fiicceed the Parliament immediatelyi inilead of the phantom of a tribunal colleded with precipitation from the members of the Council; They took a review of the feveral Courts, and found that the Chamber of Accounts, which ^i^ cx)mpofed of members who were not lawyers— of ignorant and unlsttered perfons; as the King ftiles then* in their appointments — could never deferv© the confidence of the nation, and would only fcrve to thro«^ a greater ridicule upon their projefti The- Cotuct of Aids would have been better adapted to thfeir purpofei as being more agreeable to the people I but they had then at their head M. de MsiUeflierbesi an. incorruptible Magiftratej a pa-*! triot, and a man^ incapable of fubmitting to any^^i mcannfeffi from views of aggrztndizementi Befides, - this Court was becoming troublefomc to Govern- 7 raetit^iand at this very peridd, foreftalling the zeal' of tbe Parliament, had: made fuch vigorous remon-' ftrancfcs relative to the tiics that were regiftered at the ^ed of Jufticc holden at Verfailles, and refpedb^t. ing the uncertainty of their duration •> that tfe*5^' '*We propbfe to ptibUfh in the AppcciKx tiiefe temonftfahcei^ jikherto unkno^^^n, ati4 of the great«ft importance. They are tO^ b» fQun^ in » quarto roiume^ iatitled'. Memoirs ti illufirar* $kt> iijferj^ of tlu public i4gbt e/FraiKt, in tntuurs efimfofti: "« weril^ Jh'hich has.jull appeared, in i779> "^ THE PRIVATE LI?E had obliged the Monarch to promife, that the tim* of their cefTation lliould be fixed to the day of the ceflation of hoftilities, inftead of that of the: proclamation of ^^ peace,' TThe' Grcnn-Cdtmcil was judged to be the only body proper for their defign- This tribunal, which was an cMtra- tribunal in the Srate-^which could not fubfift if the kws w andpra- teiKling, in concurrence witb it's immediate fu-. pcriors, to exercife the fame right over the other tsi- bunals, acquired a new extenfion of power.- By a declaration made at the time of a private contdft between that Court and the Parliament of Parii^, > his Majcfty aeknowkdgedy. that all the ' infetio't" Courts, Bailiwicks> and Senefchalfies of the king- dom, were obliged t© execute the decrees^, brddn-| nances, and mandates- of the Grand^€oimsily\mt(\ii^< diately, and without any appeal to the other Courts, and Judges, or any permiffion- aflced of them, "^ ^'^•^ The Parliament were aware of the intention, irt iBXciting this f6ur€e of difcord between them and the rival tribunal. They rriade vigorous refokii- tionijthey remonftr atcd j they appealed againft rfie incroachmcnts of the members of the Grand-Cdunci!; ^ey^defdribed them sa tendttng, by a regular fyftem^ to the annihilation of the ancient and unalterable (brms of the legiflation'— to overthrow the facrcd •fder upon which the conditutioiT, even of the State, had refted for thefe thirteen cchturics^to de- . " grade -*"? IT r.s r '.'■ k'Xl ^ The fccond law was fubtle enough, if it could have fubfifted. It is a well known faft, that the more numerous companies are, the lefs open are they to corruption. The fyftem of Government, for fomfe time paft, had been to reduce the numbers of the Parliament, by not filling up the places which be- came vacant. They had complained and remon- ftrated upon this fubjedt, to little purpofe, and the edift in queftion fuppreffed, on the contrary, two Courts of Inquefts. Thefe Courts had been pitched upon, bccaufe they were compofed of young men— who generally propofe and fupport the moft vio^ lent counfels— who are befides fufceptible of an en^ thufiafm fcarcely known in perfons of a more ad- vanced age — in a word, whofe new and unfullied minds are riot open to the feelings of fear or liop^, two fuch powerful paffions^ when defpotifm ktiows how to put them in motion. Befides, as the Chiefs have a great deal of influence over the other Members, the'Prefidents of the remaining Courts were to have no more particular appointment, but were to be taken from amon:]r the Prefidents ^ fnoftier, capable of being chofen or removed at , ~ the pleafure of the Court. iiianuiij^i The laft law Was a declaration which contained regulations for the difcipline of the Parliament; that is tq fay, a combination of troublefome forms and conditions, in order to render the aflemblies of the ChatHbres lefs frequent — to retard the actu fat ions —and to give more influence, weight, and authority JO the Company to the Firft Prefident^ a creature of P 4 the 40 TJ|E PRIVAtE LIFE BO :» 0U» 1756. the Court, and whom they commonly dircfl ;t| they pleafe. A Bed of Jufticc was fettled for the 13th of Dcr ccmber^ wherein his Majefty caqfed his edids and fleclarations to be publiihed, and regiHered in hi$ prcfence. That vpry evening the Gentlemen of the Cou rt of Inquefls, condderi ng themfelves as degraded^ ?ind deprivfd of their moft eflential funflions, car- ried their refignatipn to the Chancellor. The Grand Chamber did not follow their example, except a few jTi^mbcrs, among whom was M. Tubeuf, an antient military man j who, feeing the pufillanimity of th^ majority of the members, at the time of the delibe- rations upon the fubjeft, cried out, in ib energetic ftile of his former profeflion : " I knew very wcU " there were fome poltroons among us, but I did not *f think there were fo rnany.-* The public adopt- ed this Chriftian name for the Gentlemen that :(laid, and called them the God-children ^ M. Tubeuf. The Clergy thus triumphed for the fecond tinne. ' That it might not, however, appear that too many concefllons were made to them, the Prelates then at Paris Were enjoined p repair to their diocefes, there to - * wait the Kii^g's orders. This nev^ pcrfecution againft ^'the Magiftraqy lafted a year longer. Itfeemedtq ceafe in the month of September 1757 ; but the feries of ''^ their difgraces foon began ag^in j and if they had ^<-'%hc fatisfa^tion, ii? that interval, of feeing the extin- -fi^ilhing of the fchifm, of cffeftiqg the deilrudion c^ ■ ^e Jefuits, their ir^ofl: cruel encipies ; |hefe had, " Jiowcver, power enough to involve the Parliament in 5i^ one common ruin with themfelves. J>v) piit, before this great blow was given to the king- ^'-dom, it was fooii ta experience the calamities of 9 yrar, n- a'O F LEW IS XVf |var, the leaft misfortune of which wasto drain it of men and money, and to deprive it of it's moft fertile - poffeffions in the new world. Can any Frenchman rc- jCoUed without blufhing> the opprobrium, which was then fixed upon his cpuptry ? We may hereafter, pcrr haps, give a mo^e enlarged hiftory of this period. At prefent, weihall only, according to our plan, point out the principal circumftances, retrace the few glorious events, the numerous misfortunes, and efpecially the capital faults, committed in the courfe of it j the ac- count of which is always more ufeful than that of profperities, only proper to flatter the vanity pf a nation, to make it become torpid, and confequently, by fufpending the continuation of thefe profperities^ ,to pave the way for misfortunes and difafters. io By the articles of. the treaty of Aix la Chapellc which remainedundetermined — and were the moft irjpice, the moft difficult, and the moft important in their toofequences^it was eafy to judge that France and England had only wifhed for a breathing- time ; '. iliat they had m^de a truce, and not a durable peace. j^Spain fcemed to aft with more fincerity. The prin- ncipal difputcs of that Crown, with England, were ad- ^uftpdiby the convention of Bucn-retirt). The Court ijqf England, in thi^ treaty, gave up from that time lotheir pretenfions to the Afllento or Negro trade, and b;;to the Ihip the y we|;c allowed to fend to Porta Bello, r; though this permiflion was graiited for four years by ' ^ the treaty ; and thisw^s'donein copfidcrationof akyn- .Adred thoufand pounds fterjipg to be paid by hisCa- . tholic Majefty, and of fome privileges granted t<^ the Englifh in their trade. Unlbrtuna^elyi iMfHcient -^.^carehad not beea taken lo f eguUte what concerned the vexations of the Spaniih gua^ar^qftas in^the i^w' ' "■ ■ ' , ' Weft 1756. '■ti. 5 oa. 17J0. 4 IS THE PRIVATE LIFE i75<^. Weft Indies — the purfuit and confifcation of the ' - Englilh vcflels in thofe latitudes — and the cutting of logwood in the bay of Honduras j that wood, whieh isfo valuable for the purpofes of dying, but fo fatal by the inceffant quarrels it has occafioned, and which Hill fobfiftk This point was however difcufTed, after the difgrace of the Marquis of Encenada, and arhi«- cably adjufted under M. Wall, his fucceflbr j but this arrangennent did not laft long, and the Court of Madrid revived all the ftriftnefs of their pretenfions concerning this wood, at the time they wiflitfd to \ form a union with France j this cxafperated'Mr. Pitt *'_ fo much againft the Spanifh Minifter, that he ac- ' cufed him of being Frenchified, The Englilh alfo complained of the preference given by Spain to the French trade, contrary to the exprefs letter of the laft treaty -, they complained of the aftivity with which that Power increafed it's navy, and of the great influence the Miniftry of Vcrfailles had over that of Madrid. But thefe com^ •pUUits occafioned no ad of hoftility, and iipon bein^ twinfrnittcd,- were anfwered. Matters did not go pnfo amicably between the Courts of London and Verfaillcs% Their refpcdivc grievances were only increafed by negotiations ; and hoftilities having be- gun, or rather not having ceafed during the peace, the people of the two countries had not even the temporary enjoyment of that happinefs, in the inter- val between the two wars of 1744 and 1756. Scarce w€rc Cape Breton and Louifbourg evacuated by the 'Englilh, and given up to the King's troops i fcarce haci his M^efty declared w the Lords Suflek and Cath^ ^ cart, font as'hoftagcs 'till the refK^idn of thoifc J)laceS» -tHatth«ywer«ffce:^, than the chicaneries in Europe* ^3 July »749' *i.# - F L E W'l S XV.' V and the quarrels beyond fea, again exerted the fa- gacity of the politicians of the Old World, and fo- mented difcord in the New. Notwithftanding the pacific intentions of the two Sovereigns, and even of their Minifters, there was a great probability of it's being very difficult, that objects of difcord of fo long Handing, fo diftant, fo much increafed, and diffufcd over almoft all their poflefllons, fhould be fettled in an amicable manner, and with fufficicnt difpatch tq prevent other caufes of divifion that might arife. f India was the principal fpot on which the rivallhip between the French and Englilh continued to exert itfelf without ceafing, except precifely at the mo- ment in which this rivalfhip broke out with greateif extent and fury, in the other parts of the world. Du- pleix was pireftor-General of the affairs of the French India Company at Pondicherry -, he had at laft contrived to rennove the man, of whofe talents and genius he was the mod in awe, that la Bourdonnais, ivho, by his exploits, had firft infpired the neigh* bouring iiations with the greateftrefpedt forhls owri country. He had obliged him to return into Eu- rope } and in this inftance, animotity loHng nothing of it's activity by abfence, Dupleix had had them- duence, at the diftance of fix thoufand leagues, to caufe the conqueror of Madras to be fcnt to the 9aftille, and to be kept there during three years an4 a half, in the hardeft captivity. He was pcrpetualljj fending from India frelh witneffes againft him, and at length, not having been able to prevent the inno- cence of tliat illuftridus prifoner from appearing, ho at leaft deprived him of the rewards which he de^ ferved } Bourdonnais expiring, had nothing left but his glory. •- -^i'^ .^lif'^V; • ■ •" *^*''*^ " 4 j ■» 44 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756. In order to repair the injury that Duplelx waa """ doing CO the Connpany, by depriving it of fuch a de- fender, he certainly mud have felt powerful refources within hinnfelf, and in the perfons whom he intended to employ. Accordingly, he difplayed them at the liege pf Pondicherry, where he was at once. Com- Uiandant, Engineer, Officer of Artillery, and Com- ipilTary. This was the occafion of an honour being granted to him, which no one except an Officer in the King's fervice had hitherto obtained— the Grand Cordon de Sf. LouU. It is a matter of doubt, \ whether this diftipdlion, together with the rank of Marquis, to which, by his birth, he had no pre- .1 fenfions, infpired him with new ideas, and made him alter his fyftem : but this Chief of the Merchants, who, in 1742, had propofed a neutrality to the Eng- ilih Company during the war, attempted at the peace to fet himfelf up as a protestor of the Vice-Roys pf India, and, interfering in the quarrels of thofe Princes, erefted himfelf into their conqueror, and their tyrant. He made his employers become ufurpcrs, againft their will, and confumed in warlike preparations all the funds intended for commerce. He flattered, himfelf, that he fhould recover them with intereft from the treafures of the vanquifhed people. This thirfl of cpnquefl excited thejealoufyofthe Englilli, who, in their turn, allifVed the opprefTcd, Saunders was at their head^ as bold, as inflexible, and as fertile in expedients, as his rival. Both of them making fport of the Nabobs, whofe name§ ferved for a watch-word to their troops, only fpvght, in reality, to fatisfy their ambition and cupidity, the feveral palTions with which »they were devoured. The Go- Ycrnor of Pondicherry, elated with his fuccefles^ had - carried « ':t OF LEWIS XV; r 4$ carrifu his delirium fo far, as to be dcfirous of mak- ing himfeif Sovereign. He had purchafed from the Chancery of the Grand Mogul, the Patent of Nabob of the Carnatic. Then it was that he difplayed that Afiatic pomp, for which he had a natural turn. His wife made herfelf be treated like a Queen s and this vifionary grandeur might have lafled a long time, if her hulband had not, in his turn, fallen a victim to thac fame jealoufy, which he had himfelf given way to againd la Boiirdonnais, and which was the fource of his greatnefs, and of his ruin. Advantage was taken of aconfiderable check, which his imprudent haugh- tinefs had drawn upon him, and he was recalled. He was reduced at Paris to difpute about the poor remains of his fortune, which were contefted with him by the D*re(^ion, and to foHcit audiences in the antichamber of his judges. He foon died of grie^ 9nd Madame Dupleix had a threat deal of trouble to obtain a trifling penfion, from thofe who had ac^ quired by his victories and negotiations thirty^nine naillions * of annual income. The territories added to this Company were valued at that fum. This was the moft brilliant period of their profpcrity, if t^iey could have fupporttd the charafter in which their reprefentative had begun to make them appear. Bpt the wcakncfs of Miniilry was alarmed at iti they gave orders to refufe the Carnatic, the molt 4ouri0)- ing province of the Mogul empire, where Pondi- cherry is fituated, which would have made the ac« qiiifition complete. They did not chufe ^hat the Company fhould be any thing more than it had been till that time, an alTociation of merchants ; nor that • On?, fix hund^rj^icl i^i)4 (wenty-five thQufafti popnds.^ 5 «h«y THE PRIVAT^E LlPfe they (hould have any other poiTefTions than faiftorlea* Thus it la that this edifice of grandeur^ which had p^rcaken too much of the romantic imagination of it's founder^ difappeared as rapidly as it had been raii^ ed. Government wifhed particularly to avoid hurting the pride of the Englifli } they had given orders, iri conformity to thofe fent by his Britannic Majeily^ to fiifpend hoftilities. The two Companies accordingly communicated with each other, and made 4 con-^ ditional treaty, the Brft point of which was this fuf- penHon. The truce was to take place in the bcgin*^ i ning of 1755. The other arrangements tended to- eftabliih between them an equality of territory^ of forces, and of commerce, on the coaft of Coromandcli* and that of Orixa. It was M. de Godeheu, a man at modeil and plain as his predecelTor was haughty and fuperb, who planned and figned this truce, id quality of CommifTary of his mod Chriilian Mi^efty f * of Commandant General of all the eilablifhments of thci French^ India Company, from the Cape of Good^.l Hope- to China J of Prefidcnt of all the Councildiif fcftahliflied there ; and of Diredor General of th*' '• French India Company. He was not elated witlt^u all thefe titles j but conduced himfelf like an horefi*' merchant, as Voltaire fays, and, by the good faitft^i/^ V^hkh he Ihewed in the conferencesi conciliated thtk. Engliih fo miJch tw himfelf *j that the intelligence between the two nations mighty perhaps^ have bcert- durable, if the rupture iri Europe had not ipread^ itfclf as far as India, and efpecially if M. de Godeheij had remained there. Duplci)c and he had furnifhed * See Hifiory of the tajl tuar, cbnipofed in Englifli, in four large volames ; a work as long as it is tedious, full of faults amf: partiality, and confeqtiently may fate depended nporii firheo ^( ((|Mi^.a4rantitgeouflyo£,|lie French. ■. , ; iriconteftiblfr # OF LEWI S XV. ^ 47 ble« incontcftiblc proofs, that in thefc diftant regions, it is 1756. not (o much the Sovereigns, as their agents, who re- "^ gulatc war or peace. From this account, it is difficult not to believo that the French were not the aggreffors in the Eaft* - Indies. The Englifh connplained of them equallyt ' on the coaft of Africa. It is well known of whai? importance commerce is in that part of the worldf with regard to the fugar-colonies, the working of which can only be done by Negroes. It is well' known by what an abominable cudom the Europeans^ go to purchafe thofe unfortunate victims in theif own countries, and degrade and infult humanity fct far as to transform their fellow-creatures into fo many^ beads of burthen, whom they drive in the fame man-' ner, with whips ir> their hands, leaving them nor other alternative than flowly to confume their ex** iftence in the midd of hard, obilinate, and continual labours, without falary or reward, or to peitlh itt* horrid tortures. Such treatment requires th^t tKcf# herds of flaves fhould be perpetually recruited^ Hence arlfes the rivalfhip between the two nations/ ^ in a country where the Negro trade is carried 6n.'* , To complete the mifery of this country, it produces^ alfogold, a meul equally fatal to it's propi'itf tors' « and it's conquerors, bat which renders people crue^' in proportion tb the cupidity k excites. Since tftcf^ French had been obliged to facrifice Senegal to theif' rivals, they liad nothing left biit the fa<5lory of Juid* and the Ifland of Goree, where there is hot, Aor evcri will be, any trade. In the intention of extrkatin^^ themfelves from this precarious fituation, they had thought, ia 1752, of bribing the natives, by prefents, . and more advantageous offers, -in order that thcf^ iaight be allowed to conftru^ a fort at Anamabotf^ ;-^ a part € «i«a> 4»^ 48 Trtfe PRIVATE LIFE 175^. a part of the coafl: open indifcriminately to alt Ecr^ ropeans, and where affairs are carried on with abfo- lute freedom. They had already begun their efta- bUfhrnent, under the protetlion of a fquadron ; but 'a. fuperior Englifh fleet, pretending that it was de- bauching their allies from them, and infringing the treaties, drove! the workmen away with canons This account, according to which there would have been fome reafon for the recriminations of the enemy^ would appear fufpicious to us from the hiftorian al- ready quoted, if it did not agree with that of the author of the Settlments and Trade of the Europeans in the Eaft and fVeft Indies, Although this writer al- locs the fame fa£ls, he draws a different confequence from them. But it is eafily perceived, that his aim is tQ bring on the odious fpeech of the Miniiter, ex- (;laiming, on account of the ailoniihment that was cxprefled to him for fuch a violence : If we were t6 he jufi to the French, wejbould not exift thirty yean ■-% tr - --• « ^. -ft,! . , If we ptfs from the coafts of Africa to the Antilles^ we ihall again hear the Englifh nnaking the nK>ft Violeoc »clamations againfl the incroachnnents df the French. The Caribee Iflands, including under this name« which is that of their antient inhabitants, St. Lucia) Dominica, St. Vincent's^ and Tobago, rernained in difpute> and in the ftatc of uti pojft^ dfitih according to the lafl treaty. Commiffaries, ap- pointed by the two Sovereigns, were to decide that; point, at well as feveral others. In the mean time, a,Man|yia de Caylus, who commanded at Martinico^' • See Vol. in. Book Xf. of the StttUmntt and Tradt of tie M^p^fnm im the Eaji and Wtfi I^ftS; in T'tJF LEWIS XV^>* H 49 7 pet, 1748. in t^i» than two months after tht defiiikive figning 17 5^ ofihe peace, of which he could notpoflibly be igno- KiBC, taking advantage of fome a£bs of authority ek- ercifed by the Governor of Barbadoes^ for the fervice of the King his matter, before the fufpenfion of hoftilities was known, had ifTued a moft violent proclamation, declaring, in exprefs terms, that all thofe iflands belonged indifputably to the Crown of France. He was not a philofopheri like his brother, who was ib well known and beloved ^mongthe learned j but is haughty and enterpriling as the other was gentle and' engaging. . In confequencc of this difpofition, he had recourfe to violent meafures j drove away an Englilh frigate, that came to wood and waccr there, ftnd crcdbtd a battery of canon. ^*. ^ The circumftance which unfortunately proves the Validity of this accufatlon, is the difavowal of the Gourt of Verfailles, and their immediate ord^S to*' M.' d large pofts, with thefe words : Continuation of the pojfej/idns of Lewis Xr, King of France, iy$^, A Cap- tain of a (hip belonging to the King of England, eaufed the croffes, infcriptions, and pofts to be pulled . \ down, and left a declaration in their jHead, which announced, that his mailer would not fuffer thofe. marks to remain, in a place, the poffeffion of whichr. was contefted. Thofe iflands, which were almolt uninhabited, would have been of great ufe in cafe of. War, to favour the navigation of fleets and fhips| coming from St, Domingo. But it was neceffary/^ cither to carry this matter by force, or to behave; with fuch caution as to avoid difputcs, and the re-?,. cciving of fuch an affront. In other refpe<5ls, thefe wcrc) only trifling bickerings of a puerile pride, whil^, there were fceiies pafling in the North of far greaterfs Ctinfequence, which were followed by effufions 4^1 blood, and became fo ferious, that they occafionedv an open rupture between the two Crowns. For, this- tittiej Eurbpc received from America not only war,' but all the other evils with which ihe had fupplied* her for fo long a time. - In that part of the new yrorld called North Ame- rica, the French had two colonies, Canada and. Louiflana, fufiicient of themfelil'es to form two greac kingdoms, if their population were anfwerable to their extent. The formfer — fituated on the banks of the rivtrSt. Laurence, interfered by many fmallcr rivers, and «3SK- '0 F L £ W 1 $ XV: -t T • I ' ithd containing in the inland parts immenfc lakes, co- vered with forefts as ancient as the world j admirable forthebeauty of it's foil, the falubrity of it's air, not-'^ withftanding the rigours of ai long and feverely cold feafon — is remarkably proper for producing and preJ- fcrving life j the women there are wonderfully fruit-' fill, and old-age is commonly prolonged to a Very advanced period without infirmities. Nature^ in it's aufterity, refufing the produdlions of luxury and effeminacy, capable of enervating the inhabitants,- fatisfies all their other wants, and would enable them to do without the mother country, with refpeft to' the necelfaries of life, fuch as food and cloathing. If Canada v/c ", cultivated, it would even furnifh pro- vifions for C „ i \ierican iflands, and fupply part of Europe with corn, cattle, and falt-provifions. The Iheep, whofe wool is celebi-ated for it's foftnefs and ftrength, would, with fome attention, fupply the place of the wool purchafed from Andalufia and- Gaftiley for the manufaftories of Franpe. The oaks,- which are of pradigious height j the pines of all lisies} the firs, the hemp, and the iron mines, only redjuire an intelligent Miniftry to make a proper ufe of them, and form a complete navy. At the period we are now fpcaking of, no greater advantage was taken of the preparing of beaver — an almoft exclufive branch of trade -^not* of the whale and cod fiiheries J the fur trade only was attended to ; but it was fore-* feeri what might hereafter be d(>ne, and to what a floiirifKing condition this colony might be brought/ which was yet in it's infant ftatcy though it had becit ciftablifhed riear a century and a halffitii uiarrmbBnij^ The latter colony is fituated to the fouth of this^ Like New France^ the gloHous denomination given E 2 Ui 5^ 1756. tHtE PRIVATE LIFE ^ to ICahada— which, notwithftanding the rigbijr bfft's climate, by no means experiences tlie horrors of the mod northern regions — fo Louiiianay though under a burning iky, is lexempt from all the inconveniences and troublefomc heats of fuch a fituation. The beneficent fun, without depriving it of the pro- duftions of the north, ferves only to afllift the culti- vation of thofe of the fouth : the provifions are ex- cellent j ftlh, butchers meat, game, poultry, are better than in any other part of the world i fruits« vegetables, and herbs> have a finer flavour; ricey fegar, indigo, and cotton, are cultivated with the greateft fuccefs. Tobacco- is the plant which would Succeed the beft,if the cultivation of it were attended iOy according to the firft intentions of Governmeht. Nature feems here to have delighted in a ptofufioft of magnificence ;^ and tht cabinets of our riaturalifti are enriched in every branch of natural hiftory with the produdtions of this fortunate country. A riv^r*, not left beautiful than that of St. Laurenci, *riin» through it, and prefents to the inhabitants a cicir and wholefbme ftream to quench their thirft j and ih- which, as in that of the Ganges, they may batfte when they are in a profufe fweat, without any dan^'. In a: word, large meadov/s for fattcnir^ of cattlf, and immenfe deep forefts of timber, prefent as- many refources for trade, and for the navy, as* Canada»''^'-^''-^'.'-'^f r r>- UnfortUhatdy, this new colony — effaWiflied ohtf %y the Regent,, at the time of theSyftem, and under the moft brilliant aufpices, when a univerfal defirt {Prevailed of going there, in hopes of making a rapid! fortune—became, upon the failure of thcfe hopes, * eountfy %^0 F LEWIS XV. - S3 country of exile and ignominy. Mines of gold had 1756., licen fearched for there, and not found j while the "■ — "^ infinitely more preferable riches of a virgin and fertile foil, which only required being worked, in order to yield a hundred fold, were overlooked. The Miffiffippi was only peopled by vagabonds, wo- men of the town, victims mutilated by vice, and flagitious perfons efcaped from the (entence of the laws. This was another difadvantage attendant: upon Louifiana, (for, at that time, the odious name of Miffiffippi was changed) that this impure origin would either put a ftop to the fources of life, or com- municate it to beings, fhameful of receiving exigence, and fearing to perpetuate it. New France, on the contrary, owed it's vigour to' it's firft inhabitants, who were compofed of the military, and of the en- tire regiment of Carignan ; whofe families multiplied, and begat a flrong and healthy people, full of prin- ciple and honour. ■, .,f^ However this may be, commerce— which particu- larly engaged the attention of France fince the lad peace; which had been remarkably flourilhing, and awed it's progrefs to that philofophic fpirit, which, when properly applied, vivifies every part of a king- dom— <)pened the eyes of Adminiftration upon the importance of thefe two eilablilhments, which had been too much neglected, and were infinitely pre- ferable to the more flourifhing fugar-colonies. A bold prqje^l: was formed of uniting them, and, by erecting forts at certain diftances, throughout the {pace of a thoufand or twelve hundred leagues, to eftablifh an indilToluble chain of communication. fiithertOi this communication had fcarce been carried V^JiTiug Ea on. J4 A THE PRIVAT.E LIFE \ lyj^. on» except by the northern parts, where the induftry ; of the French had at firft led them, on account of the jibundance of beautiful furs. The new road on the ibuthern fide fhortened the way confidcrably, and Ibefides made it more eafy. The navigation upon .the river St» Laurence might be continued by barges :^s far as the lakes, and one of thefe is exad^ly at the fource of the Ohio, a river which pour$ it's waters into the MiiTifTippi. To this natural advantage^ a political one acceded) which is, th^t the EngUih colonies would Ipe more confined within thf:ir limits , Jbeyond the Apalachian mountains — immenfe heights, between which and the fea they ^re included. In a word, the communication between Canada and the , jpother country, being interrupted for more than half fhe year, when the riyer St. Laurence is frozen up, • .^a new way of arriving there ;a|,^l), ^m^^^yf^lQp^^p(^ ^ by the weftcrn fea. ..v !..;.;.,, i,^,;; .; „i, This fuperb projeft, worthy pf a Qoveron^ent _ >vhich penetrates into futurity, and which, ip, it's y^ft |j)lan for acquiring fome folidity and confiflicuge, . (comprehends equally it's cotemporaries ap.d t^e ^ reiT^oteft ppftenty, Ihould have been carri,e4 ,iqto ^,|2xecu|ion bui; flqwly, and required ages ito bfiog, it . to perfection. Each of the colonies wquld havj^, Ad- vanced ip filencci and, from the overflowings of their population, might have fupplied thpfe feyeral points; jwhich growing up by degrees, becoming ftronger every day, and fupported by the bacH-fcttlements, , would| perhaps, have joined, before their rivals could . have perceived it, or would at leaft have been in a condition to defend thcmfelves againft the eflfortg of ,<"\nK '«it» .ya'l is induftry ntof the id on the bljr, and on wppn >y barges ly at the 's waters intagp, a Engliih ^irliniits I heights, d. In a . and the than half OZ£;n\}p, si fopenpd 'j^irninent ifj%U9e, *pd tjie if 4 into bring, it liay,^,f«i- J pCtheir I points; ftronger lements. Us could een in a jflfort^ of ^ ^ O F LEWI S XV. ^ ) ^§i 0f^t Englifli, on their fide, taking advantage of ly|6.^ the ambiguous terms of the treaty of Utrecht, or "itt leaft of the conftruftion they put upon them, ivhich might have been differently interpreted, with tegard to the ceflion made by France to them of *^Acadia or Nova Scotia, were endeavouring to ex- 'tend themfelves on the fouthern fide of the river St. Laui nee, and, by confining us in that part, would foon have endeavoured to avail themfelves of the ad- "V&ntage of a navigation, of which we had the ex- ' clufive enjoyment. This defign of their*s tended ftill * ftirther to enlarge thofe bounds in which it was in- tended to circumfcribe them. - ' '^' Three Goverriors of Canada fuccefllvely fulfilled ^'theview^of the Court, in driving tlic Engliih back '^6 the' peniftfula, to which France pretended they ^^erelimited even by the treaties, and in preventing 'them from getting over their boundaries of the ^"Afialachriati mountains, to oppofe themfelves to ^^htf ^rbjeft of union, too foon manifefted ; this ^^J>r6d\id6d a war of pods on that continent, ftill 'car- ^^¥ied6h after the peace, and in which the French ob- ^%ined HVch advantages, that George II. at laft found •^^ t\it' ftfec^flity of havirtg recourfe to all his niaritime '* • ^ ComttiilTaries appointed on both fides had, fn Vain, ^^i^gun conferences at Paris, which had lafted feVeral ■ years J neither party was difpofed to giv^ way; they ^"'Wcre only endeavouring to amufe, and gain^ tlnie. »4p€rhaps the unavoidable rupture wduld ij^t cv^ ''^J^hen have .broken out fo foon, if it had hotbeert fbr ' the accident which happened to Lord Albemarle, /ImbaiTador from London, who died fuddenly E4 in SI Sept, 1750. 16 Dec, TH^ PRIVATE LIFE |95^» ill hill coach. Trifling caufes rometimes influence great ev^n^s ; he was in love with a young girl> called l^lQtt;e> fmce Countefs of Herouville ; his paflion was fo violent, that he could not detach himfelf from ]tef, and he palliated, as much as he could, the diflatif-' ' faction he ejcperienced during his negotiations, from the fear of being recalled, and obliged to feparate himielf from the beloved pbjeA. He had frequently been commlifipned to impart the complaints of hisi Court to the ^Iiniftry at Verfailles, concerning the '. iocro^chpfien(s of the French in Canada ; and the circumft^c^s which give us reafon to conclude th«o^^ they were as legitimate as the preceding complaincsi^; are the apparent fatisfaAioas he received, by dif- ^ avowals, reftitution Qf prifpners, and 6rders feqt ta-^ the gqvernprs to be lyiore circumfpe^k— the pnot* ceeding of the Duke de Mirepoix, who, after havingt^ often, an^ very lately, protefted that France was notJ^ meditating any hoftilky, nor any infringement of the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle— ^xprefllng bis a^oniikt^q mcn^ and concerfi at feeing fadbs very contrary td^" bis df^lar^tion produced-rtfet OMt immediately, as if^- h^ int^nd^d, to go and reproach the Miniftry withu the haying, made iiim the inftrument oftheir difli^q mulatipn— his return with frelh affurances of the pa^v/ cifjic i^t^ntions of the Ijki.ng his matter, which he^ yqwe^hc ha(j[frofnihis pwn mputh^n a word, the ffndingi 0^^ BiifTy, one of the firft clerks for foreign affairs^ tp, Hanover, where the King of England themb «V^f]^,jp,, order to cjfpjaip matters ftill better tp bis/i: Jprltannic Majcfty, and to dilTipate the ftprm whiofei June 1755- .^«tT»t xr I?il0.., ifluence , called paflion ;lf from diflacif- s, from 'eparatd qucntly of hia ing the jid the de than plainGsf by dif- k^t to havi^n vas noff t of the loni&«q rary ttf^" 7,'as-if^^. y with" ir difli^q cJie pj^ ich h^^ rd, the foreign id then to his i whipb would H O F LEWIS XV;T f) J* have been unworthy of a great Monarch, if they4iad not been regelated upon the certainty of an intended * rupture on the part of England. It is therefore evi- dent that the French were the aggreffprs in Cafiada,^ by a fyilem of aggrandizement carried on without^ interruption fince the peace. La GalifToniere ha({ laid the Hrft foundation of it, with that fpirit ofcun<«f ning and craft which was peculiar to him. The cu«* pidityof La Jonquiere had excited him to maintaiqf Jl^'.in hopes of the advantages of a commcfc^/ without competition, more extenfive and imorc lucrative. Duquefne carried there the hatighti-r' neis, which guided all his adionsj he was Hatcerrf ed' with the idea of giving his name to a fort crcft-^ ed by himfelf, and openly made ufe of force t(jt^ fupport his entcrprile. His ambition was the im-^ mediate cauif of the quarrels in the Old ai^ |Ie^^ Bcfidc the fincere defire of Lewis XV. to prefcrve^ peace^ for which he had made fb many facrifice^^ y/iiich Jib indeed had always been inclinett tO> ' \)ilit which, Wa& become ftill ^TK)re necefTary to hiiti * from.' the enjoyment of it, fince tranquillity 'ha.^' nuintain it Tome years longer, that their Aavy'^ inight acquire the numbers and ftrength It Was in v need of. This was the fccret motive of their bibiv^ deration ; which, however, did not go To far as to ' ?nake them negled the defence and purfuit of their., idvantages in Canada. <" '^^^ Twenty feips of war were fitted cut In Ac two yoTts of Br^ft and Rochefort, which being united, I- J ■ ^ m^' -•-.» ^^ THE PRIVATE LIFE ftt lafl together in two divifions. The firft:*, c6iii- fifting of fix Ihips of the line, and three frigates, all c'dmplctely equipped, was commanded by M. dc Macncmara, Lieutenant-General ; and the fecond f , by M. la Motte, Commodore, who had under him fourteen (hips of the line and two frigates j three of the firft only had their proper number of gung Lift of the Arit. rqua« dton. n •FIRST if. M. CMptains d« Macnemara, Lieat. General Montlouetf Commodore -— BeaufremoQt, Captain -- Fontais, ditto. — Gu^briant, ditto ■ Coufage, ditto — ■ DIVISION. Ships. GUHJ, Lm FUitr dt Ljt. So 4... '*%■! Duboii, Captain Mariniere, ditto Bony, ditto tnlu. t SECOND DIVISION. ft, M.*^apiaiHt ^ ....;.,, Sbipt. L' Her Si Le Palmier V EveiUi V InfiexibU V Aiglt Frigates V /imetifte La Fleur de Ljs 30 L* Hiroittt 24 74 74 64 64 50 30 A Guiii, Jl'ja. Lift of the ^ ; Bois de la Mo(^e,'CbinihoThe Chevalier de Cftomoivt, Captain Ylill'.Choifeul* ditto , ■ — Morflien, ditto Lorgeris, ditto I Saint Lazare ditto lo n Goraain, ditto h\-^:<^fJ*9 Rigaiidiere, ditto « ' ' La Jcaqoiere *■ ' - Pe ^uis •-- - — ' £# Defemftuf ' ^74 — "^: . JL* Dauphin Rojaiyo L* Efpirance 70 V Alcidi 64 L* Bixarri 64 V Aaif 64 V Wufire 64 L* Opiniatrt 64 LeLjt 64 Lt Leopard 60 V ApeUom 54 I* Afuilm ,44 Frigates^ , . > £a Sjreme 30 ^a C^ff/lV '24 on T -y ; F LEWIS XV. ^ c6H. tcs, all M. de ( ■ . ■ ondf, rr him • three f gung < fb,- • '; on ( ' on board. The others, having 22 guns, were fitted out as fhips of burthen, and had on board them the twelve battalions fent to North America, with the Baron de Dielkau. From the very beginning, fc- veral faults were committed, which it is ufeful to reveal for the in(lru6tion of pofterity, this being the firft duty of an hiftorian. The Brft fault was committed by the Miniftry, who, being apprized of the orders given in Canada for the conftruftion and eredion of forts, ought to have made no doubt of the refentment of England, when it fhould be made acquainted with them, and lod: their time in negotiations to amufe that Power, when it was ncceflary to aft. Accordingly, the Britidi Minif- try, having learned by advices from their colonies that thofe works were carried on with the greatelt vigour, even during the winter, adopted the violent .fyftem which we (hall foon fee break out. The Mi- niftry committed a fecond fault, by fitting out moft of the (hips of the fquadron of M. Hois de la Motte me^rly as pinks, and by retaining in Europe ifor parade that of M. de Macnemara, which might at Icaft have rendered the real fervice of keeping our rivals in America in awe. They flattered themielves» that by this proceeding they Ihewed the grieat dc- fire they had of maintaining the peace, in giving no umbrage to the Engliih by two formidable armaments, in the midft of the general tranquillity of Europe. But this was directly contradiftory to the proud anfwer made by the Duke of Mirepoix, who, upon the notification that was given him of Bofcawen*s inftrudions^ replied, that his ma/^tf would confider the firft canon fired at fea, in a hoftile manner^ fif A deflatj^m pf war, 59 ,,'iC! it -ClOlfe 'A'^<^ The ■P 60 iitt THE private: LIFE The General, commifTioned to execute the King's ' orders at Breft, feemed to fecond the falfe politics of Adminiftration, byiuffering his competitor to get the advantage over him, in fetting fail eleven days before him. This was M. de Macncmara, under vvixofe command was M. Bois de la Motte. He was weak enough to fuffcr his uneafinefs to be per- ceived, by making his will — by giving orders to difembark all his plate — by announcing that he looked upon the war to be unavoidable — and, in a word, by returning to Breft, and pretending fick- jiefs, to avoid f^oing again to Tea. Thefe bad rneafures taken in Europe, which pro- ceeded from the weaknefs of Government, hurried ■ on to greater lengths than they wi(hed in America, by the enterprifing Duquefne, gave a fandion to a ilroke given by England, a fVroke which France taxed with injuftice, perfidy, and the violati'^n of the rights of mankind -, which rendered that king- dom odious to all nations — and was even cenfured by tl^e moft honeil men in Great Britain, but which^ ia fi^, was an admirable (Iroke in politicsj and imore efpecially juftified by it's fuccefs. >'y , • According to the cuftom of the Britifh Govern- ' incn^ of not trufting entirely to mercenary fpies, fome of their frigates had conftantly watched and followed the movements of our two fquadrons, fincc th^ir departure from Breft, till the return of M. de Macnemara. The Englilh, therefore, being , certain <>f a confiderable fuperiority, periifted in the Jioftile orders they had given ; and, while the Duke of MirepoiK was flill negotiating at London with the Minifters, and M. de Bufly at Hanover with t^ Ki(^g of England, ^^fprmfttion wa^ received, '«.• . tbiat O F ^ L E W I S XV. ■ that Admiral Bofcawen having met the French (hips PAlcide and le Lys off the Bank of Newfoundland, that were parted from their fquadron, had wanted to oblige them to falute the Englifh flag, and, upon their refufal) had attacked and taken them, after a combat of fcveral hours, though one of them was only fitted out as a pink. The two brave Captains oC thcfe fhips were Mcflrs. Hocquart and de Lorgerie* It was indeed particularly incumbent upon them to defend thcmfelves well, as their bad manoeuvrei.ig had brought rhem into this fituation, while M. dc Montalais, who commanded le Dauphin Royal, ami had feparated from the fquadron with them> had extricated himfelfwith more dexterity, andcfcaped, , ^'' This aggrefllon, which exhibited little valour, fol- lowed even by the capture of VEfpiranc$, another fhip of the line, would not have been an advantage* great enough to cover the infamy of the proceed- ing from the eyes of the Englidi nation, if it had ii6t been accompanied by a more eflential one. This was a general feizure of all the French, trading veflels met with at fea *, in what latitude fbevcr. Three hundred of them thus fell with aftomfhment into the hands of the Englifti f. We have h'j'*:re us^ an exaft lifl of the (hips taken before the ckcla* ration of war, a minifterial piece, in whicK there arefome curious details j the refult ofwV.di is an eflimation of the lofs, valued at 30 millioas \, and * This order had only been givcft oat the alth of Auguft« af" tcr a Gsand Couucil bolden at LoBdon by the Lords Qtmpi^ £oners, the King being at that time io hii electorate. ^ 7 t In the Appendix. N" IL we fhall give a circunftantiaV Ui{ «f all thefe capt«re«. ..* tvi ,-;iij ^Onciftiilioa two hundred and fifty tbou^nd jj^oun^ ilirUiigL ^1 "to j«ne, »755« i 1 :f Nov«mbelii» »7SS- 6^ THE PRIVATE LIFE in all, including the crews of three King's lhlpi,lh¥'' lofs of fix' thoufand officers, failors, and marinesy and ' at lead of fifteen hundred foldiers, or troop* newly raifed, made prifonersj a damage the moft irtiportant, and the moft difficult to be rcpairedr^ -;' What was the conduft of France upon this (ic?-^ '' cafio'n ? It Was jhe only proper conduct for a Power^''' weak at that tirhe, attacked unawares, wanting time to colleft it's forces, to diftribute them, and, by poftponing it's revenge, to make it more certain/ As loon as his Majcfty was informed of the infult offered to his flag by Admiral Bofcawen^ he toofc fuch fteps as became his dignity, recalling his Am^ bafTador from England, and his Minifter from Ha- nover, with orders to depart without taking leave, and breaking with a perfidious Court, whofe word could not be depended upon. He poured his grief into the bofom of his Catholic Miijefty, and, by a memorial drawn up without delay, and fent td "the Court of Madrid, reprefented the proceed^ irigs of the Court of London, before a deelaratiort'i of war, as a violation of all the facred conventrort^ of the rights of nations— as an attempt capable of replun^ing Europe into a ftate of barbarifm, wheit' force was the only law. This artful confidence had a fecret political motive in view; that of exciting the indignation of Spain, and of infpiring them with apprehenfions of hoftilities of the like nature— of opening their eyes to their true intereft, and to tfie rieceffity of their joining France at this time, when the combined fleets of the two kingdoms might niake head againft that of the Englifh, in- timidate that Power, and reduce it to an equitable dilpofltion, of which the French afFcftcd to give thef 'V^Wift i ^O F 1 £ W I S XV. .X,. jT ^1 give th€f viir. the example. In fadl, the King, influenced by his 175$, firft refentmept, had given orders to his fquadron, ^ :,-. commanded by the Count du Guay, who had fuc-,„ ceeded M. dc Macnemara, and was now at fea, to* engage all the Englifh Ihips of war he Ihould meet' with, to take them, and alfo to feize the merchant- men of that nation, if he Ihould be informed of rheir having captured any of ours. But this Com- ;^ "mander, although his condud, by an agreement that could not be forefeen, was confident with the ., wa,vering difpofition and difavowals of the Court— j^. for he had done nothing that ought to have beert^ attempted by a brave officer and an able failor— ^^ yet the Council imagined that it would anfwer their j views better, to Ihew a generofity which did not^ cofli them much, by reftoring the frigate, the Blan-'l fordi the only capture made by the French Com- '^ mander on his return from Cadiz to Breft. M, Littleton, Governor of Carolina, a paiTenger on^ board this fliip, was recondufted to an Englift pD|-t, and orders were given at Toulon, if the enemy's • fquadron of eight (hips, which was in the Medir' terranean, fhould put in at the Iflands of Hieres, to fufier it to water there, and if it fhould come in-, tp port, to furnilh it with every kind of refrefH- ment it fhould (land in need of. . To this critical fituation between the Courts of England and France, another was added, which did not require lefs dexterity. The French were upon the eve of quarrelling with the Court of Turin, for a ' violation of the privilege of afylum and territory^ That famous Mandrin, Captain of the fmuggjcrs,, whofe name, like that of Cartouche, is become a proverb ^Vil mm ^ THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756* proverb, to indicate an intrepid villain, aftef having - • pillaged the revenue, the CoUedors of which he had laid under contribution for near eighteen months— afjEcr having efcaped from every purfuit, and even^ fnade a (land againft the regular troops that were, fent agaiqft himr-«was at laft taken only by ftratagem* Some volunteers of Flanders, having difguifed them^ felves like peafants, had feized him at Saint-Genis« d'Oft, a place belonging to Savoy, where he always retired after his expeditions. Battering himielf that he was in fafety within the dominions of a foreign Sove- reign. He was executed immediately, before he, could be claimed, and every contrivance was after- wards adopted, to elude the reparation fuch an in- fult required. By an artifice unworthy no doubt of the majefly of government, truth was even fo far violated, that, in ajhort hifiory of bis life *, writ- ten and diflributed by authority, the unwarrantable capture of him was attributed to the revenge of the Clerks of the farms. It was expected by this means to extenuate an attempt of much mol^econ- fequence, committed by the King's troops, and with the confent of Court. But the Court of Turin was not the dupe of the artifice, and required, an authentic reparation. The Count of Noailles was fent to his Sardinian Majefly, with an exprefs commifllon to difavow formally all that had pafTed * This hifiory is yery fcarce, and is worth prcierving, » well ar the fentence, in which are Recapitulated all the cHmes of Man- drin ; which« if faccefa had always attended him, as well as. cer- tain cone[uerors, both in hiftory and fable, would have beini extolled as incredible aClions of valour. Both Ihefe ]»eces will be inferted under N^* IIL to which wc 4iaU add the fpeech tti the Count of Noaillei. 2 upon upon ^ ^O F LE WIS XV* T ) upon his territory, to tell him that the King his mailer had puniihed the guilty perfons, ^ind had nothing fo much at heart, as to i^rengtl.en the bonds of friendfhip with a Sovereign to whom he was already united by the tics of blood. ,. This dilpute being accommodated) not fatisBed \f\t\i avoiding to make other enemies, the Court of France thought of forming alliances to counterbalance thofe of England. We Ihall foon fee one brought to light which aftonilhed all Europe, and changed the fice of politics. France, whofe condud had been hitherto marked with irrefolution, at laft determined upon the wat, fince the good news received from Canada. General Braddock, fent from Europe by the Englifli, as the ijtiofl: proper perfon to re.-eftabli(h their affairs there, ^ had, on the contrary, ruined them by his ralhnefs anfi obitinacy. Intruded with the execution of a pla|i perfeftly well conceived, and which tended to no it(% important a point, than to reconquer in one •campaign all the territory which had been ufufped,:' and raife the alarms of the French for their owa poiTeinons in Canada and Louifiana, he adopted fal(e meafpres from the beginning. After having oyer-f come the obftacles which the fituation pr^fented tp.; hiiTi, he did not proceed with fufficient flownefs, cif-^W cumfpedioii, and Caution ? he entertained no millrult , of ambuicades, for which the ground was fo favour- able, and, b<:ing defirous of preventing the arrival of a reinforcement expedtecl. by the Frtnch, he 4ttri-,j, buted to pufillanimity the prudent advice that walit given him, thinking that courage arid impetuolitj^** Wov ^ be fufficient to fecure his triumph. It was » upv»r* :he field pf battle only, that he difcovefed his YoL. Ill, F error. 66 .THE PRIVATE LIFE 175^. error. Forfaken by his own troops, whom he had """ not treated with fufficient indulgence, he main- tained his ground almofl: alone with his officers, per- fuadcd that he had no other mode of juftifying him- felf to his country, but by a glorious death. He «> July, was killed, and the papers and inftrudtions, which difcovcred to the enemy the greatnefs of the danger from which they were delivered, were found upon him. The rout was fo complete, that the news be- ing carried to General Shirley's camp, intimidated \ the foldiers, a great number of whom defertcd > a defeftipn which put it out of his power to fulfil the part of the expedition he was commiflioned to exe- cute, and which was the reafon that, notwithftdnding the check M. Diefkau received at the attack of General Johnfon'- camp, where the French Com- tnander was alfo killed, the Englifh General did not ' dare to avail himfelf of his viftory, by purfuing the enemy, and was fatisfied with remaining upon the defenfive. But the mod fatal efFe<5k of Braddock*s defeat, in it's confequences, and the influence it was to have upon all the operations of the continent, was the confirming in their at^tachment to France the Indians allied to that natioij, who are the neceffary agents in the war, and the difcouraging of thole who were in the intereft of Great Britain. , :, The French were therefore employed in prepa- rationsj calculated to make the enemy repent of their boldnefs. Dunkirk is a port in the channel, which, from it's fituation> has always given them umbrage, it wag rerolved to reftore it. The Prince of ,Sbu*^ bife was commifliooed by the King to fee this e^^ and required. In a word, the htd was in mixed opinion, equally flattering to the vanity of the nation and the glory of the King, pretending that the French might make head in all parts, pre- vent the conquefli in America, and threaten the ene- my in Europe i that che only thing required for this was, agoodAdminiftration, and a prudentdiftributioQ F3 o i7j6. \ .,; 70 THE I>RIVATE LIFE 1756. of the forces of France, by employing them in a ■■ " " proper nlanner, and with ceconomy* This plan was the one purfued, inafmuch as his Majeily, and the advpcates for peace, were given to underftand, that the only mode of obtaining it more fpeedily, was to difplay at the fame time united efforts, capable of aftoniihing and intimidating England, by fitting out in the feveral ports all the Ihips that were proper for the purpofe. The land troops were augmented by 40,000 nien. Fourfcore thoufand of our beft troops received orders to march from the interior parrs of the kingdom, to the borders of the ocean, and the Mediterranean ; and, to increafe the alarms of the enemy, two Generals, known for their aftivity and enterprising genius, were placed at their head. Marfhal Belleifle was appointed Commander in Chief over the maritime coafts of the ocean, from punkirk to Bayonne ; and Marfhal Richelieu, over all thofe of the Mediterranean. A confiderabJe num- ber of tranfports were freighted, to carry an army upon each of thefe two feas, wherever it Ihould be wanted. In the mean time, the other troops were marched to the frontiers of the Empire, on the fide , 6f Hanover, and feveral magazines were eftablifhcd ' in Weftphalia, with the permiffion of the Eleftor of Cologn, to whom the Marquis of Monteil was fent in quality of Plenipotentiary. This was i brilliant epocha for all the Miniflers, whofe feveral depart^ ments were foon to be rendered illuflrious, and aug- mented, and who would efpecially have a variety of employments and favours to difpenfe, which arc fo proper to iccurc a number of creatures to themfelves. The navy, though not .half fo fkong as that of Engliand^-#not having half the number. ci poffeffiOns \ I > OF LEWIS XV. pofleiliOhs to keep, and to fupport, being befides united to that of the India company, which was at that tin^e in a flourifhing ilate— might bring back ' the glorious days of the age] of Lewis XIV. and in cafe Spain, whofe intereft was greatly concerned in joining us, (hould be induced to take this ftep, it was certain that we (hould be able to retaliate upon the £ngli(h flag all the humiliations we had previoufly received from them. With regard to the war. Count d'Argenfon, who was ftill in poflefllon of that department, alTured the King, that his troops, whofc adivity had been kept up by the fevcral camps that had been formed during the peace, were in good orders that the military difcipline had been ftriftly attended to, and that they were all eager to engage the enemies of his Majefty. In Marlhal Saxe the Count had got rid of the peribn whom he moft feared, as being in the way of his ambition. He had juft extended his power, by uniting the regulation of the Carabineers, vacant by the death of the Prince of Dombes, and that of the artillery, which Count d'Eu had refigned. In a word, the Monarch being now difgufted of put- ting himfelf at the head of his army. Count d'Argen- fon flattered himfelf that he fhould become more mafter, and more abfolute in his department. M« Rouille had reafon to congratulate htmfelfi upon feeing his adminiftration for foreign afi^irs marked by an event of a fingular kind, and calculated to confound all the projefts of Great Britain. This Power, difappointed in the expedbations they had en- tertamed of Maria Therefa — for whom they had ex- pended lb much treafure, and lavifhed fo great an effuilon of blood— were not only rcfufed by that Em- preis the auxiliary troops they had a right to demand . F 4 '> froni 71 1756. 74 THE PRIVATE LIFE ^1756. from their treaties, but they alfo faw her enter into an alliance with France, by the treaty of VerfaiUes; they faw thofe two Courts in an inftant extinguilh their re- ciprocal animofity, after a contention of two hundred years. Thus it was that the fyftem of policy, fug- gelled by Cardinal Richelieu, vanifhed, to give place to a new one. The Mlarchionefs of Pompadour, who had TtOt a little contributed to this treaty, and had in confequence of it received a very flattering letter from the Emprcfs Queen, was defirous of perpetuating the memory of this alliance in a vnedzW'ic chef d'auvre. She had it engraved under her own infpeftion, by M. Is Guay, the moft famous artift in tliat way, up- on a medallion of agate-onyx, fuperior to any of th6 fined monuments of antiquity. She placed it in her cabinet, and ufed to (hew it with a great deal of felf-fatisfadion to ftrangers, who, from the frivolouf- nefs of this monument, judged of the difpofitiun of her who had ordered it. ibibmM Even the Minifter of finances, for wham this pe- riod was the moft nice, might forefee a kind of glo- ry in the ingenious operations he might contrive, to fupport the extraordinary expences. In his con- ferences with the King, after having laid before him the ftate of the old debts that were to be paid ofi-^ given a detail of the confiderable mortgages with lyhich the revenues of ^ the crown were loaded, and reprefented to him the diminution which commerce and induftry— carried to an incredible degree of prof- perity during a few years peace — would neceflarily ex- perience, encouraged his Majefty, by adding, *•' It will ♦* require great exertions to fupport the weight of " the war, I have calculated the ftate of your « finances, they will furniih me with rcfources for V-,,.. ., ' "four .off KCl OF LEWIS XV. 73 «< .;^A «i but only Btted out as a pink, having no more than 400 men on board, and twenty pieces of canon of all fizes, two of which only were four-and-twenty pounders. Being attacked by the Oxford of 70 guns, and near 600 men, this brave of- ficer had defended himfelf like a lion for upwards of four hours within piftol-fhot, had made the enemy come up twice, being fcarce able to fupport his broadflde, and had not ftricken his flag 'till he was furrounded by four of the enemy's velT^ls, which ar* rived during the a<5lion. The impoflibility the En- gliih found of bringing their prize fafe into port; the neceflity they were under of blowing her up in the niiddle of the fea, after having haftily withdrawn the crew J the return of the Oxford to Plymouth, taking in io much water, that, immediately upon her arri- val, they were obliged to put her into dock ; were fo many glorious fads which depofed in favour of the nation and the Captain : they wiped off, in. a miraculous manner, the ilain of ignorance, and ba4 manceuvreing, which had been fixed upon Captain f*¥iii. Bouville 75 76 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756. Bouvillc in the fquadron of M. Bois de la Mottc 5 - and the hiftory of the navy furnifhed no inftance of fo vigorous a defence. M. Bouville, when he ar- rived in England, preferved in captivity the fame magnanimity he had (hewn in adtion : he would not avail himfelf of the liberty that was given him to withdraw. He pFCtended that he had been taken by pirates, and offered with haughtinefs to pay his ran- fom. He diftributcd among the French prifoners 6,060 livres*, which had been fent him by the Keeper of the Seals. ,:!.>»> Several other actions, in which officers of the Royal navy fignalized themfelves at their fetting out, were publiflied with all the oftentatious colouring of panegyric, which, at the fame time that it infpired the higheft idea of that part of the fervice, main- tained the public confidence. At Martinico, upon > the arrival of a fmall French fquadron, under the command of M. d'Aubigny J, the Wanx)ick^ an Englifh fhip of fifty-fix guns, was carried off in tri- umph. She had been furprized at the landing- place by the AtalanU frigate of thirty-four guns. M. Duchaffault, the Commander, a young Captain, perfe6tiy., matter of his profelfion, ardent and impa- tient tQ fignalize himfelf, ventured to attack her. The furprize of Captain Shudham (the name of the * Englifh officer) who did not exped to have been ' difcovered, increafed by feeing a feventy-four gun Ibip and another frigate of thirty, threw his crew ij'il »' . • Two Tiundred and fifty pounds. t It confjfted of the Prudent of 74 guns, commanded by M. i)*/iubigny. Captain ; and the frigates Atalante of 34, by M. Do- cha^ult* Captain, and the Ztphir of 30, by M. de la Touche Treville, Lirticnant, . ,, ,./■» , ;>. - 'J I- ^v *^t<^ ^ OF LEW IS XV.i into fuch confvkfion, that, though he had given proofs of his bravery on other occafions, he defended himfelf very ill. In this adion, not only th^ courage and (kilful condud of M. Duchaffault were admired, but alfb the gcnerofity and coolnefs of the Com- manding officer, who, not thinking his afliftance ne- cefTary, remained a quiet fpedtator of the engage- ment, that he might not deprive him of any part of the honour of fofignal a vidory, calculated to give an example, and to excite emulation among his com- rades. ■ .-'^-•y\- -^ W,i At the fame inftant, almofl, when this intelligence arrived — ^which, like every thing that comes from diftant parts, might be fufpeded of exaggeration — there happencdjuft off Rochefort, and infome mea- fure within fight from the land, an aAion, where the combatants were more upon an equality *, but their exertions not lefs brilliant. The Jquilon, commanded t)y Captain de Maureville, and the Fidelle by M. de Lizardais, on their return, after having convoyed two tranfport Ihips, fell in with an Englifh man of war and a frigate J they attacked each other with fo much 4?nrrs had not, by committing enor- mous blunders the.Tifelves, made ours of no confe- quence — for we con, mitted blunders tooj and, above all, if the good fortune of Marfhal Richelieu had not fmoothed every difficulty before him, fo as to make him triumphant d'. the very moment when he expeded it the leafl:, and began to defpair of fuccefs. *jH3 Admiral Byng failed from England the 6th of April, was detained at fea by calms and contrary winds, and did not arrive at Gibraltar till the 2d of May* It was the 8 th before he could fail again from that port} and, the wind ftill proving unfavourable^, he did not arrive off Minorca before the 19th : to this time there was no complaint againft him ; but here, according to the depofitions of the witnefles taken at his trial, commences a feries of chargcS;^ the refult of which is, that he did not, on that day^i life all the means in his power to avail himfelf of the opportunity so throw fuccours into rhe place, before the arrival of the enemy's fleet j— that on the next- IV91,. III. ' G day. ^ tHE PRIVATE LIFE 1755. day, when in fight of that fleet, he did not do a^T ' that was to be cxpedlcd of an able and experienced Officer^to bring it to adtiooi— and laftly^that having been rouglily handled, without being beat, he re- turned to Gibraltar, though he might have repaired his damages, kept the fea,. and made a laft effort to acconplifli the prinrlpal object of his commiffion, that of conveying Officers and Engineers, at leaflr, intf; the p'jrt of St. Philipv, if it were impoflible for him to land large, bodiesof troops* Upon- the proof ■ 6f thels; charges lie was condemned, and underwent ' ?. f a.vuce, rigorous indeed, but yet juft, what-ever Mj'^y hs'/e Deen faid of it, inafmuch as it was ftriftly onfoniiiabie to the law. , .,, ' The fauit of M. de la Galiflbniere was that which^ almofc all Frenchmen are guilty of in naval com- mands, the fuffering his enemy to. get the weather- gage of Mmi- which prevented his purfuing him with fuch advantage as the defeat would other wife have given him» He laid himfelf by^ this means under the neceflity of no rifquing a purfuit, becaufe h&, might pofiibly have afforded Admiral Byng an op- portunity of flipping by him ; and the efTential ob/^cfe ©f his operations was to block up the po''»:. His fine line of battle, however, ,vas greatly admired^ although he was to leeward during the whole adion. » Various accounts having lx'»n given of .he refpcc- tive force of thefe fquadrwis,. -.^e 'diink it ncceffary to ©bferve, that they were nearly eqiial j for if the enemy had 52 guns and 210 men inore than- we, the ftronger make of our fliips, the weight of metal, and the op- portunity of refrelhing and relieving our crews, more diaa balanced that advantaee, Aii-, :\ N-otwithllandino^ ii;Ji\.=ii'i"£y d? 6 F LEWIS XV. • • Notwitliftanding this avowal, which i§ due fo hidorical veracity, it is ho lefs true, that if the failure of Admiral Byrig was aggravated by the fatal coftfe- quences which it gave birth to, the vidtory of M. de la Galiflbniere, moderate as it was in itfelf, ought, from the importance of the fervice, to have appeared great in the eyes of the nation j and, without doubt, he would haVe Ihared in the triumph of Marflial Richelieu, and the acclamations of the capital, if the laurelled honours of his brow could have protefted him frorh the ftroke of death : he died on the road, nearFontainbleau, where the Court was at that rime. In him France loft her beft Sea Officer. He had much knowledge, which is very uncommon in that line; and his courage was not impaired by it ; on the contrary, it was improved, by acquiring a rational foundation. His abilities were equally adapted to aftion, council, and adminiftration. W<^ haVe feen him Governor of Canada, where he fowed me firfl feeds of that jealoufy, wliicK afterwards ^tw up in o'lr neighbours, by fuggefting •10 the Minlftry th ^fe vaft ideas of extenfive dominion, which were realized by his fucceffors. He was af- terwards appointed commiflary, in conjundion with, M. de Silhciii^tte, u;^on the bufinefs of the limits of Acadia, to counterad the Englilh commifTaries ; whofe reafonings he totally difconcerted by the fub- tlety of his arguments. In a word, he was the firft in thi:i wav who humbled the Bri«:ifh flag; and, unfor- tunately, it muft be adder., he was the laft. After the enr^ .gement off Minorca, the French fcarce exp' ienced any thing by fea but lofTes, a.ii what is worfe, Ihame and difgrace. Notwithflanding the confternation which the be- fieged; whofo^ whole dependence now hy on a feeble G 2 garrifoo> *f THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756. garrifon^ might nattirally be expeded to be thrown * ^ into by the defeat of their Admiral, they did ndt yet defpair, and in this they derived no fmall afllft- ance from us. The careleflhefs with which Marlhal Richelieu had begun the attacks — where people of the profefllon charged him with cflential omiflions— was the caufe that the land operations for the fiege were but little advanced. From this circumftance accidents had happened, fuch as might have been . ' forefeen, and could not be repaired without much - trouble, care, and lofs of time. Diftempers had got among the army, and the General had, in coniequence> been obliged to order all the fruit-trees in the en« ^ virons to be deftroyed j but there was no remedy againft the heat, which began to be intolerable, the i expedition having taken place too late in the feafon. * The ammunition, which they had ufelefsly laviflicd * away, began to fail j and it becanfie neceffary to dif- * patch from Toulon and Marfeilles continual fupplies '=■.: of men, powder, balls, bombs, canon, &c, which * they were obliged to fend for from Strafbourg, fo ? ill had their precautions been taken! At length the * advances were fo flow, that the Court determined to -^ order M. de Valliere, a celebrated officer of artillervy . to Minorca^ and he was no fooner fet out, than hfr learned that his prefence was unneceflary. While thefe things werepafTing, the raflinefs of the Marfhal fuggefted to him a refolucion not leis wild than his preceding conduiSi: had been, and yet, being founded on the known character of the nation, it was the only chance of fuccefs. This was, to abandoft" all the regular attacks which had been begun, ta advance upon the open ground, and to aflault at once all the outworks, by which the body of the ^lace was defended. By a fortunajte coincidence of I » * events,. thrown did not ,11 affift- Marlhal eople df iflions— :he fiege imiVance ve been lit much had got :quence> I the en- remedy ible, the e feafon. laviflicd y to dif- fupplies , which Durg, fo igth -the mined to irtillervy than he- fs of the sjCs wild t, being uion, it ibandollh ;un, to (fault at of the cnce of events. ;2l^ o F LEWIS XV. ;r events, the fecond in command, whofe name WJjs JefFrys, and who, on account of the great age of the Governor, had the entire management of the defence, defigned that very night to carry off a party of ^our - people, that for fome days had been ordered up to fire upon the befieged, by way of cxercifing them, '^making them acquainted with the avenues of the ad- '^ vanced works, and efpecially in order to make the ^' enemy lefs attentive to our motions, whenever they (hould be more ferious. JefFrys was overpowered by ^ the ardor of our troops, and taken in his own. '•' fnare. '>•"/ .i • Soon after this, and in defiance of the terrible fire '^ of the befieged, they leaped into the ditches, which * were 17 feet in depth, and fixed their fcaling-ladders, "^ which v/ere but ten feet long. This inconvenience '^ did not intimidate the grenadiers ; mounted on each ^' other ihoulders, they fcaled the rock, and pofted "^^ themfelves on the fummit. An aft fo wonderfully ^daring aftonifhed the garrifon, and the old Governor, ^ to fuch a degree, that, notwithftanding the little lofs ^^' they had' fuftained*, and the good condition of the troops, which were not in the Icaft harrafled, and were plentifully fupplied with every thing rhey wanted j — > notwithftanding the condition of the fortrefs itfelf, which was equally good, and capable.of holding out a confiderable time ; particularly as the befiegers had nothing inreadinefsfor this new mode of attack i— <• '^ notwithftanding the probability of fuccours arriving f.<>-^^t« Thelofsof the Englifti did not amount to more than three 0-* officers killed, and five wounded, and feventy-one private killed, Q ^m *is^-- •! fe -mn: from .U' 9Avdudevilk ^AS fuppreft, and confined to the cabinets of the curious. It is too entertaining and too hifto^ rical not to deferve a place among the pieces felefted to throw light upon our narrative *, .rs^^^The exertions ufed at Toulon to fit»out the fqua- - 'drot) of M. de la GalifToniere, did not flacken thofe at the other ports. ' Befides, the fquadron under M. d'Aubigny, who was Rationed at Martinico, and. .'] * This fongihall be iofcrted ia the Appendix, N* V. . MOLi : notwith- I OF L E W I S XV. ' ^ notwithftanding his wcaknefs, prefcrvcd the Windr iJ^Sd ward Iflands from all apprehenlion of danger ; another ■ ■ of greater force *, commanded by M. Pcrier, afferted the honour of our Crown at St. Domingo, and pro- tefted the Leeward Iflands. A fourth, at the head of which was M. Beauflierf, had failed for Canada> with troops, officers, and the Marquis de Montcalm, who was to fucceed M. Dieflcau. To conclude, the ' Marquis de Conflans, who continued in Bred-road* with twelve Ihips of the line J, which, it was given nHJ toi /■ ■. . iW'M-'. out, '' *' It had fet oat at the end of Febraary, and confifted of the 'foliowiog ihips : '^\^ 'rj<\xts}ni\ jJ^Uj,/^(^ Guns. Captains Mefl*. tun'n ^' Lt Cturagtux — 74 — Pcrier, Commodore \. , ItProtet - 64 - Roquefeailt, Captain VAmpbion — 50 — De Vienne, ditto ~ ^'' VJigU — — 50 — St. AUoaarn, ditto ^ -, La PUur Jt Lyt — 30 — Mamiere, Lieutenant nr L*EmilrauJi — a8 — Treoudal, ditto ,. 11 io tjr t It fet out the beginning of April, and confifted of three flups fitted out, as pinks, and three frigates, namely: tiHeroSf of 74 guns, mounting only 46, M. Beauffier, Port Cap- "•'>->^^' •--tain ■ ^'Vllluftrtt of 64 guns, mounting 36, M. Montalais, Captain ' ZZ'Le Liopardt of 60, mounting 26, M. Germain, Port Lieutenant La LUertfi, of 30, M. la Rigaudiere, Lieutenant , La Sauvage, of 30, M. de Tourville, ditto ' La Sjrette, of 30,M. Brugnon, ditto. X This fquadron confifted of the following (hips : ^ ^^ - Le SoUil Royal, of 80 guns, M. de Conflans, Lieutenant General. Le Tennantt of 80, the Chevalier de Beaufremont, Commodore LeDeftn/turt of 74, M. de Blenac, Captain Lt Sttperbt, of 70, M. d' Ache, ditto LtSpbinxt of 64, M. de Coufage, ditto Le Bienfaifant, of 64, M. de Chateloyer, ditto L'Apolhn, of 50, Le Chevalier de Rohan, ditto* 3 '.1 i« DIVISION 9^ THE PRIVATE LIFE 175^' out, were to be incrcafed to twenty, gave the Englifh * much uAeafinefs, and obliged them to keep their whole force at home, for fear they fliould have oc- cafion for it to oppofe a defcent : an alarm, which, even allowing it to- be without foundation, they could not but attend to, becaufe it might be realized by ^y negledt of neceflary defence. ; *^- - France, by a wife diftribution of her forces, though much inferior^ and the mafterly plans of Admini- ilration, was fuccefsful this year, not only in Europe, but in every quarter of the world, both in defeat- ing the projefts of her enemies, and in gaining con- fiderable advantages over them. For at the fame ^ time that the idand of Minorca was taken, in Europe, the natives of India, inftigated and con- duced by the fortunate Bufly, drove the Englifh from Calcutta, Fort William, and all the fettle- ments they had on the coaft of Bengal. They loft by this expedition above 50 millions in fpccie, be- (idc the great advantage that accrued to theni from their trade on the banks of the Ganges. In Ca-' nada, we had made ourfelves mafters of Fort Bull^ where they had formed confiderablc magazines of it^u^IJ♦1u>•. - , ' ■ «^H'4 DIVISION OF ROCHEFORT. m'j ig Dauphin Royal, of 70 guns, M. du Verger, Captain . ' Le Jufttt of 70, le Chevalier de Macnemara, ditto 5., he Capricieuxt of 64, M. Defgouttes, ditto XL ya$ foon followed by vigorous attacks, after the arrival of the Marquis d^ Montcalnfi, and the reinforcement he brought with him. Chouaquen or Ofwego, Ontario, and Fort George, were taken : the adventurous fpii it of M* Rigault de Yaud^'euilj who, at the head of a body of Canadians, fwam over a river to cqt off the communication of thg forts, decided the conqueft j the refult of which was, turning againft the enemy all the ammunitioa they had colledled, at a great expence j which com- pletely diiconccrted thtir plan of operations for the % reft of the campaign. • The French met with but one difafter, which was the capture of the Arc-en-cielj a man of war of 56 guns, commanded by M. de Bclinghan, carry- ing men and ftores to Loui/bourg. He fell in with a fquadron of the enemy, which was cruifing off ' (hat idand, before he had accomplifhed his com- piifliqn, and was obliged to fubmit to a fuperior force. But the feeds of thofe misfortunes, which followed, were already perceived, in the profcflional fpirit of the .Royal navy, ready to break out, and pro- ' . duce it's ufual ill confequences, whenever it was freed from the reftraint of a firm and refpefted Minifter. Jt was this infernal profeflional fpirit that deprived M. Beauflicr, before Cape Breton, not of his own glory, but of that he might hs^ve obtained for thp Frenph flag, if he had been properly fupported, i^ngaged fingly between two Englifh fliips, he was obliged to fight for fcycR hours, \i^ %ht of the 92 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756. Illuftre, a (hip of his own fquadron, of 64 guns, which, having been becalmed by ill management, made none of thofe efforts which arc ufed in like cafes, to come up with the Commander in Chief. The Captain of this (hip was M. dc Montalais, of whom we have already made honourable mention, but who on this occafion forfeited his charafter. He was fo much the more culpable, as he was known to be a fkilful and brave feaman j and there- fore, that which in another would have been imputed to cowardice or ignorance, was in him placed to the fcore of envy. Beauflier, though of a family engaged in Port employments for a cen- tury paft, was neverthelefs regarded by the officers of the navy * as a man of mean birth. Being himfclf a Port Captain, neither his exalted capacity, nor iiis exafi: and intimate knowledge of the fervice, 1 could abolifli that ftain in the minds of thefe Genr tlemen, in whofe opinion birth is the firft qualifi- y cation. Even his abilities enhanced his crirhe, in their eyes ; becaufe, being for that reafon highly in ., favour with M. Machault, he became fo ftltich y. the more the objedt of their jealoufy, as they were j:. apprehcnfive of feeing him foon promoted to the , rank pf a General Officer. The campaign of 1755, . had done him great honour; he commanded the j,, JDefenfeur in M. de Salvert's fquadron, and the ftern % countenance he mairtained had kept at a diftance I,," - ■ V- ■■"■ ■ ■ •■' i •* * ft is to be obftrved, that Port-Officers, though ranking with t^' the others, are not confidered by them as making part of the O : grand corps ; becaufe they are not obliged to produce proofs of Mobility, are not chofen from the company of Marine GtUurds^ and feldomrife but by thfcif mcrii. - i*^-^ -M" ■«■, w« • . '-■ . ^- ,v .J '■-■ j,^ ' 1*1^ A -s- Jk.;., of 2 ! O F L E W I S XV. the Engiiih (hips, which chafed them on their de- parture from Louifbourg : the brill ancy of this ac- tion might have procured him a flag. f* " '^ Such was the private motive of M. de Montalais* condu6t. M. de laRigaudiere, Commander of the Ucorne frigate, not able to refift this mean jea- loufy, behaved himfelf equally ill, and did not obey the chafing fignal, under pretence of the fame treacherous calm. "What proved the futility of this pretence, was, that M. de Breugnon, Captain of the SyrenCy defpiling fuch fentiments, found wind enough to obey the fignal, and with true mag- nanimity, facrificing his vanity to his duty, palfed by a brig which his frigate might eafily have taken, and boldly bore down to the two large (hips, gall- ing, and embarrafllng their movements, by which he gave the Heros time to recover. That fhip, though (he had 80 of her hands killed or wounded> and her rigging cut all to pieces, yet kept up ia fire fuperior to that of both the fhips of the enemy, and, the wind fpringing up, the afTailants quitted her and (heercd off. ^^\^ >* -^. A ftronger proof ftill, than any argument, of the mifcondudt of the Illufire and the Ucorne, is, that when the failors of thofe two fhips went on board the Heros to give afliftance, the crew of the latter cxpreffed their refentmcnt by reproaches, inveiftivcs, and even the moft humiliating abufe -, that, upon their return to Louift>ourg, the inhabitants loaded with praifes the people of the difabled Heros, and ridiculed the nice, unruffled drefs of the Illuftre and Licorne ; and finally, that M. de la Rigaudiere, to avoi^ fo difgraceful a companion, left his fqua- dron, under favour of a fog, and chofe to run the rifque n 1756. 94 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756. rifque of another crimCi by returning diredly id France. v^^»f ^ This pride, fo interwoven with the eflencccfthe Koyal navjTj has been the caufe, that they have al- ways held the nnoft ufeful and mod refpeflable of their employments to be unworthy of them, that isj protecting commerce^ and, convoying fleets. This part of the fervice^ which is attended with lead hou nour, is infinitely more difficult than many brilliant adions; it requires a. deep knowledge of the fcience,- k continued vigilance, an unremitting feverity, a 2eal capable of facriBcing every thing to the objedt of it's duty i qualities, not one of which is often to he found among thefe Gentlemen. They raigbc perhaps have acquired them, if the Keeper of the Seals had remained in place, and had had leifure to punifh ignoraince or ill intentions. Mw Chauvretu, Captain of the Hermiane of 26 guns, and M. Mel- cMtt, conntmanding the Fripowte, of 24 gims, convoys ing 7. fleet of fmall (hips from Bourdeaux, deierved to have been made an example of. Having been iiv- formfed, at fome diftance from the port, that a fmalJ frigate and two privateers had been feen on- the ' watch; and that they might eaftly take them, thele officers not only Degledled to look after them, but, leaving their little fleet out at fea, moored chemfeiv^s at night under the canon of the Ifle of Aix, and, af- ter having taken care of themfelves, left the reft to chance : in confequence of this, the enemy took a confiderable number of the barks j which produced warm reprefentations from the Chambers of Com- merce at Nantz, Bourdeaux, and Rochelle, who were interefted in the matter. They complained no lefs of M. d'Aubigny, who, by his inattention to the ' }^«? I Martinico O F L E W I S XV; r^.^ :s Martinico fleet under his care, fufFered it to be dtf- 175^. pcrfcd. Part of it, valued at five millions *, fell into the hancfl of the Englifh, and another part was forced to take fhelter in neutral ports. At laft, upon the return of M. Perier, it was dtf- covered, that the campaign had by no means been a glorious one j feveral capital mifdemeanours were imputed to him, fuch as not having availed himfelf of the iiiperiority of his force over that of tHe Englifh, and not having deflfoycd them in the latitude of St. Domingo; of having traded in the colony, with extortion and feandalous oppre/lHon ; not having brought fafc home the fleet of nnler- chantmcn intruftcd to his care, more efpecially when near the coaft of Finance j and having negleft- , cd to attack a convoy of the enemy, confifling of 25 fail, which he might with cafe have made him- felf mafler of. To thefe, was added the ill treat- ment he had given to the Clerks of the Revcnuef,- while the fquadron was lay'd up, and of which the Dire(5tors had made heavy complaints to tht Mi- niflry. All thefe faults proccede ' from another radical fault in the corps, that f rrdid avidity, which engroflcs a Naval Officer, who is too ofttffi accuftomed to gratify it wkh impunity by lutrative' acquifitions, and to make the intcrefh of thci Statt fubordinate to his own. All thefe pulprits remained in fafety, by ^'Mi^^ nivancc of their brethren, who ought to have beeii ' the firft to promote a reform in the corps. Orders had indeed been given to M. Dugne, who coiii- manded in tkat department at Brefl, to inftitufi n Upwards of two hundred thou rand poUndc. the €t ft fS THE PRIVATE LIF£ 1756. the neceffary inquiries into the conduct of MefTieurs ■ dc Montalais and dc la Rigaudicre, " but" fays a journal of that placC) " the dcpofitions contained *' nothing of confcrquence againft the accufed. The " Commandant faid to thofe that were called as wit- ** nefles : Speak out, fear nothing j you mufi fpeak the '* whole truth. But they had met with Major Rozilly in the antichamber, who had cautioned them to weigh what they faid, becaufe it was a •* hanging matter and thus," adds the hiftorian^ *' the King is ferved !^* M. de la Rigaudiere, however, could not endure the flings of his own confciencci and> notwithftand- ing the probability he had of efcaping as well as his comrade, he refolved to do juftice on himfclf : he was found hanging in a garret at his own houfe ; a Ipecies of heroifm, which wafhed away his crime in the eyes of many people, and caufed him to be pitied. He was brother to M. de I'Eguille, an of- ' iicer of di(^in(5tion in the fame corps, and whole fe« vere reproaches contributed not a little to driver him to fuch an aft of defpair. ' As for Meflieiirs de Chauvreau and Mefchin, they ' hiA no other punifhment than that of being lay'd by; M. d'Aubigny continued Commander of a* fqadron, and M: Perier had too much the ear of- tiic Keepet of the Scils, not to be able to juftify ^ hmUi, .^.n-- ■ ••^.-- -\ » xThus, while at London they were (hooting Byng— • '^ who'l^d indeed incurred the letter of the law, but * hid cfefended himfelf with great prefencc of mind^ * by-excellent arguments, and in a manner fo pre- ;' vaJlirtg even with his Judges, that they folicited his pard^h "■ -we in- France left unpuniflied officers in- • sj£*'*^ «i conteftibly -' . m •Jl jO F L E W I S XVi tonteilibly guilty, accufed of the meaiien: crimes, without a fingle circumflance in their favour, and againft whofe conduct the depofitioni of their crews* the petitions of entire bodies of men, and the national voice, uniformly pleaded. It was thefc traitors to their country, that made the greateit outcry againfl the fentence of the Englifh Admiral, becaufc, wh^n they turn'd their eyes upon them- felves, they faw how much more worthy they werfc of punifhmcnt. It was thefe very men, who, by holding up, as an adl of extreme cruelty, the in- flexibility of that Monarch — influenced by the ne- ceflity of a great example, and imprefled with the truth of that maxim, which, however dreadful, is politically juft i that one Jhould die for the fafety of a vjhole p^0p/f— almofl: fucceeded fo far as to blafl: his charadler in the public opinion. But whatever may be faid of the oppoflte condudfc of the two States, it was eafy to forefee, which would be the conqueror. The Court of London foon gained the fuperiority in point of negotiation. In truth, while the French were congratulating themfelves on the treaty of Vienna, the Englifh confldered it as a po- litical event of a brilliant afpedj from the novelty of' the fpedtacle it afforded, but difadvantageous at the . bottom, inafmuch as we could not acquire the friendOiip of the Houfe of Auftria, without making an enemy of the King df Prilflia, whom they looked upon to ht no lefs formidable \ and therefore they embraced> without delay, the opportunity of allying ^ themfelves to him* By this management, the Kiog of England acquired a Protedbor for his eledorate of ; Hanover ; as to the refl:, he made no doubt, that the ambition of his new ally would embroil Ger- v Vol.. IIl» H many, ~ 97 1755. 9» Trtt PRIVATE LIFE 756. many, and engage us in a land war, which was Co greatly for his interefl. Senfible, ac lad, of the fault we had committed, in negledling and giving um- brage to this Monarch, we difpatched M. de Val- lory to Berlin } but it was too late i the blow was ilruck, and before the year was at an end, we were to feel the fatal efFedbs of it. The condufb of England towards Spain was not Icfs politic. She was the Power moft necelTary to us in the prefent conjuncture, and we could not flat- » ter ourfelves with the profpeCb of making head againft the former by fea without the afliftance of the latter. But the fuccefs depended upon the in- flant, while our navy, yet frefh and in full vigour, could join that of his Catholic Majefly, and furnifh that example and energy which they itood in need of. No time ought to have been loft to prefs and goad on their indolence, to point out their true interefts ; or rather, we ought to have made furc of I'o cHential an ally before we had rifqued a rupture. On the other hand, how did our rival aA, who knew better than we did the importance of Spain ? She foothed them into tedious negotiations ; afiedb- ^ ed to accept of their mediation } gave up fome ar- ticles of trade, that might have become fubje^s of h difpucej pafTed over fome a£ts even of injufticc ~ ^committed againft her fubjeds, fome affronts >Dffer- V- cd to her flag ; and, while ihe thus kept this formi- -. dable nation inactive, ihe kept Portugal in fubfer- 3i .yiencc to her interelVs, and obtained for her de- fence gold and diamonds from the mines of Brazil, ii. ip^hich thdt kingdom ei^aged to work for her !> .:J)rbfit* ! i :-t To avail herfelf more fully of this refpite, flie prefled 'or t) F L E W 1 S XV. preflcd the King of Pnillui to lofe no time, that might be employed to make a powerful diverfion. Accordingly, while France was hcfitating how ftie fhould aft with regard to Hanover — reftrained on one hand by fcruples of infringing the peace of Weftphalia, to which (he was guarantee, and on the other, certain of doing it without danger, be- caufe the* head of the Empire was her ally — the PnifTian Monarch, lefs delicate, and more decifive, ■ fcnt Prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick into Saxony, at the head of 60,000 men, who took poflelfion of Leipfic. This invaHon was accompanied with a manif^fto, in which He declares himfelf forced to this enterprise, to prevent the hoftile defip;ns of his enemies. He pretends, that the Emprefs Queen had armed fit^ft ; that the choice of peace or war is *> in her hands j that (he has only to make an explicit ^ declaration of the motives of her military prepara- tions, and public tranquillity will be reftored. He '^ j5rotc!(ts, moreover, that he regards the Saxon terri- ^ tories merdy as a depofitj which he will reftore to ' / the King of Poland j as foon as he can without ^ danger. ir> i^That Monarchy beiiig taken unprovided, leaves '^^ brcfden, after having made to his enemy all the of- ^^ fers of rteutrility which his prefent (ituation could '^^ugg^^i ^nd having received this mortifying an- -^'fwer: JVbat you propdfe, dbes riotfuitfnti I have no > terms to make. He retired to Pirnti where (%ven- "^ teen thoufand Saxofns werfe encampedj uhdtt- Count ^^i^i kutoi^i; . -^n^ ^^" His Pru(rian Majefty arrived thfc fame day at t)refden^ placed a garrifon in the city^ cftablKhed tl 2 /^« oT 99 1756. lOf S*p<, at lOd THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756. at Torgaw a board of officers to receive the re- _ venues of the country, ftripped the arfenals of all the arms he found in them, for his own ufe, raifed new levies of troops, feized upon all the money, pro- vifions, and ammunition, he had occaficn for, and demanded of the Queen of Poland the keys of the archives of the Houfe of Saxony. That Princefs, more refolute and more intrepid tnan her hufband, refufed to deliver them. Upon her refufal, they prepared to break open the doors. In vain did (he place herfelf before them, making her own perfon their bulwark J neither her perfon nor her courage were refpededj the facred cabinet was violated, and thofe papers, which were of confequence for the conqueror to fee and to have in his poffeflion, were taken away. Furnifhed with thefe documents, which ferved only to confirm his refolution, he caufed the camp at Pirna to be invefted, while, from that which he occupied at Zedlitz, he commanded in Saxony as a conqueror. It was to no purpofe that the Emperor fummoned him to withdraw his troops from the Eleftorate, under pain of incurring the penalties prefcribed by the laws of the Germanic bodyt whpfe liberties the Pruflian Monarch gave out he was come to preferve; he replied to this judicial proccfs by the battle of Lowofitz* The news of this be announced to the Queen-Mother, by the following note in his own hand» "This " morning I have gained a vidtory over the Au- *' flrians. Great abilities were exerted on both fides ; the event was doubtful for fome hours, but at laft it pleafed God to give us the fuperiority." What- ever the Auflrians m^y alledge i|i their own ac- countSi «c <( il OF LEWIS XV. lOI counts, it was undoubtedly a vidtory, inafmuch as Count Brown was prevented from fulfilling the grand objeft of his operations, which was to free Saxony j and King Auguftus was obliged to retire, with the Prince Royal, to the Caftle of Konigftein, while his army, after attempting in vain to cfcape, was reduced to the deplorable extremity of fur- rendering themfelves prifoners of war, and all this in lefs than a fortnight. The letter of Auguftus II. to his General, authorizing him to aft according as his own difcretion, or the neceflity of the fituation, ihould prefcribe, in difpofing of the army, explains this problem better than any argument. It proves this Prince to have been afbuated by impreffions, either of the moft abjed terror, or the moft aban- doned defpair. There are even words which indi- cate both. We muft (fays he^ fubmit to the decrees- of Providence, and comfort ourfehes with the reSiitude of our fentiments and intentions. Thefe are the na-^ rural expreffions' of a mind funk under a load of forrow. He recovers from this, and adds, ** my *' enemies would impofe upon me the moft hurtii- *f liating conditions, adapted to the defperate ftate ** of my affairs. — I cannot liften to them. I am an *' 'independent itingj and as fuch, I will live and •* die J my laft breath fhall' expire with honour.'^ Again he relapfes. " I leave totally to your dif- " cretion the fate of my army •, let the Council of *f War determine, whether you fhall furrender pri- *f foners, perifli with your arms in your hands, or " perifti by famine. — I pledge myfelf to you, that " you (hall not be made refponfible for any thing — • *' all I require of you is, that you will not fervct « ag;ainrt rpe or my allies." Ha - ThQ 101 THE P^RIVATE LIFE Art. X. ^•j Nov. 1757. 1756. The capitulation foon followed ; it was fingularly '"'■ '■ marked by the King of Pruflia's mirth, He de- Art. I. clared to his brother King, that if he would give him this army, there was no neceiTity to make Art. III. them prifoners. Upon the demand of fubfiftence, ^t. V. Jie anfwerst Granted, and to-day, rather than to^ morrow. With regard to the Body Guards, which his Folifti Majefty defircd Ihould be fent back free, , he refufed, and added: **a man mud be mad, to ^* let troops go, whom he is once matter of, in \ " order that they may oppofe him a fccohd time, ^' and that he may be obliged to make them pri- <* foners again." When precautions were mention- ed to afcertain the fupply of provifions to the troops, he took this upon himfelf, and afTured, that it fhould be more regularly paid than heretor* fore. Such was the rcfult of the alliance contrafted by the King of Poland with the Emprefs and the Czarina. He loft his army and liis EleAorate, and received, as a favour, the permiffion of retiring into his other dominions ; where he was holden in fucl^ contempt, that not one of his fubje£ts could even venture to propofc giving him any afliflance. Du- ring the whole of this war> he no more made his appearance on the fccne. The Qyeen, who fup- ported her dighity better, animated by the blood of ^uftria, which circulated inher veins, would not quit Drcfdc^i ; but, unablp to fupport herfelf under the affiiftion with yrhich fhe was confuniedj, flie died there a year after. This aggreflion of the King of Pruflia, was un- doubtedly ft mafter-piece of prudence, forcfighr, a^ivity, and boldnefs in politics. But was it OF LEWIS XV. ' equally ftrift and juft in the eyes of equity ? Cer- tainly {o i not only if he had got proofs of the plot laid to deprive him of his dominions, but even if he had fufpicions fufficient to ground his alarms upon» and to determine him to difcover a myftery^ which there was io urgent a necefllty to deteA ; ^ myftery, the depth of which he could no other- wife fathom, than by a fudden and iecret invalion. The confequences (hewed, that his conjedlures were but too well verified s that he. had not a moment to lofe i and that if he had not crufhed the Eledfcor his rival, while that Prince — reftrained lefs by prin- ciples of juftice, than by the cpnvidtion of his weaknefs-'— was hefitating upon the mode of pre- venting Him, he would have fallen himfelf under the number and eflforts of his formidable enemies. The critical fituation in which that Monarch has frequently been fince that time, notwithdanding the inaction of Saxony, and notwithftanding the junfUon of that Powers— Hnce all it's troops were mcorporated with, and ferved to augment his own army^uAified his condudt, and the regularity of his proceedings. The King of Pruflla, who was compared tp Mandril^ at Paris *> and, fo often &i\ed the illi^ious roiber^ will only be confidcrcd by pofterity, better informeds as having been the pnoft refolute, moft eiiterprizing, and molt active of all the Sovereigns his cptempocaries. ,fif r^ f V ' There was one conlideration which might have checked this Monarch, had he beca a lefs pro- ^ The carious fongs that were fiing at the time upon this (objea, defcrve to be |>rcferved, as hiftorical pieces. See the Af>pciidix, N« Vr, uu, - H4 found 103 THE PRIVATE LIFE found politician ; this was^ the apprehenfion of ex- citing France againft him, the fenfibility of which kingdom he well knew. The affront given to the Dauphin's father-in-law, could not fail of raifing a violent ferment there ; the tears of an auguil: daughter-in-law, the felicitations of the Prince her hufband, and the example of what had pad before, mud all have concurred in making him appre- hend a rupture. But this rupture being unavoid- able, he was only before-hand^ with it : he had at all times feen the generous and blind zeal of that Power for the intereft of their allies : he forefaw that they would not confine themfelves to the af- fiftances ftipulated in the treaty of Verfaillesj he knew, that by means of the Chevalier Douglas, and of an cmifTary ftill more dextrous (an anecdote which we ihall have occafion to develop here- after) t, they had rendered ufelefs the treaty of Ruflla in England, and had determined ^he- Czarina to turn againft him the fourfcore thoufand men de- (igned at ficft for that Power. He chofe rather, by. accelerating the diveriion, to furniih England, which urged him to it, with greater facility to fupporc the noaritime war. He delayed not, therefore, the giving of a perfonal affrpnt to France,, in prevent- ing Count Broglio, Ambaflador from his Majefty to the King of Bola:pd, tq repair to that Prince at Warfaw, where his public character called him, As Frederic could not mean to commit an infulc without a motiv£, and as he had a reafou for every t The perfon here alluded to, is Mademoifellc d'Eon, fent firll by herfelf asia vreman into Ruflla, and afterwords as 9 man, vith the Chevalier Pouglas, ■n'; mr 1 ^hin or * O F LEWIS XV. 105 thing he did, it is to be prefumed, that he hoped 175^- by this meafure to retard the courfe of the nego- " tiations already entered upon^ and to ob(lru(^t a dangerous communication. However this may be, his Minifter Plenipoten- tiary foon received orders to leave the Court, and M. de Vallory to return into France without tak- ing leave. The land war was refolved upon, and Count d'Eftrees was appointed to go and confult with the Court of Vienna, the beft means of be- ing ferviceablc to that Power. The refult was, with the magnificence common to France, as a fubftitute to the 24,000 men they were obliged to furnifti, and which were claimed by the King of Poland — but which had been made to march in vain the preceding autumn — to raife, the following fpring, an army of 100,000 men, under the com- mand of Marflial d'Eftrees, in order to aft with eclat in Weftphalia. This army was foon after fol- lowed by two others : one upon the Upper Rhine, commanded by Marihal Richelieu, and another on the Main, by the Frincfe of Soubife. Thefe two laft Generals had been appointed by the Marchioneft, The firft had carried it by his merit, but he foon fell a lacrifice. • ; .;.--^u ^i^i^an: q ^ lu 4- The Court of Vienna, with which he had ju(t • concerted the plan of the campaign *, had fupport- fd him with it's credit, in order that the execu- tion of ;t might be intrufted to him. He was thwarted jjy a cabal j and, his haughty charader dif- ► ' daining that fupplenefs, and being repugnant to • See the Sxplanathns pre/enttd to the King, hyUarfiali'SJirks, nriatfed in 1758, . v.; the io6 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1754* the abfolute dependence required by the favourite j ■ he was difgraced. In fa6t, though Madame de Pompadour no longer retained over her auguft lover that empire which the allurement of the fenfes gives, yet her influence had not diminiOied} it even Increafcd every day, and it was that lady who reigned, under the (hadow of the Monarch's authority. He was delighted to £nd a perfbn on whom he might throw the weight of his Crown i and the Marchionefs, in order the better to fupport it, had for fome time given herfelf up entirely to politics. It was the Abbe Count de Bernis who had initiated her into the myfteries of this fcience. This Abbe, a man of quality, but poor, had at firil: given bimfelf up to his tafte for wit and pleafure. He had early acquired a feat in the Academy of France, but had not been able to obtain any bene- fice. One day, when he was foliciting the ancient BiOiop of Mirepoix, that prelate anfwered him: Monjieut VAbhe^ it is in vain that you importune we -, ffihile you continue to make verfes^ and do not altjeryoufr mode of life, you Jhall have nothing. ^-H^eli, n^ Lord, replied the other with an arch fnaile, tkcn I.mill He was an amiable man, polite, and infinuating with the women; he was upon exceeding good terms, nay upon the beft) as it has always been thought^ with Madame d*Etiolles, He kept her company, at the tinj!^ of the journies of Lewis to the army, and comforted her during his abfence, for ihe did not al- ways go with him : the example of Madame de Cha« 1 teau-roux alarmed her j and if curiofity, or the ne-i ^cflity of fatisfying the carn^ft dcfir^S of the Kin^, ^ pbllged u ■ '■■ ■ ■ O F L E W I S XV. obliged her fometimes to remove with the greatefl: lecrccy, (he foon returned into her folitude. ^ 't The pofition in which the Abbe de Bernis found himfelf, awakened his ambition. Embaflies being the kind of dignity moft compatible with his pro* feflion, he made himfelf thoroughly acquainted with the interefts of Princes, and gave inftru^ions to the favourite. Thus it was that they improved each other. After having fent him into different Courts^ where he was commillioned to give a great idea of this lady, and to conciliate the Sovereigns to her, (he had him recalled to Verfailles, introduced him into the Council, and appointed him Minifter for foreign affairs. n ■^'>o-f-iito ,-Ji?<:'^.up l€^.^«m■H'r,*d^f^ In the fummit of grandeur to which Madame de Pompadourwas raifed — when fhe a^d as Madame de Maintenon had done, when fhe appointed the Mi^ nifters and the Generals, received the Ambaffadors, and was in correfpondence with all the foreign Powers— the King himfelf judged proper to obferve more dt^ cency, in an intercourfe wherein fenfual gratifications had no fhare. Accordingly, all the fecret coitimuni- pations in his apartment at Verfailles, and in his other' palaces, were walled up; the Marchionefs was ap- pointed Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen, and prefented in that quality, by the Du chefs de Luynes, the mod auftere woman of the Court, and the favour- ite of her miftreis. iiih.b^M ri)-.. In order to keep up an appearance of cohfiftcnCy, ' with this affcdation of prudery, Madam^ de Pompa- dour determined the King, who could not dortimencrc the war without oppreffing his people, to give the * firft example, and retrench part of his houfehold. He got rid of feveral fcts of hounds, and a great number . "' r ■/ •'^^ " ■■ ';• of 107 7 fcb. to8 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756, of race-horfes, in both the ftables. There were alfo fomc regulations made refpeding the little journies, to make them lefs expenfive : it was refolved, that there fhould be no more public feflivals at Court ; and the works of the Louvre were fufpended. Unfor- tunately, there was more lliew than reality in all this } even the Minifters made a jeft of this hypocrify j Count d'Argenfon faid, that thefc favings were fo trifling an objedb, that they would fcarce fcrve to en- rich a CommiiTary of provifions during the war. A little time after, the old manners were refumed again, and matters became worfe and worfej forli- centioufnefs is always greater after a reformation; it is a torrent reftrained, which overflows with greater violence. Neverthelefs, under cover of thefe facrifices, the King was thought authorized to demand the new fubfidies required for a war, which extended itfelf to the continent, and was going to fet Europe in flames. The fixteen millions * voluntary donation of the cler- gy, had been but as a drop of water j the refource of renewing the leafe of the farms, which increaflng the donation by a few millions, had produced fixty extra .. . millions f, was exhaufl:ed. Funds were wanted for the approaching campaign: — M. de Sechelles was no . longer in office j being appointed Comptroller- Ge- neral, upon the difmilfiop of M. Machault, he had been promoted to this dignity by unanimous choice, but did not maintain his reputation. From one of the firft Intendants of the army that had ever been employed, he became an indiflTereiit Minifter of S*Vf" Between fix and feven hundred thopfand pounds. It "^^^ millions five hundred thoofand pounds. %)m^iiv^gh\: finance. OF LEWIS XV, 109 ^nance. His only a£ls of adminiftration were to fupprcfs the under farmers, which was very much cenfured ; and to increafe the numbers of Farmers General from 40 to 60; a manceuvre which was not lefs blamed, inafmuch as it was confirming more and more the influence of thofe public charafters, odious to the nation, who are called by derifion, the columns of the State, but who are too really the deftroyers and tyrants of it. He was worn out with labour, and infirm ; his head was growing weak, and he gave a proof of it, in pointing out to the King, his fon-in- law, M. de Moras, for his fucceifor, a man of the mod: flender capacity of any that had for a long time appeared at the head of the finance. It is at this 13 April, period that Marlhal Noailles — a bad commander, but a great politician, and an excellent citizen — forefeeing the misfortunes of his country, made a pretence of • his very advanced age, and obtained his Majefty's leave to retire from the Council j where he was fuc- ceeded by Marftial Belleifle. It was imagined, that this Nobleman — ^who had paffed his life in the molt afliduous ftudy, either at the head of the armies, or intruded with the higheft embaflies and moft impor- tant affairs — who was perfonally acquainted with all the Princes in Europe — who had vifited their relpec- tive countries,, and thoroughly weighed their interefts and their powers — would prove a worthy fubftitute to his predecelTor. To the adminiftration of M. de Moras, we are to afcribe the beginning of that multitude of taxes with which France hath fincebeen burthened, without in- terruption, to the end of the reign of Lewis XV. He fct out under the mofl finifter aufpices, by caufing a Bed of Juftice to be holden at Verfailles, for the regiftering of no THE PRIVATE LIFE 1756. of three money edifts. An advantage, which might ac SI Aug. lead have been derived from the laft fo glorious war, that of making the enemies defray the charges of it, had been negleAed. The King's generofity has been greatly extolled, in having gratmtoiYfly re> llored to them the conquefts he had made ; but had he not been compelled to it by the fecret caufes be- fore mentioned— caufes which by intrigue and jealouly ^ere reprefented to him as more urgent-^this gene- rofity, exercifed at the expence of the interefts and happinefs of his people, would have been much mif- • placed. ' ^' The intoxication of fuccefs had precluded this re- *' '' fledlion, when, in 1749, the prolongation of the firft *Dingtieme, was propofed, not only as the means of ' clearing the debts of the State, but alfo as an ope- ration of ceconomy, which being joined to the order , his Majefty meant to eftablifh in his affairs, was to furnifh him with refources dapable of fecuring, in times ofnecejUity, the glory of bis kingdotHt and the tran- quillity of the allies of his Crown, without being obliged i to have recourfe to extraordinary means. An expeda- r tion fo fliittering had alleviated the burden of the P new impoft. The firfl: edi(Sb that was regiilered de- 1. ilroyed the illufion; the public were informed in il^ f{ that, after a courfc of feven years, the Government was ^ ftill very far from the end propofed, and that the di- ^'j.minution of the debts was fo little advanced, not- n/^ithitanding the payment of the firft vfxtg'/fViwf, that 3 they were obliged to afTefs a fecond^ that is, to ^-^ipmployj alitioft at the beginning of the war^ thofe refources his Majefty had mieant to avoid, or 5rto refcrve for the moft extreme exigencies. Thct two other edi^ were nothing more than additional tax6S4 ♦ A i to F LEWIS XV. f- taxes. The confternation was unhreifal : the fcveral Courts, likcwifc, began that long train ofrcmonftran- - CCS, the obdinacy of which concurred exceedingly in i-their annihilations but none of them fignalized them- felves more on this occafion, than the Court of Aids.- M. de Malefherbes, Ton of the Chancellor, was then at' the head of them. He was eager to manifeft his patriotifin, and to efface the ihame brought upon • the name of Lamoignon, by his father, who was the . Minifter of the oppreflive will of the Monarch. t There can be nothing better compofed than the re* monftranccs of his tribunal upon this fubjedb. They ' produced, at leaft, in preference to the reit, the effect :r of determining the King to fettle the uncertain du- ration of thefe impofts. His Majelly anfwered, that - d>>. which cannot be made too public*. In them we 'li jQiall fee the origin and progreflion of the evils of France, traced from the improper aflelTment of the < taxes, from the odious modes of colle^ing them^ ^3 from the total negligence of the proper folifialities, ^ and efpecially fFom the arbitrary exertions which have always been fubitituted to legal proceedings ; K and we (hall be convinced, that there )s no phyfickn Sxlkilful enough to iave the kingdoni| imlers, as in c defperate difeafes^ where the knife ^nd tMttery are V' iifed to deftroy gangrened pam> violefit me^ns are * Thefe r«monllrtAties, too long to bt inttttti hm, will be found in the Appendix. N' VJI. ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^., . , JV-. • * employed tIE 1756. %i I> 1 ;i \ tia THE I^RIVaTE LlPfe 1756' employed to reftore it} or unlefs, to ufc the exprc^ fion of a young and ardent foldier*, full of energy and patriotifm, he Jhould temper our fouls anew f. In the concurrence of general and private calami- ties with which France was afflidted — when the peo- ple, notwithdanding the firft fucceflcs of the waf, were opprefTtd with new taxes, and Upon the leaft reverfe of fortune threatened with others more con- fiderable — ^when the Parliament, feparated and dif- perfed, was incapable of forming any oppofition tC> them — when the Clergyj difcontcnted, groaned under the oppreflions of the Church, it's Priefts in confine- '7S7» J'fient, it'sBilhops in exile— and when the prefumptivc heir to the kingdom^ languifhing in involuntary in- adion, was incenfed to fee a woman fill thofe impor- tant functions, which the indolent Monarch ought to have committed to him alone— there happened a dreadful catallrophe, which, though unexpe6ted, was immediately referred to fome of thefe fatal caufes. 5 Jan. On the eve of Twelfth-day, an attempt was made to aflTalTmate Lewis XV. in his palace, in the midfl of his guards, furrounded by the great officers of the Crown, and in the prefence of his fon. He was getting into his coach to go to Aipper, and to fleep at Trianon, when he felt himfelf hurt by a fmart ftroke on the right fide, between the ribs; it was about I^x o'clock, and dark; under the arch-way, which was very little lighted, there was the ufual crowd of Courtiers and idle perfons always eager to fee the King. The intenfcnefs of the cold, obliged the fpeftators to wrap themfelves up in their great * See the preface to the Tadia of M. dc Gaibert^ t ^V/ nt rttrtmft vet amtu I . > ^? ; J-'*' • coats ; OF LEWIS XV. • ftiats : the regicide iad one, and, after having per- petrated His crime, he had put his knife up into hit pocket, had mixed with the crowd, and might per- haps hjiVc efcaped undeir this general difguife, if he had had the precaution to keep his hat in his hand, as every body elfe did. His Majcfty perceived, by the blood running down, that he was wounded i he turned about, and^ feeing a flranger with his hat on, and a v/ildncfs in his look, faid, with the greateft conipofure. There is the man who firuck me j take him up, and do him no hurt. The King, however^ was foon feized with terror, which was increafed by thofe who were about him ; the wound might be mortal^ and though Highti might become fo, if the weapon were poifoned. The King was put to bed ; the furgeons were fent for; the Quden and the Royal Family came about him ; he did not fee his tender miftrefs, and, judging that (he had been put out of the way, that they concealed his danger from her, and that this was his laft day> he,. aiked for a ConfelTor. His own, and his Chaplains could not ht found; a common prieft was ftopped to dothfs delicate Office. In vain did he make excufes, and urgc^ his ignorance^ faying,. that he did not know how- to ^ive the abfolutioii to Kings j he-wai taken by- force an as in the cafe of <^lemefkQ byr/a too fpeedy deadi, from exemplary Ipuoiflihaent. a&d^ tlte puriuits of juftice, if the Grani^ J^ro'Oq/t o€thc iBtei, to whom thq cognizance of this crime, committed in the pal^ace^ belonged^ bad not fehed tipoa tl^ regicide, ^^oni his more regulac , fiYode of pittceedlng, the alarh»>t^ere ioon quieted^ re- i^^iftg thi^catiles, and the* cqi^quences chat were dreaded by tMi afikiUnation^ - lit- was found > thar^ the parricide, whofe name was Robert Francis Damiens, )|oniiikthe province of Artois, among the lower, clafs of H"' :i OF LEWIS 'XV. of pedplci and having been nothing more than a foot- man, had not been urged on to this deed by any re- Ward, initigatidn, or advice i that he was not even a religious fanatic, as Clement and Ravaillac rrere, but a fanatic of patriotifm j or rather a mart feized with a frenzy, out of his fenfcs, a furious madman, V/ho, impelled involuntarily to his crime, had wifhed to avoid committing it, by quietingi in the ufual manner, the effervefcence of his blood; he pro- tcfted, that if he had been let blood as he defired, he Ihould not h^ve been guilty of it. At the firft news of the King's aflafTmation, which reached the capital a fcW hours after, every thing waS in commotion : the Princes of the blood, the Nobles of the kingdom, and the principal Magiftrates, re- paired to Verfaiiles ; the Archbifhop ordered prayers for forty ■ hours j and the public diverfions were clofed. But what a difference was there between this epocha and that of the King's illnefs at Metz ! The monfter, who had dared to lift his hand againft the Lord's anointedy was undoubtedly deteftcd and exe- crated J inquiries wefe made after the Monarch; all the details of this incredible cataftrophe wereTearched into J but it Was from mdtives of curiofity,' and not of concern ; no tears were fhed j the churches were empty. A great leffon for Lewis XV. had he been capable of receiving it, and had not adulation dif- guifed from hini the real fentiments of his people ! iDamiens, indeed, did not conceal them from him; He had the boldnefs to write a letter to his Majefty,- in which, through (he midft of his nonferifc and coarfc language, a philofopher who refle6lsi may trace the feries of ideas with which the mad writer was impreffedi and would readily account^ without any i 2 ' ,-. other 1x6 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1757. other information, for the manner in which he had '"'*■■"'" been led on to conceive his abominable projeft* Damiens had been a fervant in feveral reputable families ; he had ferved the Jefuits, fome Janfenifts, and fome Magiftrates. The luxury of our tables, the parade and form of ferving, requires a greater number of footmen than our anceftors had ; it has therefore become neceflary to increafe, and to fur- round ourfelves with them at our meals; at every one of which there are as many fervants as guefts : our idlenefs has even fuppreflcd, for fome time, the prudent cuftom of fending them away at the deffert ; in thofe moments, when, the heat of wine provoking the unrulinefs of the tongue, we give way with con- fidence, either to the violent emotions of indignation excited in a (Irong mind, againft the authors of the evils of the ftate> or to the poignant fallies of the malignant gaiety of wit j for in this capital, where defpotifm, ever watchful againfl: liberty, obliges us ■ to maintain the greateft referve in public places, we often choofe to indemnify ourfelves in the interior of . ■, our houfes, by the moft republican and moft licen* ' tious converfation. Damiens had been in a fituation to hear fome of thefe converfations every day, either from one party or another. ' Guilty of theft, afFain-^ . nation, and poifoning, he was not one of thofe men who are fufceptible of a religious or political en- thufiafm, which often leads thofe aftray whom it pof- fefles, and which is equally productive of heroic virtues or atrocious crimes j but he was of a gloomy and ardent difpofitlon ; the ferment in other men's minds had infinuated itfelf into his, and his blood, violently agitated, had exalted his brain even to madn^fs. As the complaints he incefTantly hear'd, , "^ . --_—..-..■ •;„t , cither )M OF LEWIS XV. either from men of the church, or of the law, or from good citizens afFcfted with thefe difputes, were al- ways turned againfl: a vicious AdmiiiiHration ; he was too ignotant to know, that a Sovereign, being nothing more than the reprefentative of the State, cannot in faft have any diftinft intereft from it. He . did not comprehend, that if, in the height of his imbe- becillity, extravagance, or ferocity, the Monarch Ihould be guilty of thofe flagrant adls towards his people, that have marked the reign of a Caligula, a Nero, or a Tiberius, the nation alone having the right to judge him, would always view with horror the facrilegious ' individual who fhould foreftall their fentence. Too ignorant to diftinguifh that thefe complaints were direded only againfl the Miniflry -, and thinking, that while the people reprobated a regicide, they would certainly extol a patriot, courageous enough, at the rifque of his own life, to make an example of one of thofe famous criminals, who are too often un- punifhcd ; the only objed: he coud fix upon in his delirium was the King. Every thing therefore in- duces us to think, that, agreeable to his conflant de- clarations, he had no accomplice j but that Priefls, magiftrates, and others, by their violent declama- tions, had involuntarily infpired him with his horrid projeft : in a word, if Lewis the well-beloved, fenfible of all the value of this title, and of all the obligations impofed upon him by it, had fulfilled them, his reign, more fortunate than that of Henry IV. would ' never have been marked with fo terrible a gataf-^ trophe. ^ • ' It may, perhaps, be afked, why Damiens, haying no other motive for his parricide but the general ^ifcon^enti appears, ncvcrthelefs, both in his letter to I 3 tha >757. lit THE PRIVATE LIFE 1757. the King, and in his fcveral interrogatories, to be ^^ ^ entirely devoted to the Parliament ? The reafon of this is, that he had lived feveral years among Coiinfcl- lors of the Parliament, or with perfons attached to that aflembly ; and that the name of the Archbifhop, againft whom he breaks out fo often, by dint of be- ing repeated before him with marks of contempt and indignation, had left in his injured brain the deepeft and moit recent traces of the fame klni). There is a fingular circprnftance attending this at- , tempt, which diftinguifhes it alfo from preceding afts of the kind j this is, that the perpetratqr of it had no internal hatred againft the King i from the firft moment, and dqring the whole of the proceed- ings againft him, he uniformly declared, that he never had an intention to kill, but only to wound the King, in order to excite compunction in his Majefty, and reftore him to God and to his people. The con- fideration of the weapon he employed, and of the manner in which he ufcd it, feems to juftify him in |his particular. It was a knife (hutting with a fpring, on one fide of which was a long and pointed blade, made like a dagger, on the other, a penknife, about four inches in length. It is certain, that if Dami- )ens had meant to ftrike a fure and fatal blow, he would have employed the firft of thefc weapons. On the very evening of the King's aflaffination, the pentlemen of the Court of Inquefts and Requefts, who had refigned their offices, aflembled at the houfe pf the Prefident Dubois, the eldeft of their brethren, to offer their fervices, and teftify their fidelity andi zeal. They had employed the mediation of the Firft Prefident, but without cffed. The Dauphin, ^pon whom the King, in the firft moment of his ter- ror. \ H O F L E W I S XV. 119 ror, had devolved the care of affairs, was not fufii- ciently well inclined to thefe Gentlcnicn, to take upon himfelf to give them a favourable anfwer. He pre- tended, that he could do nothing without orders from his Majeftjr, who was not in a fituation to be fpoken to upon fuch matters. When the Mo- narch came to himfelf, he did not think more fa- vourably of them. But at the fame time, notwith- fianding the fuggeftions of Damiens, and his bold- nefs in prefcribing to him to refVore his Parliament> to fupport them, and more particularly to refpcft the more mutinous of their members, the lift of which he fent to him J, the King was convinced, that no one of that auguft company had, direftly or indircft- ly, contributed to the attempt upon his perfon ; and therefore made no fcruple to refer the trial of the criminal to the members of the Grand Chamber, who had not given in their refignations. The letters patent iffued for thispurpofe, were drawn up in thefe remarkable terms. „j .,;/ " You are informed of the outrage committed " againft my perfon on the 5th inftant, between five " and fix o'clock in tlie evening, and you have given ^' me proofs, upon this occafion, of your fidelity and " affedtion for me. The fentiments of our religion, and the feelings of our heart, would incline us to mercy j but, confidering that our life does not be- 1757' (C (( X In the trial of this regicide, after his letter to the King, we find a note to his Majefty, in which he names Meilieurs de Chal- lerange, Beze-de-Lys, de la Guillaamie, Clement, Lambert, tho Prefident Boulainvillers, and the Prefident Du-Mazi, and where he adds thefe exprefs words: He muft reftore and fupport his Parliament, with a promise to 'do nothing againft the Gentlemen above-named« or tho «* Company." I ^ « long *€ I* IftO THE PRIVATE LIFE «c <( i. ,;;. .'1 -.-.-Cir 31 rV' r>i>..' /'•■}ii .1 (C " three quarters after ten. There were three coaches with four " horfes ; the prifoner was in one of them, attended by one of the King's furgeons^ and two guards of the Provoftfhip. la *' the two other coaches were guards of the Provoftftiip, with a " man taken up on account of the prifoner. Thefe coaches fet '.' out, preceded by a detachment of the Marfiialfea, bearing their " arms in readinefs, and other detachments fcguring the avenues *' of the road through which they were to pafs. Sixty grenadiers of *' the French Guards, commanded by four Lieotenants and eight '.* Sub-Lieutenants, mounted upon the King's horfes, attended '* thefe cpaches, and fix ferjeants armed with mulkets marched at ** each coach-door. In this order they arrived at Seve, where ** f nother company of grenadiers took charge of the coaches, and *' the firft fixty compofed the rear-guard. The proceffion pafled ** through the villages of Ifli and Vaugirard, and entered Parit *.' at the gate of Seve, of the Red Crofs, of the ftreet du Four, ** the ftreet The fingularity of this hiflorical fa£b has; induced us to dwell the longer upon it. In reality, if the af- falTination of Kings, fo frequent under the reigns of Henry III. and Henry IV. was put a flop to under the fanguinary defpotic fway of Richelieu-— during the turbulent minority and civil wars of Lewis XIV.-^ ' towards the end of his reign, when fanaticifm was carried to its higheft pitch — and under the Regency, fo fruitful in crimes of every fort, when Philip him- . felf, accufed of the moft horrid enormities, feenqed to ... . provoke a too legitimate vengeance againft his per- ibn— who would have expected to fee this crime re- ' tU THE PRIVATE LIFE 1757. vived under Lewis the wtll-beloved? It feems to hare been rcferved for hii rcign> merely that no kind of «vefiC (hould be wanting in k* We- have been particularly defirous of entering into the details of this fdd, in order to fearch the better into \i% and to give oiir Gotemporaries the fa- tiftfi^^n of learning, that if the annals of their age are ever deftined to be (laincd with a regicide, this was the crime of a fugle perfon, which excited the deepeft ibrrow in every one elfe, and the opprobri- um of which ought to fall upon him alone. By a barbarous duftom, however, equally repugnant to philofophy» hulnanity and juftice, the father, the wife^ and the daughter of Damiens, though declared in- ' nocenti were banifhed the kingdom, with prohibitions to return upon pain of being hanged. To the grief of being related to fuch a monfter, was added in- famy, more horrible than death. At the firft news of the King's dangfeir, in the gene- ral confuiton that prevailed, all external as well as in- iem^il bufinefs had been fufpendcd, but for an inflant only, till the fate of his Majefty was afcertiined, both for the prefent and the future. Then feme confola^ lation was blended with the grief of the FrcJtch, who, conik^ring the event as a falutary warning from ProTidence, flattered themfelves that Lewis XV^ would feel the importance of it, and repent. Madame de Pompadour being kept away from his facred per- fon, abd the Dauphin being entered into the Coun- cil, feenied to be the forerunning circumftances of a fortunate change. But the Miftrefs foon refumed her power, and the young Prince did not the mort; \ obtain the confi(fence of his auguft fdther. The fa- vourite was too deeply interefled in depriving himi of itj and in creating fufpicionsj miftruft^ andjea- . loufy OF LEWIS XV.M - , it7 loufy in the heart of the King. According!/, affairs 1757, continued grooving worlc, and ill fuccefs deprefling — — nwre. and more, if we may venture the expreflloni the fou) of the Monarch, he h|Ki no energy left bue through his Miftrefs, or to have her will carried iiv to execution. -'t *'• •'»•• . In vain did the Gentlemen of the Courts of In" queds and Requcfts, availing themfclves of the cir^ cumftance to teftify their affection and zeal to the Monarch, a(k to refume their fervices i the arm of vengeance did not fall the lefs heavily upon themt fixtcen of them were banilhed into diftant, inconveni^^ ent, and unwholefome places j and when the Gentle-^ men. of the Grand Chamber, who remained, expoftu-< lated upon this point, his Majefty wa:; made to an-* fwer by an evahon, faying, that they were puniflied for reafons perfenal to themfelves. The King was made to a£k the farce of affecting to consider them as hav^ ing voluntarily refigned, to ofifcr them a reimburfe-* mcnt, and force them to receive it. Then, by t conduft ftili more indecent, he was made to rctrafb^ to return the refignations, to re^eftabliih the Parlia<* meot in their fun<5tions, to grant them all the expla-^ nations relative to the declarations regiflcred at the Bed of Jufliccy and to recall the exiles in the moft honourable and moft flattering manner. - '^r^' Two Minifters— one of whom was the creature of Madame de Pompadour, who thinking her \o2ti at '"■ ' the time of the King's aflfaflination, had fupported her too feebly, and bad given her pufillanimous ad-t ' ' vice , and the other, conftantly her enemy, but re- ^ fpeAiul, and concealed, who had broken out iti the fame expeftation, and tcftified an infulting joy — foon '"^ felt her rcfcntment^ in a manner proportioned to ^ . . ' . . .^* *, iheir '^ I Feb. ii J 4 f' i 118 tHE PRiVAtE LIFE 1757. their offence. This may readily be concluded^ frOiff ^ tW terms oi their Utter de cachet. In that addreffed ^ to Count d'Argerifoh, the King faid drily to him i ** I have no further need of your fervices j I order ** you to fend me your refignation of the poft of *' Secretary of the War department, and of every *' thing that concerns the bufinefs conneded with it,-'. " and to retire upon your eftate at Ormes." ^'^^.^ His Majefty, on the contrary, made in fome fort cxcufes to M. de Machault : " The prefent circum- ^ fiances oblige me to require the feals from you^ . and the refignation of your office of Secretary of j ** State for the Marine departnncnt. You may be j "always certain of my protcftion and efteem. If j you have any favours to a(k for your children, you ^ may take the proper opportunity of doing it* It is. . fit that you fhould remain for fome time at Ar-^ ^ "nouvillc. I preferve to you your penfion oft| "30,000 livres *, and the honours of Keeper of the ^^ '* Seals." I'l y^ -v.:^ ^ .■ ^.^■,'U'^^::;;/v;^i-i^ri^i-4^f'tiiI / They wcfe both of them \^fery favoluribly treated -^1 wi'ifh riefpeft to pecuniary rewards; for, as the poft^^ became a flippery one, their brethren pruidcntlyj^ thought proper to encourage his Majefty to a gene^ roos munificence, that they might avail themfelvei |j oflt in their turn, in cafe of a difgrace. This efta- j,j. bliified a precedent, and the multitude of Minifters i^ finee expelled," when they were no longer capable of vetmg the State by their extortionsi thus became ^^, ftittsm odious and iatolerable burthen to iti .^| The Minifters we are fpeaking of, were left the ^f,' otg'eftsof fuch a reproach, and their long and ufe-^ ^^ been a fufficient burthen for M. de Moras, he waJ^. befides charged with the Marine department, and, a j> few days after, he was introduced to the Council, in quality of Minifter. To complete the gene- |, ral indignation againft this ridiculous Atlas of France, the Seals Hiould likewife have been iDtruited Vol. in. K w 12^ 1757- ,, t^a THE PRIVATE LIFFi ' '757' to him. Lewis XV. kept them, and amufed himfelf *~i ' >vith them for feveral years. This childifh mecha- ti'ifm pleafed him, and was a true indication of the trifling turn of his mind. It is reckoned that there were eight hundred difpatches fealed in his prefence^ After the death of the Chancellor Seguier, in 1672, l^wis XIV. had executed the funftions of Keeper of the Seals eleven times i but this had not prevented him from putting himfelf at the head of his armies, ^nd conquering Holland; and he poured into the trcafury all the profits of this lucrative employment; while Lewis XV. by a fordid avarice, kept them to himfelf, and increafed his private treafure with them. To juftify the appointment of M. dc Moras, it wa» faid, that the navy being then very experifive, and the fuccefs of its operations depending chiefly upon . .. difpatch, and being oftentimes much th)varte(J by natural caufcs, above human powers, nothing coiildi / be more judicious than to join this depahment to that of the Comptroller General ; becaufe then the money, which was the mofl: efl!ential circuncift^nce in all movements, would be conveyed quickly and ^ abundantly into the arfenals. Undoubtedly this might have been the cafe, had this rival of Colbert had an undcrfl:anding equal to thefe two parts of Adminifl:ration ; and if, being a bad Minifter of finance, he had not been a worfe Minifter of the navy. Fortunately, the projedls for the war in 1757 being already fettled, and partly executed, by M. de Machault, concealed his incapacity in the begin- ning. 'The 'gfeaVah of M. do Machault, fmcc the cofti- Avenccitibnt (jf'the war, liad been, with an irtfcrior njtvy. ' OF LEWIS XV. havy, to calculate all the movements fo well, and with fo much precifion, that while he conveyed fuf- ficient fuccours to every part, he had at the fame time been in a condition to attack. But the Englifh having confiderably extended their navy, we fhould have been obliged to remain upon the defenfive in the courfe of this year^ except with the fquadron of M. de Kerfaint, commiffioned to execute a coup de main upon the coalt of Guinea, before he repaired to the American iflandsj and who accordingly had fet out at the end of November 1756 *, with ihrce velTels and three frigates only. This Captain had furprifed the enemy in a defcncelefs ftate in Africa, had taken a fort from them, ravaged their fettle- ments, taken feveral bands of negroes^ and had aff terwards repaired to Martinico, where he had fuc- ceeded M. d'Aubigny, and provided for the fafety of the Windward iflands. ^(I, de J5ea'ifremont had fet out in the beginning '3r^ |*;TJu» (qoadron confided of the following (hips : im Ships, Gm$u, Captains, M, Vlntripitft, -— 74 De Kerfaint, Captain* VOpittiatrt, — 60 Moeflin, ditto. . y LrSaint Michel, '-^ 60 Caumont, ditto. ■''^" '^^'^'^ jne.bniKJjb. ,li*q ovj :Hi *3 VAmlthifte, La Licorne, 'L»'Cafytfr, JF.R I G A T E S, ^Jlifyrfil^A^ — 30 d'Herlie, Lieutenant. j .^,a ,C.O/Ry;E T T E. ' "'' '^^^^ >• 30 Dugue Lambert^ ditto* . ^ 12 DeCoors Lufignst, 2d lidttcntDt. ^31 1757. 'I 132 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1757, of February, for St, Domingo *, under pretence of convoying there a General Officer, fome troops, and provifions j but his further and I'ecret comnn.iflion was to go to Louifbourg. It was known that the Eng- lilh propofed to colleft all their efforts againft this place, in order to indemnify themfelves for their ill fuccefs upon land in North America; t.hat their plan of operations — founded upon the maxim, that whoever is nnafter of the fea, will foon be fo of the continent — was, after having feized upon this key of the river St. Lawrence, to lay fiege to Quebec, which, in falling, would make the French lofe all the benefit of their fuccefs. This was a flroke it was neceffary to parry : preparations were accordingly made j but the Englilh feeing only a fquadron of nine Ihips, •under the command of M. Dubois de la Mothe, thought it fufficient to fend fifteen. Admiral Hoi- bourne, to whom this important commilTion had been intrufted, was exceedingly furprized, when he reckoned eighteen fhips of the line in the road of Louifbourg. Befide the two divilions we have been * His fquadron confiiled of the following (hips : Sbipt, Guns. Lt Tonnant, — 80 - m. r/ait \^p,. Captains M. M, 4 \ ' The Chevalier 4e Beaufremont» Commodore 74 de Blenac, Captain ^v . ~ 74 Rozilly, ditto 64 Tilly, ditto 64 Meruille, ditto, R I G A T E S. 30 Prevalais, Captain ' , ^o Saint- Viftoret, Lieutenant. ^. B. Tbt Sctpter^ of 74 gun?, commanded by M. Glaveau, Port Lieutenant, was fent afterwards with provifions for this f^nadron. '.ivw ^_ 4 . .' . fpcaking Lt Defen/eurt Le Diademet VInfiexible, VEvriUi, La Brstmtf La Sauvagtf ^ -O F LEWIS XV. fpcaking of *, there was a third, which, failing from Toulon in March, notwithftanding the obftacles it had met with, had arrived at this colony in time, and had increafed the fquadron with fourlhips com- manded by M. du Reveft-f. The jundion of all thefe forces, coming from fuch different pUces to one fingle point of rendezvous, muft neceflarily have de- ceived the forefight of the Britilh Council; they haftened to lend a reinforcement to Holbournct it was too late, the expedition had failed; and this difpatch only ferved to expofe a greater number of forces to the fury of the elements. The Britifli Admiral had been cruizing for fom« days before Louifbourg, braving Count Dubois de la Mothe, and challenging him to fight, when on the 24th of September there arofe fo terrible a hurricane, that a Captain in the fquadron, who had been round the ^ The idquadron of M. Dubois de la Mothe, coniifted of the . foUo^riog ^ips: Ships, Lt Formidable Le Duede Bwrgogve It Him — -.-ao,- Le Glorieux — Le Dauphin Royal Le Superhe — Le Bitmrre — Le Belliqueux — • ^e Celebre I La Fkur de Lys L'HermioHt — .-.WS-IV Guns, 80 I 80 74 7+ 70 70 64 64 64 RIG 30 24 Captains M, M. Dubois de la Mothe, Lieutenant General d'Avbigny, Commodore de Chateloyer, Captain de Chavagnac, ditto Durrubie, ditto **^^ * -^ the Marquis of Choifeul; ditta de Montalais, ditto .\h.v de la Jonquiere« ditto the Chevalier de TourviUe« di(tp A T E S. the Chevalier Dubois, Lieut. J- Tri»efe (hips were L*Heaor» of 74 guns, commanded by M. da Reveft; the Faillant and I'Jlcide, of 6^ ; and Le Fjer, of 50, There were alfo fome frigates. «' ^ K ^ worl4 li i ! li 1 ill III THE PRIVATE LIFE i^orld with Lord Anfon, declared, the fartious blaft of wind with which they had been battered in doubling Cape Horn was nothing in coHnparlfon to it. It lafted fourteen hours. The moft (kilful management was not able to refill it ; it was necef- fary that the feamen fhould let themfelves go to it's fury } and if the weather had not fuddenly changed, ds by miracle, all the Englifh veffels would have be^n Mattered againft the rocks of that fame iQarid, whicf^ they mejint to conquer. Of eighteen (hips, the leaflf of which mounted 60 guns, there were only five thac were riot damaged. The Tilbury was entirely lofty and the twelve others more or lefs difmaflred *. Ad- miral Holbourne could not reach the port of Hali- fax till the 5th of Odo! -T. If in this interval the Commandant of the French fquadron had come outyf^ when the wind became favourable, he would have completed the difafter of the enemy, and carried terror and defolation into their colonies j he rn%ht, perhaps, have made them lofe, during the reft of the" war, the hope of executing their projefb, and the idea of returning to it. t '^^^ -^ii ,^m:^^>mii-.:jG M. Dubois dfe la Mothe, who had ferret with' du Gue Trouin, and who wouM have been his rSv^lJ- if he had had the fame opportunities of figrializing himfelf, is defcribed to ns by his cotemporaries, a^ announcing in his depbrtment^ his manner, and liis difcourfe^ i tMii of ^ fupiiVior Citft, referved, ^rt'd ^^- 'p6a.rtH^ il^ay's bulled aboiit gfeat matters, pofiefled with the demon of avaritre, ahd devoured with am-' r^'mii-^'tii^Si^^ %.'17-i-"i+4i' f^lr-. pr * We find a circumilantial detail of the deplorable ilate of eSch of tbefc veflfels in Leiier XXKftl. •/ the pYf/ikt piUmdlJittti *'* :\ bition. -OF LEWIS XV. bition. Thefe two faults contributed, by a rare effect, to make him a better fervant to the King ; the allurement of riches, or the third of honours, would have urged him to undertake impoflibilities. Ex- treme temperance made him enjoy, in an advanced age, a pcrfed: ftate of health, and a clear head, capable of digefling the mod extenfive projedl^. The conduct of the Canada expedition ought not to have been given to an officer almoft fourfcore, en7 joying an income of 40,000 livres *, who hazarded his former reputation, and who had loudly difap- proved of all the operations propofed for this cam- paign. He v/as promifed to be made Lieutenant- drneral, and he flew there with all the impetuofity of his earlieft youth, In doing him this juftice, we ar^ forced to acknowledge, that upon the prefent oc* cafipn he did inot fupport his reputation. At hi^ time of life, an advance of two years might produce a great cjiange in his natural and moral charader j he was no longer the fame man. Inftead of taking^ advantage at the inftant of the terror and confuH it\ of the enemy, he held a council, when he f .vul4 have aded. Deliberations, in fuch * fituation, ar^ always timid. The fquadron, though in harbour, had fuffered a little from the guft of wind j — there were Ibncie fick on board the fleet ; — another hurri-?, cane might come on j — and it was an effential mat- ter ^o return to Europe ; — fq that it was thought beft to prepare for the departure. M. Dubois de laMothe had it; fo much at heart to re-enter fafe and found ^Dtp Breft, that the Diadme, at the place they were ^ land in France, having fallen in with the Dnbliny *35 1757. Upwtfdt of on« thoufand fix handred poapds. .■*4«W I'i^) >-> K 4 !(^*.{J.'J ^r*\ 13^ 1757- THE PRIVATE LIFE of 80 guns, and being at the eve of taking hfr^ after an engagcnnent of two hours, was obliged to quit her, on account of a fignal which he had made for collefting. He landed four thoufand fick, that is to fay, ope third part of his fquadron. This was his laft expedition, and it would have been to be wifhedj for his fame, that he had given up the com^ mand fooner. As for the reft, he had fulfilled the jcflential part of his commiflfion*, the objedt of ivhich was to fave Canada and Cape Breton j but, as he afted meerly in a pafliye manner, and that the Englifh had committed twp capital faults, in having fet out too late, and with forces too inferior, though they were conquered by the tempeft, yet they were not by the French. The bad news the Englifh re

IX. dition .^ " O F LEWIS XV. «37 dkidtiby his aftivity, and prevented the obftaclcst^ '757' It by his forefight. He did not, however, fiicceed in one that was better concerted : the point was, to take poflefflon of Rochefort, a royal port of innportance, particularly neceflary for the viftualing of the colo- nies, and for fhip-building ; by feizing which, the Englifli would have nnade thennfelyes mafters of the naval forces in that harbour, which were then* rather confiderablc. They would have plundered and de- ftroyed the magazines, the arfenals, and the foun- deries ; they would have burnt or blown up what they could npt carry away with them, the docks, the forms *, the work-fhops, the buildings of every kind, and, by clogging up the river Charente, they would, perhaps, have deftroyed this port, in fuch a man- ner that it could nbt have been reftored again, at leaft not without an enormous expence. The exe- cution of this projeft was not difficult— the moft favourable inftant had been chofen, either to fail up the river and force the entrance of the harbour, de- fended only by two fliips of the line, or to land forces between this city and la Rochelle, where there Were ho troops to oppofe them. The high tides were favourable to either of thefe enterprizes, and Rochefort, having no fortifications, and no troops to defendit, waited only for the conqueror, to furrender. It was even impoffible to fend a fufficient number of troops, except from thofe which were in Paris, the * By Forms, sg-e meant vaft inclofures digged upon a level with the bed of the river, and covered with ftone, for the conf^ro£tion or refitting of Ihips. They are (hut up by flood-gates, which keep the water' out, and which are opened, when the ftiip is to b^ Abated, for the purpofc of launching her into the Charente. ' neareic i t m 'll \ t^a THE PRIVATE LIFE . 1757, aeareH: place where there were anyj that is, froni the diftance of about one hundred and thirty leagues. It is certain, that with the grcatell difpatch, the tirl^ divifion could not have reached the place before the lath of Odtober, and that the enemy would have had time enough to do all the mifchief they had pleafed, and to ravage and lay under contribution all the-neighbouring provinces, before an army coul^ have been cqlle^ed capable of beating or repulfiAg ' ■ . . - • • . ^ . . The inllruAions nccelTary for this fecret expedition, for lo it was calkd, had been given by men of the profeflion, worthy of confidence, whofe reports were made from ocular dcmonftration. Captain Cle^kt: bad furnifhed an accurate defcription of the p|an ^nd ^ity of Rochefort, which he had feen an4 cx-^ amin^d in 1754 at his leifure, and even with leave of the Coipmandant. The conclufion was, that ^h^rq was nothing fo eafy as to infult the place, and tq carry it by a fudden afTault, or rather, that it wa^ not; tQ a condition to fupport fuch an attack. It cjoul4 not be doubted but that the place was ftill as mu/^j^^ neglcdted, and the enemy had reafon to entertain 1^19 greateft fecurity upon this point. . ,^ ^.rjKtTrrH 't^^r^t ,,A French failor, named Thierry, of the Proteftanti religion, who had been upwards of twenty years ^ , pilot on the cqaft of France, and had ferved in thaij capacity on board feveral of the King's Ihips, hacj ^ confirmed the poflibility of a coup de main upon tho \ i/land of Aix, Fouras, and Rochefort. He had givea ^ iaftruftilMis with ricgard to the method of entering. ^ and coming out of the road, and of going i;p the ^ river as far as the point of Vergeroux, a good way further up than the mouth : he had repreltnted the. ^ •^ - landing 1 • O F LEWIS XV. ' landing as fafe and eafy at the diftance of two leagues only from the city, and the paflagr fronn thence to Rochefort, as being attended with no obilaclc eithci? of nature or art. ) The Government muft neccfTarily have had the greater confidence in the accounts of thcfc two per-* fons, as the one, being an Fnglilhman and an cn-< ginecr, could have no motive to deceive, and had the talents neceffary to form a proper judgmcnir upon >yhat he had feen ; and as the other, though ao firil 3 more fufpicious perfon, had undergone a long and ferious examination during two hours confe-» cutively, and had anfwered every queftjop with a I'eadinefs and prefence of mind which had aftonilhed and convinced the Miniftry. This firft point being amply difcufled in the Counr criof his Britannic Majefty, another queftion, of no \tf$ importancp, had been canvaiTed : this was the ftatc of the internal forces of France, the number of it's troop9y aiKl the places in which they were d'lfpoikd. Ac- cording to a memorial produced from the office of Lokl Holdernefs, the accuracy of which was afccr-* tained, the prefeftt troops of France were compute^ at two hundred thoufand men, upon the footing o^ the rtew augmentations i and by cakuktrng thofe which compofcd our armies, thofe fent into oar colonies, and into India, and deducing the garrifoiifi^ of Minorca^ and of the frontier towns, it was cOfi* eluded that there were no more than ten thouiand troops upon the coaft, from St. Valery to Bourdcaux. From this calculation it was determined that th^' riurtiber of troops embarked fhould be equal, in cafe it fliOuld happen that the French troops, as by a miracle, Ihould be coUefted from an immcnfe extent. IJ9 I757r 140 ( . n. •(11. THE PRIVATE LIFE for the defence of one fingle point. The command of the expedition was given to General Mordaunr, a Nobleman of the firft rank. It had been judged Icfs cflential to chofe an experienced Commander, than a young man, having that temerity belonging to his age, the quality the rnoft proper for the coup de main in queftion. The fleet, coniifting of upwards of four- fcore fail, fixteen of which were line of battle fhips, was under the direftion jf three dillinguilhed Admi- rals, Knowles,Broderic, andHawke; the laft of whom had the conimand in Chief of this naval expe- dition. The fleet, well provided with every neceflfary, and chiefly of a confiderable train of artillery, had fet fail on the 7th of September, and, though much delayed by contrary winds, had yet arrived time enough for the fuccefs of the expedition} fince on the 20th, when it made it's appearance, no preparation had been made for defence j no mor*- than three hundred regulars were aflenibled ac Fouras, and the batteries vere not yet mounted. The ifland of Aix, the moft formidable poft we had to oppofe to the enemy, was attacked, and taken in lefs than three quarters of an hour. An attempt fo fuccefsful, ought to have encou- raged them i they might have judged, by the facility of this conquefl:, of the negligence with which matters had been conduced, and of the confufion, diforder, and terror that prevailed upon the coafl:, and in the harbour. We were fo fully convinced of the.inutility of the efforts we could make, that we thought lefs of repulfing them, than of attending to the beft mode of furrendering. M. de Rhuis, at the head of the adminiflration of the port, had not only fent away ^U the papers of the Intendant's office^ into the 'i^n ^ - ■ • ■ inland OF LEWIS XV. t4t inhnd countries, but alfo his plate and effefls of 1757. every kind. The Count de Gocfbriant, the Com- ;^^^ mandant, had imitated his example, and both of them had concealed their pufillanimity fo little, that it had communicated itfelf to all the orders of the citizens. The carriages and workmen in the port, inflead of being engaged in fuccouring and defend- ing the place, were employed in this fliameful fervice. The cxcefs of their timidity manifefted itfelf par- ticularly on the night of the 25th. It was then juft high water, and the wind and weather were favour- able i — the fleet had made an evolution, which an- nounced a defign of landing j the fhore was remark- ably convenient for this purpofe ; there were no bat- teries on the fpot called ie P latin d'Jngoulin, and too few troops, not to be repulfed on the firft attack, or fwept by the enemy's artillery j the way was open, and we had no hopes of r>;fi (lance :— the keepers of the magazines, fixed at their poft in the harbour, had orders to give up the keys of them to the firft Englifli officer they fliould fee. The Commandanr, and the Intendant of the navy, had refpeftively af- fembled their troops at their houfes, inexpedlation of the event, to fecure themfelves from the firft out- ^ .rages of an infolent conqueror, or to be included advantageoufly in the articles of a capitulation. Du Mefnil, the Captain of the port, went now and then upon the balcony of the Intendant's houfe, to ob- ferve what was pafllng upon the road; it was fo beautiful a moon-fliine, that all the objedts could be diftinguiftied with a glafs. A profound filence pre- vailed, but fear made them fometlmes fuppofe that they hcar^^a noifcgi^or fomc motions on board the j Engliui i »i ^44 THE PRIVATE LIFE .1757, Englifh fhips ; then the terror was redoubled: at "^^.•..... length, the hour of the tide being paft^ they were clear of every thing but the humiliation of the fcene : an indelible ftain to the navy of this departments It was on their Ihips, on the ramparts, or with their ^rms in their hands, that they fhould have entered into parley, and not in the obfcure inclofure of ^^ houfe. The alarms were continued on the 26th, 27thi and ,28th, while high- water lafted j btit they di- jniniihcd gradually, and the French had had timd to collc6t a few troops, and to raife fome intrench- •mcntSi -At length, on the ift of Odlober, this formi- dable fleet difappeared, without having done any thing more than conquer a rock, throw a few ufe- Icfs bombs into Fouras, and carry off a few barges^ and a boat, in which were fome ladies from la Ro<* chclle, whom the conquerors very politely fcnt .back. We could not conceive that they had dif- appeared in this manner, without having nwde the flighteft effort to land. The inhabitants of la ,Ho- chelle, and of Rochefort, in their furprize, went upon this famous Platin, congratulating and em- bracing each other for joy, while they reflefted to jiow trifling a circumfl:ance they owed. their fafcoy. Attolerable good artifice of M. de Langeron, Lieu- tenant-General Commandant at Fouras, had con- tributed to deceive the enemy. To make hisilittle troop appear more confiderable to them, he cauled his fddiers to pafs in review now-and- then, and to return with their coats infide out, fo as to give ' • an idea of frefli troops under another uniform. Some cmiflkries, who wcreindyccd to let thcmfelvcs 3 OF LEWIS XV. hr^fr!- be taken on purpofe, kept up this idea among tHe Englifh i and from their report afterwards, in conformity to the event, this contrivance, which was laughed at upon land as a childifh one, had jfucceeded. * '. .^ ~ At London, that proud people — who always con- demn their Generals, when their enterprizes are not attended with fuccefs — was incenfed with a re- treat, too fimilar to that from Port I'Orient. 'It might have. been imagined, that the example of* what had paffed upon that occafion, would have infpired the Generals of the prefcnt expedition with greater confidence j and this conficeration rendered them more culpable. There was a court-martial appointed to try them j it was expeded, that the cataftrophe bf Admiral Byng would be renewed; but though in reality more culpable than he, the law acquitted them, inafmuch as their orders were conditional, and that to condemn them, the pro- ceedings muft have been founded upon a number of fafts,' which muft have been inquired into in France : an abfurd and imprafticable idea f. - 'India was the only part of the world in which the Englifli had any remarkable fuccefs this year : the intdligence they received from thence, aflfbrded them fome little confolation for their ill fuccefs, in Canada, and in Europe. They had the lefs rea- fon to expedt this, as, with moderate and weakened forces, they had a very troublefome war to fuftain againft the Soubah of Bengal. If the French, IHH f The neceffary ir^formations might have been particuiyrty tafken from a manafcript account, communicated to us by an «yt-witntfs, tnd-whkirnto ihall givein the Appeiidix> N° X. —■' ■ animated *43 ^757- t44 THE PRIVATE LIFE 11 : ;■; ! 1757. animated with the conquering genius of Dupleixj * '' had joined their intercft to thofe of the natives oft the country, they would undoubtedly have derived ' a great advantage from it, and, with the reinforce- ^ ments fcnt from Europe, might have maintained *' themfelves with glory in Indoftan. But on this * occafioni too faithful to the neutrality agreed upon ' refpe£ting the borders of the Ganges, they gavc^ their enemies time to breathe, and to furprize them. '* 18 March. Chandernagor fell into their hands, and this lofs^ turned the fcale entirely in favour of the Englilh. S ^ At the time of the rupture between the two? Crowns, the Keeper of the Seals had caufed the^^ Syndics and Directors of the India Company to be * aifembled, in order that they might difcufs among '«* themfelves, whether it were more expedient to*^ fufpend or to continue the trade^ They readily i* perceived, from the afpiring views of this Minifter^j^l that he was inclined to have it continued, and this <^ was a fufficient reafon for thofe Gentlemen to com- '^ ply with his ideas, upon a promife from the parr^* of M. de Machault, that he would protect the navy"^ of the proprietors with the whole weight of the^'1 King's maritime forces. Accordinglyj two General^* Officers had been chofcn, and commiflioncd to com- ^' mand this fquadron and the troops j one was M."^ d'Achc, and the other Count Lally. Thefe two -f men. promoted by the fpirit of intrigue, rather than "I by, tnc will of the Minifter, were the mod impro- per for. this expedition. The firft, having a greats' ,visM £ ^cal of ambition, was not deficient in talents and courage, but having no particular inducement for ^' this Ip/ig, diftant, and difficult commiffion, had?- Accepted the. pp(t with no other view than Uk^- *v haften 4cxi2a-:;ioa ^ jpleijrj ves of lerived iforce- " itained n this 1 upon r gave them, is lofs'^ ifti. S le two'S ed the to be among 5nt to^^ readilfi* inifter^jii d thii'i- com-''^ part navy »f the leneral com- U M. two than ipro- [great and It for had to laften .1. ^^'^^ ^<^ . ^M. 145 •^O F LEWIS XV. aftcn his promotion to the flag. He was a very prouQ man; and, feeing with reluftance that he was appointed only to command merchants, was already difgufted before he fet out. Befides, he was unfortunate, all his expeditions having been marked by fome difafter. This one began in the iame insiuipicious manner. He was obliged to bring tOj after having fet fail. Some accidental events happened in his fquadron. He had then two of the King's (hips joined to his own, which gave at leaft fome imiportance to his command ; iheir deilination was changed, fo that, remaining with only fome fhips of the India Company, he thought his dignity called in qucdion. Some tur- bulent pcrfons who governed him, and others in- terefted in giving him bad advice^ applauded much the ftep which his pride dictated, to give in his re- fignation. In 1748, he had thus refigned the com?- mand of the Alcide, upon the frivolous pretence that the (hip was unable to keep the fea; while M. de Kerfaiint, who fucceeded him, had fuccefsfuUy exe- i cuted his commiflfron. This fault would have dc- , prived him of all hopes of preferment, if Count Mav- repas had renhained at the head of the marine depart-, " ment. The fccond> would have ruined him under M. de Machaultj but M. de Moras was undc^ the ^ controul of the officers. This officer, having re- * fjcnted of his caprice, and having fent a fecond *' meffenger to retrafb, the Miniftcr ftill dctermin-^ cd the King to thank him for this mark of - zeal, and he fet fail. A fccret mifunderftanding 3 May. between the Captains of the Company and the Com- mander, were not lefs the refult of this unfortunate V^ beginning. The Cstptains having no doubt of the * Vol. III. L contempt 14^ 1757. ... ~.l- *-*i.i_ THE PRIVATE LIFE contempt which he had for them, returned it to him, and grounded it, not upon puerile motives of* vanity, as M. d'Ache had done, but upon his real incapacity for the expedition. We (hall find here- after, that this motive was unfortunately but too well founded. From a tolerably good private of- ficer, which he had been, he became a bad Com- modore. "With refped to M. de Lally, the defire of ob- taining the red riband, and the thirft of gold, had led him to another hemifphere, rather than his duty or the love of his country. His companiohs were fo well acquainted with his turn for rapine and oppreflion, that they advifed him not to go, prefaging to him a finifter end. Being of a hafty, hard, and even ferocious difpofition, he foon quar- relled with M. d'Ache, whofe manners were gentle, and who was full of attention and politenefs in fo- ciety. Befides, M. de Lally could not but difplcafe at Pondicherry, where he came to fucceed the for- tunate Bufly, the confidant, and the- right-hand man of Dupleix j he, who having been acquainted with his plans, knew beft how to make them fuc- ceed. He might have expefted, that all the Ser- vants of the Company, and efpecially the military men, would be leagued againft him, exafperated as they were, that an officer of the King's forces, en- tirely unacquainted with this peculiar kind of war, Ihould fet himfelf up^to take from them rhe honours and rewards, which they thought they had deferved by their talents and their long-continued labours. It was much worfe, when, to thele perfonal preten- fions, the hew Brigadier joined the inflexibility of command, the folly of his proceedings, the in- , humanity .i . ~s I) .i>>f.n OF LEWIS XV. J ••■''' ■ humanity and barbarity of treatment. — —But let us not previoufly excite the indignation of the reader, by drawing the pi<5ture of a monfter, who will ihew himfelf too well by his actions, when the time comes to bring him forward upon the fccne. Let us now turn our view to the land-war, which was commencing, and was not lefs remarkable than that upon fea, by the interefting nature, the grandeur^ and Angularity of events. - *«-♦ We left the King of Pruflia in Saxony, where he continued to -live at the expence of that un- fortunate country. All the informations received from thence, made people (hudder at the horrid vexations experienced there from the conquering Monarchj from his General Officers, his troops, and jthe meaneft of his foldiers. He not only burthened the villages with enormous contributions^ both with refpeft to men and money, but he feem- ed inclineci to compel all the inhabitants to deferty* and to migrate into his neighbouring donfiinionsy by forbidding the lands to be fown. The circum^ ftance that aggravated the misfortunes of Saxony,- ivas, the friendly declarations he preferved in his ma- nifcftas, lb evidently contradi<5ted by his adions } although he protefted, that he had only entered that kingdom as it's guardian^ an.d ftaid there only as it's protedor. It was reported, that, the ekftoral Prince having wri;.cen to him in favour of a hamlet- tinable to furnifh the number of nien required by him J he anfwered j that he muft not pncddle with aflFairs that did not concern him. *; In order to remove troublefome ^itncffes of hiaf ad^ions, he had carried his boldnefs fo far, as to L a have 147 ■';■» m w 148 THE l*RlVAtE LIFE 17^7. have it infihiiatcd to the foreign Minifters refiding at Drefden, that they Ihould go to the King of -tlT* Poland at Warfaw; but they anfwercd, that they had no advice nor orders to receive upon that headji but from their own Courts. j uiy i^* So many oppreflions intitled the other Powers to vent their abufe againft him in their public aftsj and accordingly, they reproached his Ma* jefty in the moft violent terms. France told him, fbat by fuch a conduSl, he fufficieritly manifejledi that he refpe^ed neither human nor divine laws *. The Emprefs of Ruffia declared to the Saxon Minifter refiding at her Court, that (he meditated a revenge, not only proportioned to the damages done to the cleftorate, but to the enormity of this rajh infringe- ment of peace, on the part of the King of Prujia, The Baron de Polikau, Minifter from Saxony at the General Diet of the Empire, in the memorial writ- ten in anfwer to that of his Pruffian Majcfty,' ft- capitulating the misfortunes of his country, ex- claimed: thefe are fast s fo voell attejiedy thdt if meri fhould bejilenti even thefiones would fpeak. The Efti-* prefs Queen, entering into ftill greater detailjl, dc- fcribed the well-known turbulent difpofition of this Prince, his underhand intrigues in foreigri Courts, his continual infraflions of treaties, vio-^ '^'■\ ** lated as foon as they were figned, and his klternatc aggreflions againft the weakcft of his neighbours. She accufed him, of being guided by no rule of conduft, but that of his own intereft j of acknow- • See the circular letter of the Court of France, to all it*< Mi^ nifters m foreign Courts, in the month of September 1756. ■ ,,, ledging i|,.?*f - jViK/i^i ;MiV .- • i-- j^^' ■ '^•■.'•\(^»ft r« i*ji# A' '-',"M^ «i^-'^=" ?;?:>'• -J^lCtrli A^ * . ' * , . . r r ; r • ' » .UtuLiiyt ^»y'o F LEWIS XV. ' *' '■•^■'? 149 Icdging no right, but that of the ftrongefl; and of 1757. adopting no meafures, but fuch as were didtatcd ' by violence or perfidy, according as they ferved his turn. f. The Emperor at length cited him to the tribunal of the Empire ; and had rcleafed, by a de- cree, all the fubjefts of that Prince from their oath of allegiance to him. Thefe invedlives, threats, and decrees, did not intimidate Frederic ; and, while an aflfaflTmation was attempted on the King of France, mild as he was, and in the midfl of a nation who idolize t-heir Sovereign, tiie King of Pruffia was feen in the heart of an enemy's country, though anathematized by the Chief of the Empire, denounced to the na^ tipns as the difturber of the tranquillity of Europe, and as the fcourge of mankind, yet walking alone, difcarding every attendance, or efcort, in obfcurity, in the depth of nightj while, among fuch a numbpr . ^- ' of pppreflcd perfons, one fmgle faithful fubje£t was not excited to claim his liberty and avenge his Sovereign. But if his great foul was fuperior tq every vulgar terror, yet was he not undifmayed at a lieague v/hich was daily increafing to crufh hinri. , - .,The piet of Ratifbon decreed by a Ccttclu/um, »7 Jan. that the feyeral States of the Empire Ihould concur with all their might in the re-eftablifhment of pub- j lie tranquillity— in the reftoration of the King of v Poland ta his hereditary dominions, with the moll ' complete indemnity — and in procuring to the Em- • pr^fs, as Queen and Eleftrefs of Bohemia, the fa- < ■c f See the anfwer of the Emprefs Queen, to the Motives of the Kinj^ of Pruflia. L 3 tisfadion li'. : ISO 1757- I Marcb. .'ibI THE PRIVATE LIFE tisfaflion that was due to her: for thefe purpofes, each Circle were to furnlfh three times more than their ordinary contingent, and to hold their troops in readinefs to march to the relief of the oppreffed. ■'" Count d'AfFcy, Minifter Plenipotentiary froni France at the Hague, acquainted the States Gene-,, ral, that his mafler, as guarantee of the treaty of Weflphalia, and in confequence of the new one of Verfailles, propofed to afTemble a body of troops upon the Lower Rhine, about Duffeldorp, for the advantage of his allies, oppreffed by the King of Prufllaj but that his forces, far from attempting any tiling that conld give any alarm to their High Mightincfles, would be employed in |:heir defence, if they fhould be molefted on account of the neuii^ trality they hr.d engaged in. To which the States General anfwertd by repeated aflurances that they would keep their word. The Czarina, impelled by the Marquis de THopir tal, Ambaflador Extraordinary from Lewis XV. to her Court, to haften the fuccours ftipulated in her acceflion to the treaty of Verfailles, demanded of the King of Poland a pafTage for her troops'; and, in defiance of the reprefentations of ^he King of Pruflia, and even of his requifition of auxiliary troops, which he pretended to have a right to claim, the Rufl)ans crofled the country, to the liiirn*; ber of fourfcbre thoufand regular troops/ ana pre-* pared to enter upon Ducal Pruflia. '^^^^J^i^ii^f^l: '4 The King of Sweden declared, that, in qaality of guarantee of the treaty of Weftphalia, he could not avoid marching his troops into the Krng of Pruflia's dominions, and into the divifion of the Dutchy of anterior Pomerania, to avenge the vip- ^t . lated OF LEWIS XV. latejd conftitution of the Empire — to compel that Prince to give the fatisfaftions required — and to re- ftbre the peace of Germany *. In a word, the King of Denmark, notwithftand- ingthe conformity of his religion to that of the King of Pruffia— who declared himfelf the fupporter of the Proteftant faith, which it was meant to de- ftroy, and notwithltanding his confanguinity with the King of Great Britain — affured Lewis XV. by his Minifter in France, that he would obferve the treaties of union and neutrality, and that he would- not fiirnifli any troops to his Pruflian M^jefty in the prefent conteft. \yhen we fee fo many Powers united againft a meer Eleifbor of Brandenbourg, notwithftanding the knowledge we have of his military and political talents, there was no one who did not foretel a fatal deftiny for him at the end of the campaign — who did not think that he had deceived himfelf with regard to his own powers, and to the afllftance he had flattered himfelf with from his allies. So low was his credit then reduced, that, endeavouring to negotiate at Amfterdam a loan of one hundred thoufaiid crowns f, he failed in the attempt. The fubti^ies he expefted from England did not come in, becaufe George II. had himfelf a great deal of difficulty in procuring from his Parliament the neceffary fupplies for the fup|)ort of his Hano- verian dominions, threatened by the French. We muft acknowledge, that Frederic had no reafon to repent of his invafion in Saxony : he was exerting fit »58 757. * See the manifefto of the SwediHi General. ' f Twelve thoufand five hundred pounds, L4 every 152 1757- 6 May. tta'A THE PRJVATE LIFE every effort to prevent his own ruin, which, at th? f fight of enemies fo numerous and fo powerful, hcf^l himfelf confidered as unavoidable— he was endea vouring to excite his fecret partjzans in the Diet': of the Empire, to open negotiations for peace, hi^:: ' only refource; and the King of England, althoughj. he had not reaped the advantage made, by thatv Prince's diverfion in his favour, efpoufed his caufcf^ from motives of gratitude. The anirnofity was toq - ftrong, and the mediators too infufficient. Already had the French deprived him of his dominions in Weftphalia j and inftead of keeping upon the de- T fenfiVjE*, he continued to attack. Four bodies of his troops entered Bohemia at once, in four differei^t places : he himfelf gained the battle of Prague : he invefted the city, and laid fiege to it. A con-^"' (queft of this kind, by making him mafter of all Bohemia, might open the whole country of Gcr^l many to him. This capital, cjofely prefled, had al^-^ ready no more than a few days provifions : it had been the mare fpeedily reduced to famine, as fiVe-andrK < thirty thoufand men of the beaten army had retired into it J it was bombarded without interirkifliony ' and canonaded with red-hot balls. Too mucK precipitation made the conquering Monarch lofe all' the advantage of his vidory, and brought him again to the brink of ruin. - Marfhal Daun, at the head of near forty thoufand men, was coming up to it's relief j the King of Pruf- fia, prcfuming too much upon his ftrength, and upon the difcouragement prevailing among the Auftrians, thought he had nothing to do but to fhiew himfelfj in order to put them to flight. He marched out of his camp with the chief part of his army, and ad^ . *^*~'*"*": '- :' vanced I 3 O F L E W I S XV; 'L «« voQced to the Mar{hal,who was intrenched upon the 1757* brow of a hill ; by which manoeuvre he gave the """— ~ enemy every advantage of which he deprived him- felf. His troops went up fcven times to the charge, and were as often repulfed and overthrown. Ap >' J""** length, he was obliged to leave the field of battle, with the lofs of twelve thoufand men j the commu- nication with Prague was opened again — he was forced to raife the fiege, and to evacuate all Bohe- mia. It w^s upon this occafion that he appeared more great than ever ; by making a noble avowal of his raflinefs : " I have no reafon to complain of the " bravery of my troops," he wrote to one of his con- fidants, " nor of the inexperience of my officers i . " I have committed the fault myfelf, and I hope to " repair it.'* ■ Unfortunately, the French — who hadamufed thcm- felves with writing the moll infulting fongs upon him— who had defcribed him as reduced to the loweft extremity, and as having no refource left but in his rage, and in a glorious death — were the firft to furnilh the occafion of renewing the luftre o( his glory, by their ihameful defeat at Rolbach. The General'^ sNov; letr -T to the King, upon this occafion, exprelfes, bet- ,/ ter than any thing we could add, thedifafter and op- / probrium of this day. The Prince of Soubife's let- 4 ter was contained in the following terms : >'*^*';2 " I write to your Majefty in the excefs of my def- > pair: the defeat of your army is complete. I can-^.;, not tell you how many of your officers have beea . 5* killed, are taken, or miffing " This letter — which perhaps forniflies the firft in- r ftance of a Courtier's telling the plain trunh upont fuph an occafion^ and without alledging any v^xcufe ; €t S€ iJSji'ii*^'*' and I I 154' THE PRIVATE LIFE 1757.' artdrhr moJefty which tlu? Prince of Soubifc afwr*^. ~' wards fhewcd, in refigning the comnland, and ferving , in the quality of Lieutenant General under Marlhal Richelieu — atoned, in the opinion of many pcrfons, • ' for his weakncfs, in having taken upon himfelf aii' employment for which he was unfit. A good citizeii and a brave foldier, he difcovered too latp, that he was a bad General. It is neceifary to add, at leafV [ as his adherents giv6 out, that he had been forced by the Prince of Saxe Hildbourgfliaufen, who com-' rrianded the army of the Circles, to attack, and that all the misfortune of the day was to be atftributed to this General of the Empire, fince our troops, b tunate. country again the theatre of :hc calamities ofn Since the month of March, Marflial d'Eftrees lud^ figned a convention at Vienna, by wh'ch the King., of France obliged himfelf to make his army crofs thc,> Weier, in order to enter the electorate of Hanover,^, The period foi* this was fixed on the loth of July, or^ fooner j for, in the plan of the campaign prefented tati the King, this General haa Brefcen the difficulties,., that might retard the event, and this fofcfight had^ not been imputed to him as a crime. The army,.. having affembled at W iel, he had takt^n the com»,^ mand on the 27th oi' April. He was oppofed by the;) Duke of Cumberland, famous fince the battle of Fontenoi : he had perplexed this Prince by diiferent f^ marches and countermarches j he had made him ap- prchcnfivc of being furrounded in his camp at Biele-^ feld, and had forced him to abandon it, and to re^^ pafs the Wefcr in order to cover the electorate, .'t^ ' . : "" ■■■■''"■■•:■ ■ : ■ xhis ■ ' I )l T^ V J W tl ^1 r ^757. "i. THE PRIVATE LIFE ! o'X' :lat- . This flow and methodical proceeding did not wtis {y the impatience of the Parifians, and murmurs were univcrfally excited againft the Marfhal. It wa§. not confidered, whether he could have afted in Ji different manner, and whether the obftacles he met with upon the article of fubfiftence were not the caufe of his delay. It was imagined, that nothing wa^ to refill the impetuofity of the French j and ex- , perience had fliewn, that when once the firft ardour of our troops was cooled, it was to be feared that they might grow difgufted : this laft circumftancc gave fome plaufibility to the alarms of fenfible per-^ fons, who, without throwing any pofitive blame upr-^ on the General, would willingly have feen hirnf give fome decifive ftroke. At length the opportii-' nity offered itf?lf, and the battle of Haftembeck re* conciled him tQ the people. But this was ho loA-^ ger of any ufe to him. The enemies of M. d'Eftrees^' who were partly the authors ofthecomplaint;s— who' fomented and increafed them — had caballed in fuch ^ manner at Court, that Marfhal Richelieu had been appointed. This intelligence was made knowh,"ex'- aftly at the time that the news of the viftory ar^" rived. The converfations were then change^ itf companies, where the viftory was talked of with the warmeft interefl. The Marfhal was pitied, juftified, and regretted; people were aihamed of having doubted his military talents j it was wiflied that the Court would retraft it's orders, and every one was delighted, that, before he retired, he had at leaft thi^ glorious a^ion to oppofe to his depreciators j vow$. were made that his return might be marked by fome other fortunate event, and that he might make his appearance crowned with frefh laurels. To OP LEWIS XV. «57 To thefe compaflionate feelings for the difgrace of 1757. the General, indignation was foon added, when ^ feveral letters from the army mentioned, that the day ""■ bf the battle of Haftembeck ought to have been the lad of the Hanoverian army, if every one had done his duty ; that they would all have been unavoidably made prifoners of war, according to the combination of the different and correfponding attacks j and that this fine plan had failed of fuccefs, merely from the jealoufy of the General officers. Among others, the Count de Maillebois, Quartermafter General of the army, was named, in whom Marlhal d'Eftrees, know- ing his great capacity, had placed an unreferved con- fidence. He was accufed of an enormous perfidy, fo much as to have abufed his confidence, to have fenc ^ him a falfe intelligence, and to have ordered of him- felf difpofitions capable of putting a Itop to the fuc- cefe of his Majefty's arms. Thefe complaints were the ground of a court-martial, upon which the fen- timents of the Court and the city were divided during the. winter. There was, however, but one cry on the fide of the patriots, requiring the head of the trai^; tor— whofe guilt was fo much the greater, as his talents were more extraordinary, and as he could not have erred, without doing it knowingly and purpofely.i We ihall hereafter fee how the affair turned. . /!- c.f4'p ■Jft«¥t'ei-t'f-v» ti*'r\~"'/*"i' The circumftance that confirmed and encouraged the Count of Maillebois in his extraordinary condud: towards the Marfhal, was his collufion with the Mintf- tcr of the War department, and undoubtedly with the favourite alfo, wilhing to difguft M. d'Eftrees, whom /he had not appointediandwho did not pay his court t9 -,.. .T-vv* >»i,;fii;nol her.- * ' '■• ■ , ■ . .... V 1S« THE PRIVATE LIFE t7sy» he**- It is a fad: admitted *, that the Count held a fecret ' corrcfporideiice with thfc Marquis de Paulmy ; that he often difpatched CouHers extraordinary to him, to criticife the conduft of the General, and to prefent other plans to him ; and that, ever fince the ad of July, he had been informed of the Minifter's having propofed to the King, to appoint a fucceflbr to Count d'Eftrees. In his ambitious dreams, he had undoubt- edly flattered himfelf, that this honour would devolve upon him : he was much difappointed upon feeing Marflial Richelieu arrive. . , y On the 30th of July— that is foiir days before Kis viftory— d'Eftrees learnt that Marflial Richelieu v;as coming to join him with 15,000 men. His Majefty, in announcing this reinforcement to him, afligned as the motive for removing him froni the command^ thalt being determined to join the two armies, he was defirous of intrufting it to the oldeft officer. The reft of the letter contained matters verv flatter- ing to M. d'Eftrees. We cannot reconcile ourfelvey to this mean conduft in a Sovereign, who excules and palliates his condudt to a fervafit whom he difmifl^ef. He ought never to do this from caprice, from infinu- ation, or from perfonal diflike : there Ihould always be fame fubftantial caufe, either a fault, or an irt- capacity, on the part of the perfon difgraced. And in one of thefe cafes, the King ought to exprefs hhnfell as a Judge who punifhes, aiid to manifeft to' the nation the motives of a difmiflion, which otherwrfe they can only difapprove and cenfure. ■• S«iB the E^piaHatins prefentedto tht King By Uarfiml iPEJffiiU 4M^ Pari». 1758. .... There ^Crr OF LEWIS XV. 757' ■• Sept. ii s! (i Hi. THE PRIVATE LfPE obliged to furrender, to an enemy who wt^uld have been cool and patient enough to wait. ■ v^ ^,,The Marlhal, dazzled with the glory of having/ without ftriking a blow, terminated the waf in this^ quarteri accepted, under the guarantee of the King of Denmark, promifed by his reprefentative, Count Lyner, the too-celebrated convention of Clofter- Sevenj more honourable, undoubtedly, and more* ufefuj, than a battle gained, if, drawing it up in s clear and diftin^fc manner^ he had given it i\\ the ne-^ ccffary folidity and authenticity. : France pretended by this convention, that fhe be- came abfolute miftrefs of all the dominions of the King of Great Britain in Germany, and thofe of all his allies; England, on the eontrary, contended that it had only Iheltered the eledtorate of Hanover — by putting It into a ftate of neutraKty-^frorti the ravages of war, as well as the pofTellions of the neighbouring Princes. Lefs motives than thefe would hav6 Occa- iioneda rupture upon the firft opportunity. :- , To determine, who firft broke thte converttid'n,: 1s'^^ an hiftorical problem,' which, like many others that one would think ought not tO b^ fo, remains fHU to" berefolved. If we credit Vol tairie— always zeatdu^in- the defence and praiie of his friend — it was the fatilt of the Miniftry at Verfailles, who would not ratify' the convention j and the laws impofed by the French General on the Duke of Cumberland, and who did- not lead their ratifieintion till five days after the bat*' tleof Rofbach*.^ According to the Englilh, on the? ' contrary, it was the Duke de Richelieu, who, in con- tempt of the treaty, was enriching himfelf with ex^' ■■ ^B» i* ^•. }^:i'9 See his SietU dt Lorn XV, chap, xxxiii. cclllvc |;70 F LEWIS XV^ i eelTiye con(ributions, and the plunder of a country expofed without defence to his arms j endeavouring thus, i^ the moft cruel and barbarous manner, to repair his fortune, fquandercd in the diforderly life of a libertine Courtier*. In a word, according to the Hifiorical JoumalMjke reign of Lewis XV, and other private nnemdirs, it was the Hanoverians, who, not- withftanding the convention of Clofter-Seven, had taken up arms again and paiTed their boundaries. Thefe feveral circumftances might indeed all have contributed \ but the true eaufe of the br'eaking of the capitulation^ was the defeat of the Prince of Sou- bife. This event revived the courage of the allied troops, who perceived the weak ftate of th*^ con- queror; In a word, it was force that had dictated the convention, and it was force that broke it* This will always happen, whenever the good faith of the conquered party is imprudently truiled to, for the oblervance of a law impofcd by force, ji4,i.i Another fault, common to the contradting parties, was, to have accepted the guarantee of a Prince too little powerful to make it refpeded. Count Lynar had not been able to give fatisfadion to the Regency of Hanover for their complaints, and to ftop the ex- - aftions pf the French. He concluded by writing to Marihal Richelieu, thfit the accommodation was at- an end ; that there was no longer any room for nego- tiation pn his part, and that he was returning to Denmark. Prince Ferdinand, brother to the Duke - of Brunfwicic, came to take the command of the ^ troops, refuming their arms in all parts, and fuc- ^ ceeded the Duke of Cumberland, who returned to. i ■-his-. * • See the Hijiory of the W'wr o/ij^St written in Engliih. ^ ■ypL^III, ' M London »757- % / ■K THE PRIVATE LIFE London difcontcntcd and difgraccd, dh^' "^o Wd^ .. turned into ridicule at Paris, where, in a gi^tefqu^ caricature, he was reprcfented on foot, With a white ilick in his hand, going away with his bafck turned, and in the attitude of fhame and defpair. The fenglifh had certainly frequent opportunities afterwards of i retaliation more durable, and did not fai"! to ithprtjvi them. -....^-. /no'j '*"- it was, however, mbft proper that the Gencf jfl, • iffho had been one of the contrafting fraftic^ rii thfe cjipitulaition, fhould not recontimerice Rbftilitics. The Commander who fucceeded to the King of Eng- • land's fon, fent an officer to Marflial Richdieu, to acquaint him, that his Britannic Majefty' bad iit- » trufted him with the command of his armyj that ht » did riot enter into the motives of this ruptiYre, l^ juftification of which would immediately be ^bliflled.* by the Court of London in a manifeftoj and th^t, . with regard to himfelf, he would endeavour from that., time to deferve his efteem. The Marfhal anfwered *> in the following terms : ^^ ^^ ■ ^. " S I R, ?^'^¥i5-'¥J^*^';-- ■ .;« ..(.■ ■- ^•^ h&m^ for mt^i paC f fe^iMSa ' ' *' that the Hanoverian troops were movin|f^ and *' forming themfelVes into a body, I CoUld not: " pbffibly imagine, that the obje<5t of thdfe moyc-^.' ** riierits was to break the convention of neuis^ ** tralityi fighed on the 8th and loth of IJecenrtber, ^' between his Royal Highriefs and me. The ^ood " faith, whith I naturally fuppofed on the fide of the ■^ «' kiri^ of England, Eleftor of JHanbvei*, and of his " Son, who has figned this convention, hath blinded •* me fb far, as to iflilkc me believe^ tfiat the affcnir, ^as : Vj ';^ " ** bling" §3Uins i lA -rW" '^ o F L E v; I S XV. r tefquri- urned. is of i i iii thfe SiJlitics. )FEng- ieu, to »ad m- that he )tifre, ^ ^ thit, om that nfwercd fbrerVcd % and lid iJot >f neu- :errtber, ite good le of the 4 dofhii' Iblipded,^ affcm- • bling cc cc *' bllng of thefe troops was with no other defign *' than to repair to the winter quarters which had " been marked out for them. The repeated infor*, " mations I have received from all quarters, of the " evil intentions of the Hanoverians, have at length **" undeceived me, and it may clearly be difcovered at prefent, that diere is a fettled plan to break the convcncibnj which ought to be holden facred and "< iEviolable. The King my mafter having been in- " formed of the dangerous movements, and of the " breach of faith in the Hanoverians, is ftill defirous "" of giving frefh proofs of his moderation, and of " his. wifh to fpare the efiufion of blood. It is with " this view I have the honour to declare to your " Serene Highnefs, that if, contrary to all expefta- *'" tion, you/fhould take feme etjuivocal ftep, and " 'ftill more if you Ihould commit any aft of hofti-.t "'lity, I will carry matters to the utmoft extremity^ •^^coiifidering myfelf as authorized to aft in this manhet by the laws of war. I will reduce all thei palaces, royal houfes, and gardens to afhes: I " will fack all the towns and villages, withoift fpar- " ing the fmalleft hut. In a word, this country fhall "^ftxiperiehce i\\ the horrors of war. I recommend "^ It to your Serene Highnefs to confider, and not *'fdlrce me to a revenge fo contrary to the humanity *^ of the French nation^ and to my own perfonal - ^ *^ diarafter.'^ ^ «? 163 ?• )t his word but (66 wefl j ^rtd thotigH oB^ liged' in His turn to fly, and to repafs the AUer, it was not till after he had previoufly committed the moft 'unheard-of cruelties at ZelL He hadjuft r^- ectr^d letters jppoiatirig' him Genefiliflimo oif the ^^ M 2 armies / i \ is Dte; 1758. February. 164 THE PRIVATE LlFfe 1757. armies in Germany; and it was upon this occalioiV ~~^* — ^ that M. de Soubife fubmittcd to aft only as Lieute- nant General. The Marlhal's increafe of dignity contributed only to give him the power of commit- ting greater afts of horror and barbarity in the dutchy of Hanover, of which he remained in poflcf- fion during the winter. He paid not the Icaft regard to the remonflrances of Prince Ferdinand. At length the complaints and expoflulations became fo warm, that the Court of France could not fupport him any longer, and he was fuperfeded by a Prince of the Blood. He returned to Paris, laden with fpoils, glorious, undoubtedly, if he had acquired them in adion, but difgraceful, inafmuch as they were lefs the fruit of his victories, than of his inhumanity and avarice. His difgrace did not make him blulh ; on the contrary, he had the impudence, in fome fort, to ereft a trophy of it, in a fupcrb building, >hich Ke had conftruded within view of the capital, and which the jefters. in bitter derilion, called 'the pavilion of Hanover. * ' !' It js not confiftent with our plan to give a detail of all the little military fads, engagements, and battles, that took place in this unfortunate country : we fhall only obferve, that the French could nev^r, in fiVe years, refume that fuperiorjty which one campaign had given them ; that their Generals were oft^n dif- , graced there j and that, to maintain themfclves in it with alternate good and bad fortune, it became ne- celTary to facrifke infinitely more men, and mbfe , money, than the brilliant fuccefTes of Marfhal Saxe had coft. •'*' . ' . Count Clermont, who fucceeded Marfhal Richelieu, .iri?.-: undpubtj^dly poffejpTei^be qugUUjfS.fit to make him ^jai^ « m equally • tiajtM .Jit m.. t'i OF LEWIS XV. 165 1758. equally beloved by the army and by the enemy. Humane, mild, affable, and popular, he began by having great care taken of the foldiers, who were reduced to the moft deplorable ftate. The fpirit of rapine, too common in war, inftead of having been kept under, had been encouraged by the example of the preceding General, and carried to incredible ex- ceflcs. His Highnefs condemned to the pillory a keeper of a magazine, who, inftead of receiving the tations of forage, the country was to fupply him with, in kind, had taken them in money ; and, having been authorized to do this by the Director General, named Milin de Grand Maifon, he had ordered the latter to be hanged j who prevented this punifliment by his efcape. ; After having proceeded with vigour againft the Commiffaries, the Prince felt the neceflity of punifh- ing other ^ilty perfons. He wrote word to the i^ing, that his army could not be maintained unlefs dilcipiine were reftored, by expelling from the corps a great number of officers who had abfented them- felves i but that he was apprehenfive his Majefty's goodnefs would induce him to pardon moft of then]. The King affured him, he was refolved riot to fpare any on<;. The Prince then fent him a lift of fifty-: two officers, who were broken, -^"h'' ' ^'^ "- **"*t'- He was incenfed at the manner in which Minden had furrendered, after having been invefted only fix 14 March. days, while the garrifon confifted of eight battalions and eight iquadrons, which were made prifoners of war. It was an eflential poft to preferve, as it co- vered the army in that part, and prevented Prince Ferdinand from advancing, who was too prudent to . , leave fuch a poft behind him. The difgrace of this ^'' M3 %, . balb i <-, .1^6 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1758. bafe capitulation was made ftill more apparent hy ^he conduft of a corporal qf the regiment of Lyon- ^^nois, whofe name was la Jcunefle.. Enraged at fccipg that he was going to be icd away prifoncri with his comrades, to Magdebourg, he fpirited them ^p fo much, that he colleded together fifteen hundr«d^of them. At the head of this band he forced the poft of the enemy that was oppofite ;o hi(ii, made his way through it, and rejoined with his corps the army of the Count of Clermont. \Ve are fprry that we cannot inform the reader what reward wa$ given to ' fin ad^ioH fo generous, worthy pf the times of herolTtti.: ^ut all the officers who had fign^d the furj-cq^pri of the place were deprived gf thpir employ mcnt§. ^M. tie Morangies, Lieutenant General, who comprm[tde4 ,there, was exiled to fifty leagues diftance froni PariE; and M. de Maifoncelle, Lieutenant Colpnel't^fiti^e regiment of Clermont-Prince,;;\yas fent to th<;icitadcl ., of 7^ Peiite Pierre, in Alface. TJie Covflt 4^ -la. ^1 jpuiche alone, iiot being included in the capitplarCion, which he refund to fjgjti, had the permimpft|p/$^y (,^Jjiis court to the King. ,. m' { . Unfortunatelv, the Prince ctf Clermont, who wa^ - Abbe of Saint Germain des Prez, underftopd no more how to condud his army than his monies. He ,]h.ajd not genius, enough for the command, and he . <5 jhad to . do with an adverfary fo (kilful, that^he ^-pould not have kept head againft him for a'!lQi>g "** '' time, had he even beenieconded as well asi;he>c(^]4 ^ be. It was this knowledge of the incapacity^^f fijs ^Highnefs, which undoubtedly gave occafion tp^a ^-v.^c« mot of the Count de Saint Germain, bold,' ami even cynical, but too true. This General Ofhceri al- V*y? ajert, ^ gnd always comrpifliQijed ^o difcover the tr :0 J LEWIS xv/ : ^ twmy> httvihg received the vifit of an Aid-dc-camp • fronn.tbe Prirtce of Conde — who was commiflloned to ' ^tfkQikim in what quarter the enemy was—the Count ■i took a glafs, gave it to him, and pointing it toward hcad-quari;crs, faid, Look jiedfafily, that is the fpot t where tkf enemy is. A prognoftic too true of the i evils which foon after poured upon the French arrqf , by the lofs of the battle of Crevelt, and the taking V of DuOfeJdorp. ;»■/'" ' ^?-'' *>'^ ifThis defeat occafioned the greateft concern at - VerfaiJles. The Dauphin, who knew the turn of the French). and the difcouragement the troops mull ne- ■' cefTarily /edy Was particularly affedted with the (lain it reflc^^djon the name 6f Bourbon. He conceived ^ the m^^ pcojed of c^acing it inftantly. He wrote •<, to the Kipg, and afked his leave to put himfelf at ^the head of the beaten enemy. He urged in his let- Iter the moil powerful motives to perfuade him } he J foreil»Utd the objedions that might be made to his f. refoilution, proteiling he would do nothing but with N the advjf^ of the General Officers. " I am certain," faid. he, in the conclufion of his letter, <' there is not ?.i?f a i?rcnchnnian, whofe courage will not be revived, r j« ijijad jwho^will not become invincible at the fight of -*** yQwr only Son, leading them on to battle,*^ His '- ^ugiift .father returned the following anfwer : ** Your • i* jlepcer. My Son, moved me even to tears. We y >••* «iuft ROt . fuffer ourfelves to be deprefled by mif- j ** fpr^yries. .Desperate evils require defperate remc- < " dies. This is only a trifling check. I am de- ^ ** lighted to find in you the fentiments of our ancef- " tors, but ;t is not yet time for me to part witl\ «' yop.'^ ■' In 1^ importAAt ict-ter, we fee how much the M 4. King I7j8. 1^ THE PRIVATE LIFE S July. Aug. T75S. King was imporcd upon. This action had been re-* • prefented to him as a mere check, which was a com- plete rOMt, which made us lofe in one day, more than fourfcore leagues of territory, and all the advantages that had been gained fince the beginning of the war. If the Dauphin, however, did not obtain what he ^(ked for, he prevailed at lead in having the com* mand taken from the Count de Clermont ; who re- turned to Paris with the burlefque title oi Gennal tf the Bfnedi^ines!* , His Highnefs had reHgned the grmy to the Marquis of Contades, the elded Lieute- nant General, whom the favourite caufed to- be ho« noured with the baton oi Marfhal of France, not as a reward for what he had ck)ne, ' but in expectation certainly of what he would do, or rather to favour the Prince of Soubifc, his younger brother* for whom ihe wilhed to procure the fame dignity. The battle of Lutzelbjerg, in the country of Cafleh which the lattejr gained over an army of Hanoverians^ Heflian^ and Engliih, furniihed the lucky pretence for this; Voltaire obferves, that the Parilians, who had com^ plaifled fo loydly agaihft this General, beaten at jlolbach) fcarce condefcended to talk about this yic*^ tory., The faA is, that his defeat had been attended \yi;h the mod dreadful confequences, and that he knew not how to avail himielf of his vidtory, which was rendered ufelefs by the fuperior t^ents of the enemy. This is in general an obfervation we may jpake iiuring the whole of this war, in the courfe oF ijOol. 'it of; * I ^ * There were alfo many epigrams and verfes compofed. We fhall tolled the beft of theie pieces, which often contain very fmportaat hiftorical information, in the Appendi;;;, No. XI* We ihaU add to them fome previous compofitions of the' fame kind againil the Pripce of. Soubifc ahd Mwflial RicheUeu. which. ••^ . ^ O F LEW I S' XV. Mihich, the French reckoned almoft as many events, in honour of their bravery and intrepidity, and gained almoft as many battles as their enemies^ The Utter were fcarce defeated but they rallied again, and foon appeared afrefh in a more formi- dable manner} whereas the leaft reverfc of fortune deprefled the French, put them to flight, and brok? them for the reft of the campaign. The want of the |>rinciple8 of the art among their Chiefs, their bad difpolitions, their inattention to refourccs, in cafe of a check or a complete defeat, the little confidence the troops had 'n them; all thefe circumflances, Joined to the natural charaftei' of the nation, foon inflated with fuccefe, and ftill more eafily difcouraged by adverfity, concurred in producing this difl^erence. Vf^The frequent changes of the Generals contributed tntich to it alfo. M. de Contades was loon fuc- ceeded by the Duke de Broglio, who was created Marftisii of France. The Ihort period of M. de Contades' command was marked only by the battles of Berghen and Minden. The firft had been gained hy the Duke de Brcglio s the latter loft under the orders of Contades, and while he was perfonally prefent. It was more fatal and even tnore difgrace- ful than the battle of Crevelt. The fingular circum- ftancc of it is, that it might have been very glorir ous, the difpofitions of it having been well vmde j and M. de Contades complained, that it was the Duke of Broglio, who by his inaction had prevented the happy confequences of it. However this may be, thefe reproaches did not prevent the difgrace of the one, nor the promotion of the other, who was put over the head of more than one hundred ofTicers older than himfclf. When he had received the ; . 1 8 Dec. >759' 13 Ai I Aug, »75f« I »7o J7S9- ut |t has nqp " foreftalled either the proofs of hjs ftiperior talents, " or the eclat of his feryices, .or thc.fjjfifragesof the ** public. If this had bieen the immediate re>yai;4 -** of the brilliant vi(5lory of JBer^ghen, the enemy " would certainly not have had to objcdt.to us the " fatal day of Minden." .^U this vi^asntrue.} >but»he had a brother. Count Brpglio, who was (lis advifer, Jiis Mentor, whom he could^npt do without, and whp did him much injury. Jealous, .envious, turbule^^, ^afty, lofty, and harihjjie w^s as jmi^ch ^etefted by the troops as his elder .brother, was b(^lpvedj:>y ^jiemj; ^and the fubjeftion of,thiapn,e to Kis younger hrothci> muft often Jiave made ;him lofc xJ^i^j^i^c^va^tagc.QfJVjp own ^ood qualities. . ' ,L*..4 >ii \v .mid • TheMarihal fignalized his ^j^poii>tnr\ent by th^ yidoiy of Corbach,.oyer a dct^chnoe;i.t jpf Jp^Qpp lianoverians. They were cqmmande^-4py jt^e rWwcr ^itary Prince of Brunfwick j and this ypung hero, rafhly. inripetuous, t»avi^ tjegun the ,f Aion before Pripce Ferdinand coi^ld ,.cojpe up .to his aflift^^ce, wfis obliged to, retreat, and leave the entrance into Hefle open, obtai^in^ nothing from his valour but ^ fliot "in the loins. The defection of, Count ^aint Germain, which happened a little afjtcr, was too ample a compenfation for thefe advant^es in, the CKS of connoiije^urs. |je /ent back , Jiis fed f ib^ and and O F iLE Wji P W. 171 j6oa. ..and.hisrl^reyeisHQ the Ki^g, and weAt over to jtbc-fer- 1760. viccof Denmark. He w^s an exeellcnt officer, the lofs ' ,of whom was, attributed to the intrigues of Count ^rc)g)io. He could have lived very well with the >Marfhal, whofe talents and capacity he efteemed, .fei^t, he could not-lbear, that he Aipuld in fome fort j)e the tool and pupil of his younger brother. u..:! jj^ Tihe^battle pfRhinbcrg, on the- Lower RhiDC,:dc- fcrves to be mentioned, lefs ^on account of it's im- |)ort?ince^-thp^gh ^hat was conn.derable, fince the .Marquis de Caitres, who gave the ';battle, forced xhe fame Heredi^acy Prince to repafs the river and Ifaife the fiegeof Wcfel— ^than on account of a parti*- cular aftion, almoft forgotten iit. the time, but the memory of wlwch'pught to be immortal. M. le Chevalier d'Aflas, Captain in the regiment of Au- •vergnc, being fept ip the nightrtime upon a fcout, was.furprize-d by- aipatrole of the enemy: he was ordered ^to be filent; and they threatened to kill hiiXi, if he fpoke a wiord: he immediately cried out the louder i Qome h^e, Auvergnc-, the enemy are here / TKis generous -Curtius, who ought to have feen thcfe barbarians- falLat^ his feet with admiration, was mer- , cileisly maflacred. rir.! t^>---. '■•-''"■' 7 IV Other particular advantages grave, alittle confolation to the French forthe,lofles they experienced at that time in every other .quarter, and made them applaud the Marfhal. The. fine defence ofFrjtzlar, byM.de Narbonne, who obtained the honourable furname of the city, was then very much extolled. The Here- ditary Prince, who; profited as much by a defeat as by a vidory, was routed at Athenhayn, near Gfun- xi March. berg; an affair which caufed the raifing of the liege pf Caffel and the evacuation of HefTe, into which Feh, 176ft -**■/*# the S5 July. THE PRIVATE LIFE the ehemy had made a fudden irruption, and gave an opportunity to the Parifians to hear Te Deum fungj an ad: of thankfgiving to the Almighty, which we had not been able to render for a long tinie paft. Thus we remained matters of the Landgraviate, of -the city of Minden, and Gottinguen, and had a free pafTage into the eleftorate of Hanover, Affairs were in a very good fituation ; Prince Ferdinand, with all his ability, had only been able to retard the fuccefs of our arms, and delay for a fhort time, the jun(5tipn of Soubife's army with Broglio's j this circumftance gave the French fo great a fuperiority, that the Prince ought to have been crufhed, had not an unfortunate mtfunderftanding faved him. - , The two armies were in fight, and it was agreed upon to attack, but the queftion was, when, and how. Xhis is the difficulty of the problem. The Prince of Soubife accufed the Duke of \5roglio with having begun the attack too foon, in hopes of acquiring all the honours of the viftory. The Duke reproached the Prince with having loft him the vi^ory, by af- fifting him too late, or rather by not fupporting him at all, for fear he fhould gain it. Such was the dif- pute occafioned between thefe two Generals in the affair of Filing(haufcn, a village which was forced at firft by Marfhal Broglio, but retaken again the next day by Duke Ferdinand. We have alked the opinions of feveral officers, eye-wluiefles of this aftion, and have always been anfwered according to the parti- cular bias of each. But from the teflimonies, even of the partizans of Marlhal Broglio, we are induced to think that he was to blame. It is very probable, that hcfufFcrcd himfelf to be led too much by Count Broglio, : 5 F LEWIS XV. ,^ ! 173 Bfoglio, and gave way to his indifcreet, bold, and 176 1. ambitious advice. The nation was the fuffercf. "~— ~~ Thefe rivals, detefting each other, fcemed refolved to remain irtadlive the reft of the year. The two armies divided} Mirfhal Broglio retired towards Caffel, and Marlhal Soubife croffed the Roer. More in- tent upon their private quarrels than upon thofc of the State, they fent their refpeftive memoirs to Court. The latter had too powerful an advocate in Madame de Pompadour: his rival was recalled, and received 1762. a letter de cachet, which banilhed him upon his eftate* '» '***' The public, ever difpofed to pity the unfortunate, though little informed of the nature of the grievances, and liftening only to their efteem for the accufed, and their contempt of the accufer, decreed him an honour very capable of alleviating his difgrace. The day aftpr his exile, the tragedy of Tancred was played on the French ftagcj Mademoifelle Clairon aftcd the part of Amenaide, When ftie repeated the fol- lowing lines: •^^^-' - ^m t^g3« .^w i, io ,« i^iC n Oft art J . Tancred is banilh'd, wrong'd, and fpoil'd of C( fame 'ji i& ' '*. Bafe perfecution is the hero's lot t J3uqf fa ti rsiud, ja^v '•i:c^r,;?; 5K*-fl-,c,M yd fiifi * ** Oft Jipottiih Taneredtt en V exile » on P outrage ^^ \i^'\tt t " Cejf it/ort tTun hiros i*'«i>*Mhuk*M^ ■■bA«^i«HM|i^iitai -jri" t"h€ fublimc ^Gbved poured forth fudh- nobltf and penetratsiag modulations of voi^e, that alt the fpec- tators^ inapreflfed with the occurence (rf the day, felt? the application. The name of BFoglio was re- echoed from every quarter, and tiic ptay was fevcrat tinacs interrupted by plaudits, which were inceffantly renewed-. .i'\:^ ibf 0f 6f LEA;^rs XV. r of fhe war by lafrtd, it is time to- retcrrn M the Mo- narch, who' is the chief objeiSt of this work, ta irnqmrt lAto his heaf t, to dive into his councils, tfo (JtJfcribe Ms Cburf, and to unfold all the comnnotiortis of it/ Coitinhotions, which are always frequent in this pHct iaf intrigues, of perfidy, of Wickednefs, and of abo- rtiinatipfis ; the number and vi6lence of which was inCr^stftd under the prefect dircumftances, notwith- ffartding the appearance of til'tti and tranquillity, bf the niultitude of competitors. Lewis XV. fihce the attempt hid been made tb aflaffinate him, without becoming a better Prince^, was only more melancholy and more pufiUanimons ^hart ever. Thofe who were about hirti, anxious to prevent a fimilar misfortune from happening a fe- *:ond time, contributed only to keep up his mrftriift ty too much caution. IfheWehta hunting, not 6itly no one was fuffcred to approach him, but, at- tentive to every look, as foon as any fpeftator what- ever was obferVed to difpleafe him, they ufed to give him notice, and he was obliged to withdraw. Bouc, the great Swifs, with the ox's eye, gave himfelf the airs to ftop every perfon who had the misfortune to difpleafe him ; he aiked him qtieftio'ns, and made him undergo a kind of examination; and if thij obftinate fellow was not fatisfied with the anfwerti he ufed to turn him back. OftentlmeS) \/hen th« fumes of wine had got up into his head, growing more infolent, he infulted people of rank. All this ^as to be fnpported, in faVDurofhis 2eal for hi* mafter, to wliom he was ufeful, as well as to the .pfihcipal dfficers of the guard. "' ''" "" ' •' "" One day, Demures, the door-keeper, a man no .4 i7$ 1758. THE PRIVATE LIFE .*^- lefs brutilh and blunt, who fettled the places z{ the Grand-Couvert, receiving reproaches from his Mar jcfty for the harlhnefs of his fp»2ech and his man- ners, anfwered him almoft a? coarfcly : Sir, It may he fit hut it will not be my faKi't if you receive afecond firoke. How indeed ihould he have avoided being fufpicious ? He faw himfelf betrayed by thofe of his Courtiers who were mod loaded with his fa- vours, his greatefl intimates, and his moft beloved friends— by Maillebois, by Richelieu, and by the Princes of his blood. The adtion brought by Mar- fhal d'Eflrees, at his return from the army, againft the former, which had at firft been meerly a vague report, left him no room to doubt : it became an acknowledged, notorious, and certain fad, that if the diipofitions of the General had been attended to at the battle of Haftembeck — if he had not been deceived by falfe intelligence, wickedly fuggefted to him in the middle of the aftion, the fuccefs of the day would have been complete. The Count was publicly named as the author of this treachery \ lus exceflive ambition and abomii:able jealoufy wer^ detefted. His fatlier-in-law, the Marquis of Pauimy, who, by his correfpondence and influence, had fomented the rr.uchinaiion, having bpCw difmifled fome mnths after, the public fpoke fl^U more boldly, ?'peci?lly when they faw that this Ge- neral Ofiijer remainfrl inpuniflied, an:! was even talked of iSr fevrr-il new employments. This con- tinuation of favour and fervices would certainly have beei. his beft juftification, under another Prince, and in other times; but his family an from the manner in which it was foftened. The, elder MaillebotS) upon this mournful occafloni hav' ing repaired to Verfailles to implore his Majefty's demency, the King^ full cf compaflionj wrqte him the following letter, though he. ffifufed, to ,fe^. him. ' " Your fon has forced me to do \ifh2t I have " done. I feel what the forrows of a father tnuft be ** on fuch an occalion. Spare me the pain of feeing ** you, it would only increafc your grief, without '' my being able to alleviate it. I Ihsll never for- get your fervices, and fhall always look upon you as a good and faithful fcrvant." r* -• .-i . This letter, fronri a Prince of a diipofition ib tho^ roughly mild, who was fo favourably inclined to the Count — folicited fo powerfully for him by her to whom he could refuf^ nothing, and prejudiced in favour of his talents by the Minifter of the War department, who regretted them — is to the eyes of all impartial perfons one of the mod inconteiiible proof) of his guilt. Notwithftanding this^ fome years aftei*, this rlluftrious prifoner ^as rclcaiiBd from his captivity, appeared again at Coult, obtained new appointmetttsj and perhaps we may fee him one day occupying a fedt among his Judges. ^^ The Cottntefs of Maillebois attraded to herfclf all the CompalHon which the public rcfufed her l^ulband, when fhe was (een forgetting his de- baucheries, with the humiliations and contempt Ihc ' '^ OF LEWIS XV. ftie received from him, in order to go and (hut 'herfelf up with him, and partake in his diigrace. •This puniflimcnt, which ftriftly fpeaking was not one — fince it was not inflifted by a regular fen- tcncc of competent judges — but in reality a con- trivance of the Miniftry to fcreen the Count from his fentence, defcribes, more exaftly than any thing *that could be faid on the fubjc4^, the want of prin- and by joining to the unavoidable ca- lamities of war the vexations and barbarities of an itifolcnt • conqueror — had been recalled, and, ex- ^riencing no more than a flight mark of diffatif- ^dioih he fbon obtained lettei-s-rpatcnt to go and fiommand in Guycnne. The Count of Langeron, Lieiitenanc-General, had been appointed to this poft, who, by his care and vigilance^ and by his ikilful difpofition of the troops under his command, when the Englilh fleet arrived before the Illand of Aix, had contributed to prevent the enemy from undertaking a defcent, This diligent officer was deprived of a reward \Yhich he h^d defer ved, in or- der tha? it Ihould be heftowetl upon the former, •4i^ N 3 ' whci ilf iZii IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ■^ I ^ 1.0 1.1 11.25 2.2 2.0 ^ ^ ^4 HiolDgFaphic • ScMices Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STMIT WIBSTEt.N.Y. 14580 (716) •73-4503 \ iV \ ;\ ■^ 6 SS2 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1758. who had incurred the difpleafurc of the Court, '-■ "' Marlhal Soubife, the objcft of the farcafms and iierifion of the capital, was well received at Ver- failles : he was acknowledged to be a bad Genera], tut an excellent Courtier. While ft ill covered with fhame on account of the affair of Rof^ach, he had repaired to Champ, the feat of Madame de J*ompadour, who was come there on purpofe to receive him. From thence, he went to fup with the King at Choifi. When M. de Paulmy was jFebrvarjr. difmiffed from the War department, he was ftili thought very fit for the Council j he prefervcd the , title of Minifler, his apartments at the arfenal, and a penfion of 50,000 livres*, 18,000 f of >vhich >vere fettled in reverfion on his wife and children. This was not the whole *. he had the fatisfadion' to treat for the office of Treafurer to the Order of the Holy Ghofl, and thus to decorate himfelf with the blue riband. Who would be apprehenfive of a difgrace upon fuch terms ? — Inftead of fending away ^he Count of Clerrpont to his abbey of Sainc Germain des Prez, to bewail there the misfortunes of France, increafed by his inattention ^nd want of (kill, an4 by the infamous and effeminate Jife he , l^d at the aripy, he was admitted as, freely as ever at Court J and remained the friend and companion pf thp King in his debaucheries,, by that fccret ^mpathy that reigped between them. It wa^ ^t this tirpe that a few allegorical yerfe^ were compofed, whicii prefent a lively and Ihort pic- ture of the evepts of the day. iiv*Jrti • Upwards of two thoufand pounds, -j- Seven hundred and fifty pounds. The ' ''■"OF LEWIS XV. ««.7 o) :i n... «l j!^ it^' bfti. The face of all things is revers'd above, tr i-iV Old Plutus ftruts a coxcomb, fpruce and neat j .[fc, Bonnets and caps are topics now for Jove, i-i , n3>«vti And Mars» a fmirking Abbe, quits the field *. Of i Sioqw 4 I" We may eafiljr guefs at all thefe perfons, except Plutuj. For this purpofe it is necelTary to know, that M. de Moras having refigned his poft of Comptroller General of finance, to devote himfelf entirely to the affairs of the navy, M. de Boulogne, Intendant of finances, had been appointed by his Majefty in his flead. The true reafon of this was, that the German war, being very expenfive, coft enormous fums of money i that M, de Moras, who had very few re- ' fources, was befides a difagreeable man to the Par- liament, which the Court were defirous of re-eftablifh- ing ; and it was hoped, that when a man was chofen who had been employed upon the fubjeft for thirty years, he might find means and expedients which the other could not. There was the moll urgent necefTity for fuch a pcrfon. The Government was fo deftitute of money, that they offered underhand eleven and a half per cent, intereft in England, to any perfons who would lend. The Lords of the Treafury there pro- raifed a reward of two hundred pounds fterling to any one who gave information of any citizen con- cerned in this loan, becaufe it is a crime of high^ 1758. * Aux cicux tout a change de facCn Plutus ell devenu coquet, Venus au confeil a pris place, Jupin opine du bonnet, Mercure endofle la cuirailb, ^( Mars eft en petit collet ! N4 «S Aug. treafoQ i94 -^S THE PRIVATE LIFE treafon to affift the enemies of the State in time? of open war. M. de Boulogne was an effeminate man. much engaged at his toilet, very nice about his head^ drefs, and elegant in his cloaths, but incapable of forming any plan. He created fonne places, and ef- (abliflied fome life annuities ; he raifed the price of tobacco, ^nd extorted fines from certain perfojis in ofHce; but, having nothing better to do, was dif^ YTiifTed in a year and a half. - • ^-'i M. de Moras, when freed fron^ the embarraffment of the adminiflration of finances, did not condufl the navy with better fuccefs. The efforts of England- were redoubled i the Mjnifler fent hotice of this tq the feyeral ports, to excite their adivity j but thofc of France were vifibly decreafing : the want of funds, to be advanced occafionally, and with difpatchr— . the capture of a number of pinks, and other J(hips of burden, belonging to his Majefty — the difcourage-. ment of trade, which ^yas more a^d more crufhed j — : the confufiph into which the department of Govern- ment had been thrown £^t Rochefort, and the Ubqurs thtf had yndepgone from the appearance of thft enemy at the ifland qf Aix, >vhich, tho\\gh it was noc ib fatal to us as it fhould have been, yet had at leai|. giyen the enemy t^is advantager— the fearcity of i^ilors, which had been increased by the contagious- diflemper prevailing at Breft in the fleet of M. Du-. bois de la Mothe> which, in three months time, had parrjcd off three thoufand fix hundred and twenty- phc'men in that city-^the forces of the department of Toulon, rendered ufdefs by the (kill of the En- glifh, or by the ignorance or cowardice of our Com- jpandcrs j— rthefe feyeral circumftances concurre'd tQ pav^ ^hc way for the difaftcrs of the njiaritime cam-r ■^ O F LEWIS XV. :j paign of 17 5 S : the inability of coming out in fuf- jicient force, obliged us to have recourfc to the ftra- tagems fuggefted by weaknefs, and to fubflitute to vigorous meafures cunning and little contrivances. After having employed near a twelvemonth in getting ready, at this lad port, the fquadron of M. de la Clue, confiding only of fix (hips of the line * and two frigates, this Commander had fet fail in Novem- ber 1757, and, not daring to force the paflage of the (traits, where he had met with an Englifh fleet of fupcrior ftrength, had anchored at Carthagena on the 7th of December, under pretence of taking in water. He was foon blocked up there, in flich a man- ner that the Miniftry refolved to fit out fome more ihips to join him, and put him in a condition to make head againft the enemy. The Marquis Du^ quefne was diarged with this commiflion : he hotded his^Bflg on boatxl the Foui^royatrti of 80 gun^ ; and -was gccompanidd by thp Orfbh, of 64 ; the Orrflamme, of 50 } ai)d the Pleya^f, a frigate of 36. Thefe ihips,' rn con}und:ion with the former, might havfe done a great deal I feparately, they were of no ufe. The Otpbit^tA ta|;en within fight of M. de la-Clue, who did not think it prudent to hazard a general engage-r rncnt. The ftdion, as one account f^s, pa/Ted (b near the Haype, that the French fliips were all filled with fpe6tators upon the yards, and at the top of the mads. This veflel at lead furrendered only tq one of equal force, and when die faw herfelf expofed to the attack of another that was comrng up. But the circumdance which wiU fix an eternal oppro* * The Oceam, of 74 guns ; the Rideutahlit of 80 ; the Gutrriet^ pf 74; the CiHUmrtt of 741 th€'C'«/f«6 of 64 ; aod the ^i^»P»^ fame, of ^o, 'r ^ — r^ ^'-~ --r i- •• ■ '■J- ' brium ««5 1758. 18 Feb. fti THE PRIVATE LIFE ifci, brium on Duquefne, was, that he ftruck to the MoH" mouth, a (hip greatly inferior. This was the firft in- ftance of a floating caftle of 80 guns having fubmitted in fuch a manner. It was, if we may be allowed the expreffion, Goliab conquered by David, The (hip was conducted in triumph to Gibrairar; and theEn- glifh faw, with fatisfadlion, in their power, that proud Governor, who had done them fo much mifchief in America, and treated them with fo much haughtinefs. After this unfortunate expedition, the voyage of M. de la Clue — whofe objed was to go to the Ame- rican iflands,and from thence to Louiftjourg— already too much retarded, was now entirely prevented, and he thought himfelf fortunate to re-enter Toulon with his fleet. This check totally difconcerted the pro- jects of Government in the Mediterranean ; and Ad- miral Holbourne, under whofe aufpices the adtion had pafled, was congratulated, and received, at his re- turn, the thanks of the Parliament, in the name of the nation. ;• ,;it3«.:.% ward Hawke* It intercepted the feveral merchant- men fent from Bourdeaux, la Rochelle, ;and Roehe- fort, and impeded the communication of this laft port with that of Breft. At this time it was that the ^aifiitahle, a new ihip of 64 guns, commanded by the .j^t^evalier de Rohan, was taken. Having fet out with thQ Prudent y under the command of the Marquis Def- gouettes, with three frigates, fitted out as pinks *, and two pinks belonging to the King, he had flip* \ ,ped away with all his convoy. They were already * The Diane, the Fidelt, and di« MMtlnt% The two pinks were ^ the Mejfager and the Cktvrt, r .* , off 3f:0 F LEWIS XV. I . off Cape Ortogal, when, by an unfkilful raanoeuvrc, .the Chevalier dc Rohan ftruck fo forcibly againft the .Meffager, that this pink of three hundred and fifty tons burthen opened and fank. The crew only was faved. The Raifonable herfelf, much damaged, was obliged to ftand in for Port I'Orient, and after having been repaired, the Captain, to complete his cataflro- phe, on going to Breft, fell into the hands of the enemy, and (Iruck his flag without much refinance. Such a condudt — for which at leaft he deferved cen- fure, on account of his remarkable awkwardnefs — hath not prevented this great Nobleman from being made Lieutenant General, under the name of Prince of Montbazon, or even from obtaining the command at St, Domingo. The only punilhment inflidcd upon him, was, not to intruft him with another Ihip. i.t>jNQtwithftanding fo many unlucky incidents, dif- afters, and faults, either on the part of thofe whofe bulinefs it was to give- the orders, or of thofe who were commilTioned to execute them, the northern colonics were plentifully fupplied with provifions, troops, and ammunition^ in proper time j but hot without enormous lofies. In order to roake one vcf-^ fel pafs, it was neccflary to facrifice four. It was fleceflary to have recourfe, at great expenccs, to neii-i tral bottoms, which were not always honeft, aod whofe intereft it was frequently to let themfelves be taken, in order to increafe their profits. ' Stratagems of every kind had been employed ; Ihips were ven- tured alone, or fmall convoys fent from the leaft^fre- quented ports j advantage was taken of dark nights, of fogs, and even of high feas and tempeftuous fea- fons, in which it was hoped there would be no op-r pofition from the enemy. While there was an *t7 i7S«. 9 March* 168 THE PRIVATE LIFE *75'« appearance of preparations for an embarkation of ~" troops and ammunition in the weft, the tranfports and vefTcIs of burthen flipped out of the weftern pores, or through thofe latitudes from which the Engliih had been driven by a guft of wind. Having efcaped the vigilance of the European cruifers,thbfe tff the northern feas were next to be eluded. The fogs of Newfoundland, and the ice of the river St. Lawrence, dangers which defpair alone, or the moft infatiabio lifting of two fhips and one frigate * ; but one of tliefe fhips being very much damaged, and unable to proceed, had returned to Breft. The fecond, more considerable, was (x>mmanded by the famous Beauf* (ler i he had with him four ftiips of the line And one fVigate f; thefe forces were not fufficicnt to op- pofe thofe of the Englifh ; neverthelefs, it is well khowH) that the defence of a colony depends thiefty lipon a powerful fleet. BeaulTterwas not only un- able to fight that of the Engltffa, which conMed of 33 Ihips of the line, and 8 frigates^ but he could not even uppear before it, retard, or impede it's difemt \>stkm 9 ft / \'i %'-'f i^i ^^itaa^ aRi p.ie j ii|t WCFC i^d* THE PRIVATE LlfE 175 8. ' were certainly neccflary, to rcfifl: the impctuofity 61 ' the French, to climb a rock without any protcftion, and to fix upon it, notwithdanding the fire of ^ formidable artillery. . j,,.tK^ "As foon as the befieged faw the enemy firmly' cftablifhed on ihore, they took the only expedient' they had left, which was, to fhut themfclves up in Louifbourg. M. de Drucourt, Captain of a (hip, was the Governor of it j he defended himfelf with much bravery and perfeverance, as was expefled of him : but there is one anecdote we mufl: take care not to omit, which is, that Madame Drucourt fe- conded her hufband by her courage. Continually upon the ramparts with her purfp in her hand, and firing herfelf three guns every day, (he feemed to difputc with him the honour of his duty. The efleft of this reliflance ought to have been the faving of the colony, if the fuccours promifed from Canada had arrived, or if fome had come from Europe. The feeble effort was only made offending there the Formidable, of 80 guns, commanded by Commodore M. de Blenac. He conveyed M. de Villepatour,. an officer of artillery, even then in high eftimatlon, and whofe reputation has been conftantly increafing ever fmce. But this Ihip did not fail 'till the nth of ' May, and came there to aft the fame part as the Vigilant had done, in the preceding war : upon it's arrival, the place w^s already invefted j this circunl- ftance might have been fufpefted at Court, and, iri- ftead of trufting this expedition to a cold and timid man, as M. de Blenac was, they fhould have ap- , pointed an intrepid Commander, an ardent, and even a ralh ehthuiiafl, fuch a one, in a word, as he whb was defbined for the artillery, and who unfortunately OF LEWIS XV. «?' ;> was no more than a paflcngcr on board. What a I755» matter of concern muft it not have been to M. dc Villcpatour, when he faw himfclf brought back into Europe, fruftrated of the honour he was ambitious of acquiring ? Accordingly, M. de Blenac, fatisfied with the information he received, that an Englifh fquadron blocked up the port, without making any attempt to get pad it, and without being defirous of taking a perfonal obfervation of the enemy, or at leaft of verifying the reports that were brought to him, tacked about, and returned fafler than he had come. From that time the befieged loft all hope of cfcaping the enemy. The bad fuccefs of the Tallies they at- tempted at feveral intervals, together with the Ikil- fulnefs of the operations concerted by Admiral Bof- cawen and General Amherft, who commanded the land forces, rendered it neceflary to capitulate, before an aflault was made, which could not poffibly be . fuftained. The Governor was very unwilHng to yield himfelf and his garrifon prifoners of war, but he was forced to it by the intreaties of the principal tj juiy* commiflary, and the tears of the inhabitants. The capitulation was honourable -, and the conqueror, fays the Abbe Raynal, Jhewed more refpe SI for the enemy, and for himfelf, than to fully his glory by any a£l of barbarity. Before the furrender of the place, the whole of M. de Beauflier's fquadron, confifting of five fhips» had been either burnt or taken, which rendered the conqueft ftill more important. It was a frefli blow given to the French navy, which tended to annihi- late it totally in a (hort time. Befides, the capture of Cape Breton facilitated the conqueft of Canada in r i h ! 19a THE PRIVATE LIFtl ij$9, the enfuing year i for it hid at lead been retardf4 " this reafon by the vigoroui defence of M. Drucourt. M. de Moras had not the misfortune of feeing his adminiftration marked by the lofs of thts im- portant coIooy> the firfl difmembering which the dominions of France experienced. He had juft re- t June, fignedi and it was the Marquis de MafTiaci Lieutenant General in the fca fervice, who was appointed his fucceflfor j in conformity to a new planj fettled by Ad** ^inillration, of intruding each department to a man ivho had gone through the inferior ranks> and was grown old in the fervice *. This had furniflied a pretence for expelling M. de Rouillc, whom Ma* dame d« Pompadour had raifed from the naval de- partment to that of foreign affairs, and whom fhe had juil lent back to the fuperintendanceof the Pods. He was thus made to remove, at pleafure, from one ofHceto another. Upon this occafion, the Mar^ chionefs was defirous of promoting the Abbe Count de Bernis to his pod } whO) as he had been intruded ,; • , with fevcral embaffies— was the author of the treaty of Vienna— >and had been introduced fome time fince into the Council, Teemed to poflefs all the qualiH- cations neceifary to Hll the department to which htf ivas appointed, with propriety. We havejuft feen* that, in conformity to the fame fydem, M. de Bou'' logne had been created Comptroller General. Mar^ ihal Belictfle, who was the indigatof of this plan, and had Ibggeded the idea of it to the fsivourite, had been guided in this propofal by perfonal motives. It * At that tilfte thdv wm a nanofcript letter lianded about ttpon the fubjeft, which was tery droll, vtry exaA, and worthy of being preferred. It will be /bund la the Appendix^ N* XII. 3 was OP L 6 W 1 S XV* Wn indircAly pointing himfelf out for the War de- partment, which he had jud obtained ; but as his ambition was ftronger than his health, he had, at the fame time, required an aflfociate; this was M. de Cremille, lieutenant General of the armyi a crea- ture of his, who was to affift him in the detaili and functions of his ofHce, and to work with his Ma- jeily, either in conjundion with himTclfi or icparately^ according tQ circum(Unces. The nayy^ more shdn any other departinenti Teemed to call for a man of (he profeHion at it's itead i y/hich occafioned tKe ap« pointmciit of M. de Mafliac. The following is the manner in which this happened ; for there is nothing buk ^ood or bad fortune in the world, and efp^ially gt Court* It is our chief obje^ to give an account •f th«ic iprivate icenes > they contribute to furnifti us widhianpidbure of (he morals and chara6^cr of i^crf period of the reign of Lewis XV. . t/When the incapacity of M> de Moras -hiid been acknowledged, though undoubtedly rachcr too late> the Cotincil aflfembled sit Madame de Pompadour's^ to appoint his fucceflfon It teing determined to chooie ihim from among the naval officers, a Royal Afananac was opencdj atld the propereft peifon was fearchedfor* With regard to the two ViceAdmiraISi €>ne 'Of them being almoft ninety years of age, re- quired nothliig but reft i the dtheri of in illtrftripusi name> eif flender talents, «nd very ignorant-scarce knowing h6vi to read and write — was befidcs toot much puffed up with his birth, not to confidcr every civil departmenti even that of Secretary of State, as beneath his dignity* He had juft been created MarftuU of France, and, from the beginning of the war, had been a third was a man of mean excfadbion, a fourth did not underftand the navy better than a Maltor of Rcquefts. Uncertain upon whom the choice fhould fall, aperfon prefent faid, *5:Madam, without trou- bling yourlelf any: more about the mattcr>. here is a man. at hand, who will fuit extremely wdW<^hefis an antiept LieutenantrGenenl, is nch^V^iuid has been at Court for- this long whtleuil > Haviingi a great eftate to manage^ he has already foaic< nations *' of admimftration ; hehh: prudent, qoplfi noc pfe- funaptuousi will be tradable, andr neady tp ^o everything that is required of him*^ J[tisjM>4c "Maffiac... Bcadcs,^' added he» *Vfi;)Cfi,lV|4r&al Bej\)eifl& lias been deGrov^s pf haviogaa a^i^)^t> onc^piay alfo be gly€qi><0 kim» in thi: p^ifOA of^ a VI?* man of gr^at merits and w1k> lias thip: honour «f beWqgjng to you jX vp^an jM. I^orn>^n6 1$ MWi» formerly Intendant at JRochefor^ {f^^iprtffrjf^^n- ^:rf^ tendant of the nayal armaments, lie |^;Q£ .,., The cc yt fC ^ • The p^opoflng of M. le Normant, was attacking the favourite by her foible. It was, befides, prevent- ing all contradiftion ; no one would venture to op- pofe the fuggeftionS of a partizan of M. d^ MafTiac. His advice was unanimoufly followed. This officer, propofed to the King by the favourite, became tht idol of the moment ; but he was obliged to accept for hiis afliftant the perfon above mentioned^ under 'the title of Intendant General of the Navy and tht Colonies, This experiment was not calculated to juftify the fyftem that had juft been eftabliihed. The navy would never have been worfe managed than at that period, when it wa3 governed, for the ♦firft time, by two men, taken, one from it's own 'Corpsi ^nd th« other from Adminiftration^ if M. de BetTyei* had not immediately lucceeded them. M. de MtfliaC, naturally Indolent j of an infirm habit, and 'hypoe)i6ndriac&l, was every morning enniployed at '*6thiHg''e'lfe but his toiletj or in the care of hit health. B'(^iAgi befides, a ir^eak man, he did not dare to affume %ith Wis tortiradeS the dignity which he acquired -frorh hii office. He had married a certain Madame 'GdiirdaniwJdbw of^ Firft Clerk, a gameft^r by pro- ^i^bhi and whb admittedy without diftin^bioni at h<^r "l)6*ufej itl thofe wrelf^— the peribn i)f ftdifgraced MiAifler, and wrefted,,tfi fbmc - iheafilirei from >His Majefly the,peirBBiirio.n.of p^Jfi^g bis court to liinti. v .- n. < f During tiie fhort time of his adniiniflration, France^ klJEt not only LouiA^oui^ with thQ iil^md^ )of . Cape Breton tod St. John^ Init a^ the ion of Fron- tenac in Ajnerica, of Senegal and Goree iOiB iChe coaf)r of Afirica : :and in India, Couiit d* Ache, with fuperior fortti, .ified;ivith his flag before that of tt|e en^myi and France wxta three tiijiesii^ulted jii||Qn hptyf^^n- CDafts.v^i;:/fiiil tovniiji-j^iin 'in:iilh ''.■^:kf' r^^^' mT-*' 5 June. ^ The iluft i^tnt was by Lord Anfon, who> yf}xh tweQ£y*^c«i!Oi;fhips of the IMe, anchored ilB/tl^)B^ ■of -Cflm»lle, near Sainv^^Q^s, and Jian iii|f the lUafl: /eheck. JM- coaflemf^ioa (hey ,, had ' ((pretel^heFemttyL^ judged 'pf'i^yitbis^idiiQ^^ >Mtt enfipi|a|k«l gnandate^^hci 9ii)}^^ H^pku^f- ' / 'SOiUJ'JLu OJlO dered I) '^r OF LEWIS XV. ffercd" a fokmn proceflton by way of a thankrgiving for the departure of the enemy. Through the me- dium of thefe religious rodomontades, wc may readily difcorer the panic with which ho was : " Let usp'oife the Lord with timbrels, let us praifi ** him with drums, b?c, for God has broken the ** armies', for in the camp, in the midfi of the peopki ** he hath delivered me out of the hands of thofe that *^ perfecttted me%** ■-»-■■ ii'-ii-iw^u >'.*; ;-^r»r.T' cannot but perceive in it *'^^deiit marks of Qo^'s protection of this city.. *' You have taken all the precautiohs that courage^ aiid cthey havo» O 1 " done .^ Sapietitem, beroat pofteritati commenddL . This infcription was thus parodied by a land . '-.04 officer, iiliL Li rJ*. €t €€ r HK PRIVATE LIFE officer, who caufed his to be engrayed «|nd)N^ ^ it.. . .vr^yl . " ILcwis, and Flcuri^ and Aifcld, muft now yield* ** to George, to Pitt* to Bligh, and to Howe. The <^ work of a century has been deftroyed by 4 puff: '^ as well as the pride of the King, of the MiniftePf ; ** and of thjfi Hero/! .^.^.^^ ^,5,1^4 ybfi-viiir -rym 7\>v\^ The fpoils of France, the military trophies '. which we have mentioped .above) were carri«d iiii triumph through London a week afterward^b and) condu£^ed to the ToWer, r-!rt.v ^Ai>4>'*ii'>' If General Bligh had contented himfelf Willi > this yi(5tory> he would have been the idol of EngvRti land, {o great was the joy and fatisfa^ion it oc*"!; cafioned : , but on the 4th of September, haiiringii; inade another attempt upon Saint 3rieux, ip Bliri> tany, the boldnef^ of the Engliib was chaftizcd Iq.e this third defcent executed by them f the pidt«:x d'Aiguillon came up with them on tM f(th asf\ 3aint Cas, obliged them to re^embark with pre- q cipitation, took 700 pfi|bners> and occafioned thei^ |ofs of more than 4)Oo6 nreo, killed or drowned, oi They had landed thirteen thoufand, of which num^ 3 ber icarce 8,000 efcaped, h tn-dv ,^ii^i:^Li ^^ua^i The French^ in thetir turti, kughed ttt theif ri*fl? valsj they made foi)g& t6 the glory of die conr v4 queror, and, pUying Opfen the words they fai^i that sii fhe fftemy ba4 Hih Sfivm uiMy^ i ^randf cwpfi^ fAigHillonf* Unforttmatrfy, this viftory ferved % ^ OP LEWI'S 'XV. a 20f ■V tmff U) preveht tny further mifchicf, but did ffoc repair the damage already done on our coafts. fhe Britifh Government had, at any rate, fulfilled it's principal objeft, which was to hinder us, by ikch jdarms, from unguarding our coafts, and from itinfdrcing btir armies in Germany. They had obliged us to keep our troops continually upon the w&tch, and in motion, and thus brought expenccs upon us, tending toi make, our finances ftiU worfe^ which they already knew were in an extreme bad ftate. They weni indeed fo much reduced, that France wa& ortly able to form one maritime enter- pHze during M. de Malftac's adn^iniftration ; an cnterprizc which was undoubtedly a very feeble ofife ; but would have proved very ufeful, if it had been crowned with that fuccefs which feemcd un- avoidable. In the month of September, a fhip and two frigates nfrere fitted out at Breft, for z fe- rr^reaKpedidon, as it ^as called. In faft, it was fo^^' and #a»^eil condu£^ed withfo much myftery, that it^cfcaped the utmolt vigilarice of the enemy's ipies. We poltpbne the curiour details of it to a parti^sulslr Jktcoimt J. In this place, we fhall only givei a ilimmary relation of it. The intention was^'f to intercept the ihips of the En^ifh Eaft India ' Company, by a cruize eftablifhed off the Iflarid of Saint Helena, where they muft neceflarily touch on their return "hrtrtie, to receive a fliip for convoy,,, Kotwithfbabding all the obftacles which the planf hadfufffcwd; ffi ^as fo excellent a one; that we i75». might have furprized about ten of thofe veflfels, < 1 1( will be iQferted in the A]»|)endix of tlw fonrth volome* ' ■.^^j.t^ma^Ui'^^i^^^a' . ■ whof? I aoa THE PRIVATE LI,FE 1758. ivhofe cargo was worth more than twenty-two mH- ^ — — lions §. But mifundcrftandings, jcaloufies, and wiv«. ,. ikilful manGBUvres, made the project fail ; and thq French fquadron experienced the fhame and morti- . fication of ifeeing themfelves afterwards at anchor,^ In a neutral porCi along fide of thofe very Eng-; ■ lilh, whQ,infultcd them for .their inability. ,,^.s. .i^^^„, The pitiful condud of M. de Ma(Iiac> and the,, fhort time of his adminiftration,^ difgufted the. Court from intruding the naval department to a man of the profeiTion^ They returned tp tl^c Maf- ters of Requefts, and M. de Berryer obtained \x^. I N9Y. Every body was confounded with aCbonifhment at this newsi people alked each other^ whether the intent was abfolutely to complete our rqin^ by employing fuch a Minifter, in the preient in[>7 portant crifis of the Colonies, and of .jiava} affairsj, This perfon, who had but lately been ,tal^cn, frpp^ - the police, had never given proofs of any qftholf talents required for the delicate poft ^o whic$ lip was raifed. He was, befides, deftitute of, humanity, .' harjh, blunt, and. even brutilhi was deteiled i|i^ ,'«veKy office he had filled j and had fip othc^r,,m^ri^^ th^n bjeing fervilely devoted to the f^vouri^ej^ aqd ejfQeflJvcly abjed to every perfon of vhofc affiftancp hejlpod in need. She had introduced, him to the (Cpuncil of Difpatches, ,and foon. after to the Coi^- '. ci^of State, that Ihe might fecure anpt;ber J vQtCjiai ihsrfelf in that Body j and efpecially a ./py# ,abl(?^ to . giv^e her an account pf all that ihpj^- ter) but at the fame time, afhamed of fuch » precept. tor, in order that it might not be knownr from ' whence, or how, he acquired his maritime 'princip]es> ' ht made him come up fecrfctly into his clofet by »' private ikircafe, and at times when the Fird; Clerks ' ixtere not likely to meet with him. This manage^'' ment continued for fome time without creating fuf->''' pieien; In the mean while, this counfellor of M.'^ Beirycr, availing himfelf of the circumilanCe to gra-'' tify his privite animofities, purfued his re^nge in a" cruel 'manner. Every poft conveyed rtienacing let-'' fcrs agalnft the Commanders, difmiffionSi and cafiiifer-^ in^^ofOfllcers, againil whom there were ohty*^ vague ' c6Mip!li$ilt^ of long Itandiog, or uflktte(l;edl-The^^- fQmi^ (^ tbefe op^fllons wa» at length dlfeovtred, - \ .lltCF LEWIS XV. T and the Minifter ims obliged to diigrace thu littk Scjanus, who in hit way had already done a (groac deal of mischief, and had colledled pecuniaiy rfr- ¥Nirds, which were certainly very ill crap]oyed» (aiid might have been reckoned among thofe burtheBibane profusions the Minift«r wiflied to fuppreft. While M. Brrryerfs attention was thus moft icf»- ouily engaged in thefe little deutls-^while he was difmifitng fome officers of the civil department- retrenching the appointments of others— and dimi- niihiflg the profits of the contradtorsj whofe accounts were examined afrefh — the enemy were beating" our iquadroTis-->completing the ruin of our navy-*itili6- ing iGuadalupe, Quebec, Martinico, all Canada, and Pondicherry-^and were continually >infuHing/iMj even in our own country. The £ngli(h,^extendhig their views of conq^eft-ili prc^ortion as ' their rivals were, enfeebled, after xhc captureof Cape Breton, not only en tertained thovghta of reducing all our poiTcffioDS in Noixh Ameriosi, but) even of beginning the invaiion of our ^u^v^ i^nds. Marcinico, the moil important of theTciy from its fituation- to windward, and tht center . of- all the other JCands in tlwefe' latitudes, was. the, one that diilurbed them moft. Being full ofmerchants, and feafafii^ people, it was able to (}^Tn\fk fuccours of « mfp, vm^ and.provifions, fwhi^h reached the^tlace r ojf tMrdeftinaCiLon in four-and-twenty hours, with ( a moral pertainty of not being intercepted* not with- ? Itaifiding th? ftreogjth and multiplicity of the Jlipar > drftns t^mploy^dito impede this communie^tiom -: pT*.t Xhk wath6hi. It is proved, even by the avowal of the Eng- Ijfh^ that if the Marquis of Beauhamois had s^ppeared y6ne hour fooner, Guadalupe would not have fudlen ^into tiieir liands. The French Generals wji^-e then J the more culpable, as the fituation of the place, and ^he" c^ct/mftahces,- feemed to deprive the enemy of ^^ithcroeahstifoppofingthcm. Such was the ina^ion ^^pf the Britifli fleet, "that being detained at Dominica y/fornean eleven weeks, it remained a quiet fpedator :j6frfie captures ixiadc by the privateers of Martinico, jJw)io carried oflT, almoft in their fight, more ,thai> i[^^i)ety mierchantmen of their nation, ^(^ ' Thc4)cfiegers had lofl- their General, rucceedcd1)y j^Generi^^jpingtonj^ who being hinofelf feizcd with ^|hc gouti in the foot, the hand, and the fttonadi. -v^'i could 1 aon THE PRIVATE LIFE }7S9* could only give icppcrfipd orders. His Htilc arnif Yf»s To pfiuch (aiigvicd by comlnml labour, that be sMay. re^diJy ^cepted die prx>poial jo£ a capitulation, ao4 {framed the mofl: Jipnourahle tcrins, AOt(in Qonfideiv- iitlon of f he valour pf M. de Nadau, but on accouBjC «£ th^ critical dtuatlon in which he found himfel^ which.did Jiot permit hiip to be very difficult, as wis Jfec io hisil^ttcr to M^. Pitt. .^ ,ir.» , f It was, liowcver,. a ««ry fiwtunate drcumftance ibr the jnhabtitaats tfi be conquered rat; ,thAs time, whei^ jduriog a thr^eiOQmhsilege* their phnutiio^s had been deftroyed* iJieir waifehpujles buroty apd p^rt of theif Sl^v^ ic vrriicd oS* IT the xoiiiC|ueror had \K^sk obligqd to letiff 4ft^r all thefe ravages, tl^eipj^nd wo^ have r^^otd without^j^Toui^e: the^moth^ropun^ had i^ i^;i^;her powcjr io fttmi them ;a|^ a^ifta^poi^ Wd they h«d4>pHCon?Ji)Q4»ties,toib»rj;iv^^/^ ke,f(fa^ moxeMo^fdiOitd ref^thdhy bis mtm tr^Sy ^ iy fjife M^^Hir^ JfepplA- The fmall iflandsof ^(t^- (da, the i^lntes, Barthalomew, aj^d ^ijUrigalante, alt ef .thcm^dcjieRdent upon.Gu,adalup^,. /eU rWith, th«t illa|id under the yoke of .the .£ngU(h^ and could d^ nothine^lpctter for thjCir prefcryafiqq* ^ ^hik Moore and Harrington were,tr;hi^ph9nt it^ the Wdft Jndie;^, Saunders^and Wolfe J^oic ,figna|is5^ ing thcmfelves Jn JN^orth America, and lUying fieg^ to Quebec. We have already obferv^d* .that the war in this continent had, till thgttinsey turned to ^e advantage of the prench< In 175^1 th^ w^rv ItiU.fucj^egful i Ihe M»ii:iuis.de,^ontq4m fS»md 3 ' .., " ^ V "■ . fitgnaf I 30 F LEWIS XV. '^' fignal vidtory, on the 8th of July, near Fort Carillon; on the 14th of September, M. de Lignerii beat a de- ' tachment of a thoufand £nglifh> towards Fort Du-i quefne : but thcfe very fucccffes were the caufe of all the nusfortunes of the colony. The Englifh, who faw that with much inferior forces we overtiimcd all their projeAs, took the reiblution to increafe their army in that country, to fuch a degree, that they crufhcd us at laft by their numbers. In the ^ring they had forty thoufand men there, while we had fcarce fifteen hundred. In vain had the Marquis de Vaudreuil, forefceing the fiege of Quebec t6 be uh- ' avoidable, folicited for reinforcements^; th^want.of money* the difficulty of fending troops there, the wavering difpofition of the Miniftry, their abfurdity, the general dcjedion of the King's navy, and the little encouragement given to the brave Captains of mer- chan$»fliip8, called Officiers Bkus, who, after having fticwed prodigies of valour, had a great deal of trbu- ' ble to get into the Royal navy, and Wert looked upon there with that contempt with which they had a much better, right to treat their rivids— all thefc circumftanccs concurred in defeating the forefightof ' this Commander.<^>fi4*iV^^«iw#»AM,*mv^ .t^t^' ^^ * A fleet of 55 fliips, each of three or four hundred tons burthen, was required to fupply the wants of the *' Commiffary of the ftores in eatables alone, indepen- ''• dent of .the fubfiftence, and other neceffarres, to be fent on the King's account, which were dcftgned for ' the inhabitants, and for all thofe who were not fup- plied by rations. Not a fourth part of thefc things ' was.fent» and few arrived — no troops, no frefh am- munition> and efpecially na fleet; fo that Canada was reduced to it's own force*:— but M. dc Berryer, *^ Vol.. III. P like if7S9- M.i'V. •i 2IQ THE PRIVATE LIFE It 1759. like an exaft Miniftcr, did not fail to fend a Com- " miflary, to afllft the Intendant in fettling his accounts. It, was not certainly from this civil officer that the falvation of the colony was to be expefted. Accord- ingly, the. Engliih were not afraid of him ; their 0ag foon appeared Ijefore Quebec. Alas ! of what little avail is all human fcience, and bow foon are the beit- planned enterprizes difconcerted ! Notwichftanding the forfaken ftate in which jMiniftry had left. Cana- da — notwithftanding the ^ant tlt^t .prevailed there — notwithl^anding the inferiority of it's forges, one inftant might have faved the colony, and annihilated the poweif of the Engliih on this continent*. Eight fire-fl)ips had been fitted out in the road; a feeble, but the^bci^ method of defence that could have been thought of. Scarce had the enemy's fleet anchored at the iHand^ «7 ]"««• Orleans, when thofe infernal machines were fent off in the night-time, to reduce it tp aihes; andiifi^the orders had .been punctually executedi both men «od Ihips would have been all loft. But the^Capjtains who condud^d this opcratidn were feiz^cd wii^ terror ji they fetf^re tq their ,yeflels too foon, andThafteoed back to la|id jn their bqatsv The befiegers,^ who had feen the flames from adiftance, had time, frpm/this precipitation, to guard themfclves agai aft them j and this great fault of the Canadians, was reatly .the cir**: cumftance which decided their fate. yi:m ■^>di::sA(ii-^^ ^jThey depended ftill upon another dang Nerdy which was Idoked upon as a very difficult pafs. Every year, at the time of the approach of the King's * ^ - ■ -. %]Xi *J. -^ '"'' . ihips. n ^1 O F LEWIS XV. In ihlps, the fignals intended to guide them over this place were repaired j and thefe precautions were at- tended to for the fmalleft frigates. Upon the firft intelligence received, that Saunders had entered the river, great care was taken to fupprefs all the buoys, in order to increafe thofe embarraflrnents, fo much dreaded by the French. Their rivals made a jcft of them, arid went over this pafs with (liips of 70 or 80 guns, in the night, as well as in the day-time j they even Crofled it with feveral fliips abreaft, tacking about, and fhewing themfelves more Ikilful than the t>ilots of the country *. In the mean while the Englifh had more ferious obftacles to fumiount. They had a great deal of trouble to land, and cftablilh themfelves in the en- irirons of the place. The borders of the river were {o -well defended by troops, and redoubts, placed at different diftances, that the firft efforts failed. Thefe unfortunate attempts lafted fix weeks, and we may judgej from the very circumfped letters of the two Commanders of the enterprize, that they began to be difgufted with it. Wolfe wrote to Mr» l*itt, " the " interefts of Great Britain reqiiife the moft vigorous " meafuresj but the courage of a handful of brave men isf only to be difplayed where there are fome hopes of fuccefs. You may, however, be afTured, that the little time remaining for the campaign, (hall be employed, as much as pofTible, for the " honour of his Majcfty and the good of the na- ysiiidi; -xl] -j . • ^.tfHu^iiy . -^ See Letttr if M, Je Bigot, Intendant of the colony, to M. Berryer* drted it O^ober 1759, wherein he is ob- liged to tell this anecdote, fo difgraceful to all the French navy, t'-mCA 3x1,1 !oii:)£Oiqq£'3iijp 1759* « (( (C i< ^m 5ion, 211 1759- ,»■■ t t< force. The French fleet was in very good condition, and well able to make head againft the enemy. If it be the duty of an hiftprian to fave from oblivion the names of thofe heroes who have been ulefql to their country, he is no lefs ohligcid to hold up to public execration the namc5 of thofe balp Commanders vfho have Ihrunk from their duty. The French fleet confiftcd of the following (hips. /■■ S^ O F LEWIS XV. .■•*3'*i»» f^t\* :. ^\ '..n>-. '^ , Ships, 'JJOcecfty — ^'Xf Redotiiabk, ". Le CentaurCf Le Souverain, ^ Le Guerrier, Le Temeraire, Le Fantafque, i \> Le Modejie, Le Lion, — ' Le Triton, — ^ Le Fier, — L*Oriflamme, Guns. 80 74 74- 74 74 74 64 64 64 64 50 50 Captains M. M. De la Clue, Commodore. Dc Saint Agnan, Captain. Dc Sabran Gramont. Panat. . f De Rochemorei Caftillon the elder. Caftillon the younger. Du Loc de Momvert. Colbert Turgis. Venet. Marquifon. Dabon. A. La Chimere, La Minerve, ' ' i/2 Gracieufc, f. f- FRIGATES. "\'GuHs: '' 26 - 24 - 24 - Captains, M. M, Fauchcr. The Chevalier d'Oppedc. The Chevalier Fabri. ......r. JjP^ On the evening Trom the i6th to the 17th of Au- ^; guft, M. de la Clue, by keeping clofe to the coaft of Barbary, had flipped into the channel -, and was got almofl: beyond the coaft of Ccuta, when he was 4; perceived by the Gibraltar, an F.nglifh fhip upon the ^^ fcout : it was about eight o'clock when this fliip gave ^ the fjgnal, and before ten Bofcawen was already \in- der fail, and out of the bay. On that very night, oojt by ^ guft of wind, as the timid author of f he ^'Annals of Lpwis XV. officioufly pretends, bur, as the French Commander fays, by a fatality for which j^i^), P 4 ' no 9 1759- -uT ft %i6 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1759. no reafcn can he given *, five of his fhips and three ■' ■ frigates had parted company j fo that the next morn- ' ing, at day-break, he faw himfelf furrounded only by the Redoutabkf the Centaure, and the Modejie, In this weakened (late, committing one fault upon an- other, the enemy came up with him. If he wanted condud, it mud be owned that he did not wane courage, Hij fhip fired two thoufand five hundred (hot — one of his legs was carried off", and the other 17 Aug. dangeroufly wounded ; but the only Captain who acquired ajl the glory of the day, was M, de Sabran Grammont, who, though he was the firft that furren- dered, did not ftrike till after he had performed pro- digies of valour, and after haying been fuccefliyely attacked by five Ihips, the laft of which was the Ad- miral's of 90 guns, . ,p,j,, ^,)j 9i£i bii« The brave defence made by this Captain, keeping ' th$ enemy engaged till night came on, the fleet migh^ have been faved, if it had been managed with ikill and conduft. On the contrary. Count Panat and M. de Rochemore thought proper to take re- fuge at Lifbon. This defeftion difcouraged both . the Captains and the crews: the action was now ; changed into a meer difgraceful roi^tj the Ocean and . the Redoutable were burnt the next day, and thc^f- , mraire and Modefie taken. r^^^j ^^^ Certainly, if there were ever any occafion for s^.. Court Martial, it ought to hav^ been holden on ac- j count of this engagement oflT Lagos, wherein coward- ^ ice, ignorance, treachery to one's country, forgetful- ^ nefs, and infracflion of orders, were confpicuous on all ;^ *^ • Sec his letter to the Count de Merle, Ambaffador from France* ' to the Court pf Liibon, date4 from Lag^os, the iSthof Augiif^ ^ . "i..^ H P O F L E A;^ I S XV. 217 -a fides. It would undoubtedly have been a great hard- 1759. ihip for M. de la Clue^ after having loft both his legs, to lofc his head alfo } his crutches might ferve as an anfwer to his accufers, and perhaps juftify hini fully. But this inquiry was indifpenfible, to learn for what reafon, in a fummer's night, in which there is no abfolute darknefs — with an eaflerly wind, which never blows very hard, — inanarrowchanncl,wherethc current running in a dired line, prevents the fhips from loling the track, and makes them drive very little — three frigates fliould have feparated, whofis orders were, never to lofe fight of the Admiral's fhip, to obferve his fignals in order to repeat theni, to keep conftantly failing round the fquadron, to watch over the whole, to fee that they were in good order tknd fafe j — for what reafon, five of the weakeft fiiips, and confequently in the center of the divifion, and fupported by the ftrongeft on the right and left, loft themfelves in fuch a manner, as that at day-break no traces of them could be found, nor during the whole morning, till noon, when they went to meet them s-^ r for what reafon, after the afticn, at a time when it . became more effential than ever to keep together, , in order to make head againft an enemy of double . the ftrength, two (hips fhould take upon themfelves v to leave the reft, under pretence of attending to their own fafety j — for what reafon in a word, the others, v inftead of fighting, to fecure a retreat by this meaijs, or a? ieall to make the enemy pay dear for the vie- , tory, Ihould prefer to be fet on fire by running a-., ground, or fufFer themfelves to be taken at anchor. Thefe inquiries would be endlefs, were we to enume- • rate all the irregular and di%ufting things that hap- pened during the a^ion, and it's confcquences. 7 M. dc I i aiS THE PRIVATE LIFE 1759. M. dc Bcrrycr*s difpofition was much inclined to enter into the difquifition of fads ; he was a Judge , naturally fevere and malevolent ; but he was dill more attached to his pod, than to theadminidration of judice, and he did not choofe to incur the dif- pleafure of all the Nobility of Provence, to whom thefe Captains were allied. Befides, he was aware that this would be fetting the whole navy againd him, mar 7 officers of which, equally culpable, were intereded that no inquiries diould be made, led they s . fhould afterwards extend to them. In a word, Mar- ihal ConBans, the only refource of France in this in- ftant, was to be indulged, who, from an inward per- fuafion of his incapacity and cowardice, oppofed there being an example made, which might become too dangerous for himfelf. The only punifhment in- fli(5ted upon the criminals was, at their return from Gibraltar, to be hooted by the populace of T^jlonj ' iwhile, on the contrary, they faw M. de Sabran ca- reffed in this port, at Paris, and at Court, and ho- noured with a penfion from the King. 'ci^^ ■ ' The defeat off Lagos was a fatal check, and a very bad omen for the reft of the projedbcd enterprize ; but the expences were too much advanced todop; '^ the quedion was, to obtain fome compenfation, in order to conclude a peace which fliould not be too 'jdifadvantageous, and of which we were very defirous. ^ All hopes were lod of recovering the poffeflion of the ^^cledorate of Hanover : the only refource left after the battle of Minden, was to go and paft the treaty ^ at London 5 and the preparations were accordinjgly - "^purfued. • rma J!Xi^J^^i^'M,3ld'■ Gcorgc II. on his p^rt, made his Parliament ?ic- ^^quaintcd with the defigns of France— obtained fub- tl .M - - . ' V . fidies a-^ O F LEWIS XV. ai9 • fidies from them, proportioned to the vigorous de- lyco. fence that was required ; and, befidc the number of ■ fleets already fent out of the ports of England, three more fquadrons fct fail after each other. Comrno- dorc Boycc was Rationed off Dunkirk, to intercept, or engage every veflel that Ihould come out of that road. Rear Admiral Rodney bombarded the Havre, fnvhcrc magazines of provifions had been formed, and flat bottomed boats conftru<5led for the embarkation of troops. In a word, Hawke appeared before Breft with a formidable fleet, fuperior to the forces the Marfhal could put to fea. The cruifing of the firft of thefe officers was fo exa^l, and fo well kept up, ?:that the little fquadron, intruded to Thurot, whofe t) orders were figned fince the 17th of June, could not fet fail ;ill the 15th of Odober. Rodney continued rrfiring for fifty-two hours without interruption, and , iWith fuchfuccefs, as to oblige the inhabitants to quit ..-r , a common 2^3 1759. ?M4 THE PRIVAITE LIFE 1759; a common failor, upon hb fecond expedition , would ■■• '" not have committed, and which he thoitght to have buriad in oblivion along with himfelf. The ^«^^^ fhared the fame fate, but in a more honourable wayr by a broadfide from the enemy. The Jafie, having loftM. de St. Allouarn, her Captain, who was killed in . the adtion, as wdlais his brother, was entirely de- ftroyed, ccew rand ally by the ignorance of the coaft- ing pilot. In a. word, the flight ^of the Commander occafioned the left ^of fix ihips of the line in his fleet*; that is to; fay^cofl: him more than the moft obftinate naval combat would have done^ Thisten-^ gagement was called the battle of Conflans, froih the name of the cowardly Marfhals undoubtedly, that th^ memory of it ihould not be loft, and that he (hotild be for ever held out to die execration' of poftefity"; It proved 'the ruin of the na^ under Lewis XV; as the battle of la Hogue had been under Lewis X'lV! which was weakened by nearly half it's force in four years time, from the lofs of twent jr-fcven Ihipi of ' thitf line deftrDyed> burnt, or carried into Etigf and fr ' It was impoflible that ihip4)uilding ihould be carried on with fufficient difpatch to Hll' up thi& d^ficiericy'. Thefc conftruiflioni were themfelvcs ttcdtflarily flackened from the wantof materials; for, as' ^thtfy could only be brought upon trading veflels, and as V * Le Stlul Rtyalt 80 gnns, burnt by MJ de'CooOant** ord[«n ; Vlittripidi^ of 80, taken ; U Hiros^ of 74*. biifnt^i 'UTJ^i, 6F 74, funk i . li Suptrbt, of 74, funk } and h ^<^«« of 70, fplit fipoii a rock and loft. t l«h'> l*AUiit, I'E/pirMHct, rJre^m^da, U R*i/Mk,'le SM'fuemx, ^tFtrndrtyantt POrpbiti to thcfe eight, M the fivv at I«oiiiibob.-g, the fix of the a£don off Lagot, the fix of the «a^ gagenent of Conflani, the 0/i^i4trit *nd the Grtm^h.- ^ tui} . ( M' T*.. 1 O F L fi W I S XV. commerce was unprotcftcd, it fell in proportion. Even the neutral bottoms did not dare to bring the materials neceflary for this purpofe, on account of the ri(ks they ran, which exceeded their profits. The French were therefore obliged to give up the fitting out of any more armaments} they confined them- felves to thofe that were eflential for the viftual- ling and fupport of their colonies, the number of which decreafing likewife, the fleets became lefs nc-^ cefl!ary. The Englifh remained abfolute mafters of the fea in Europe. It was henceforward forbidden to the vefTels of Toulon to go beyond the limits of the Medicernmean } and the (battered remains of M. de la Clue's fquadron did not come in from the other ports, into that of Toulon, till at the end of fix months. This was the third time that this Com- modore returned. As to the fhips in the river Vi- laine, they were blocked up there ; one was loft, the others rotted : and this divifion, the crews and fup- pOrt of which coft enormous fums, was obliged to be laid up till fome favourable opportunity of turn- ing it to advantage. The Gentlemen of the Royal Navy, who had found means to get into this river, decided, in feveral councils of war, that it was im*- pofilble to get out of it ; and the care of theie Ihipg was given up to fome ofiicers of the India Company, who undertook to fave them. . , If, indeed, the Englifli ruled over the ocean, by the fuperiority of their forces, they fhewed thcm- fclves worthy of that empire, by the manner in which they mafte^red the waves. The rigour of the feafon, the inconftancy and tempefluoufnefs of the element^ did not prevent them from infulting our coafts during the whole winter. They anchored in the road oC Vpl. III. CL «*» fta5 >759- .a- aa6 THE PRIVATE LlF E I7f;9. the ifland of Aix, to fee if there were not any attack »9 ^ov. to be made againft the divifion that had taken re- fuge there ; but the Ihips, to the number of eight, had got up the river. The alarnn raifed was equally great; and upon this occaGon, again, if they had been more enterprizing, they would have fucceeded in their atten^pt, from theconfternati^n that prevailed, and the little poffibility there was of oppofing^ them* They bombarded the town of Croiflic, and in view of it, and under the canon of the batteries, endeavoured to fifh up the magnificent artillery of th€ Sehil Royals which they claimed, as a trophy artnexed to their victory. They landed fucceffively at the little ifland of Dieu, at the ifland of Met, which they feized upon, and at Belleifle, from whence being at firftpepuMed, they fucceeded on a fecohd attempt. We were obliged to bear all thefe humiliations, for want of a n&vy to prevent them. --^'f-''-'^^^ '^«^ '^^f^'"'^^''^^^^^ i-f^ An unfuccefsful war commonly occafiortfi feveral revolutions in Courts. The fubje6ts are conftantly in hopes of improving their fituation by the change of Miniftry ; and the Sovereign is always ready tb impute the falfe meafures, often adopted in Couriril, to tht difgraeed Minifters. During the unfortunate- period, thedifafters of which we are defcfibing, th'^re were feveral changes of this kind at VerfaiWes. The firfl:, however, cannot be attributed either to the dif* content of the nation, or to that of thfc Monairch> but was the cflTcft of the revenge of a woman, jealous, and defpifcd. We have feen in what manner Ma^- dame de Pompadour had rapidly raifed the Abbe de Bernis, from a'ftate of mediocrity tb the height of '' Itbhouris : he had been created Cardinal a long time fmce ;— ^fhe thought that a degree of favour fo- 2 marked. ^i i fe ''-: 6P LEWIS XV.JT; . marked, and fo long continued, dd'erved unlimited returns of gratitude -, — fhe imagined, that though her ch^nns had no longer any efFedt upon the Mo- . Harqh, yet they ought ftill to preferve the fame em- pire over his Eminence] — flie perceived the con- trary, and was exafpera,ted i but before Ihe difgraced ^ the Cardinal, i« the laft converfation fhe had with hijTi> ihe made h^m acquainted with die height of her ft|lt(5tion for him, and exerted her laft efforts to fe- cure his fidelity j byt fqund him ftill cool and in- flexible }•— unable then any longer to keep her rage within bounds, fhe broke out into violent reproachesj andt declared to him, that fhe would foon make him . rercnter ijKo that ftatc of obfcurity, from whence fh^ liad raifed him. The day before his difgrace, he afTtfted, . notwithftanding> at the King's fupper* Lewis^XsVi afhamed iof the order hp had juft figncd* but fubdued by the will of his imperious miftrcfs* . looked at him from time to time, but turned his eyes away as foon as he met thofe of the Cardinal } fo huoiuliating are the jlQoks of innpcence to thof^ who areiguilty of an unjuft adion. The Courtiers^ ever attentive to the leaft indications of a difgrace, . wcr^'too well Acquainted with the Q^ r^apci^ at a 1 ater period* . . ; - 427 228 I Nov, 1758. ■ THE PRIVATE LIFE The difgraccd Cardinal had leifure, [during hrs retirement, to make reflections upon the inftability of favour, and the perfidy of the Court. He grew fenfible of the infignificancy of greatnefs9 and of the almoft conftantly finifter end of men in an in- ferior fpherc, too precipitately raifed to honours. He turned his thoughts towards the church, the dignities rvf v^hich are more folid j was ordained prieft, and prepared himfelf for a prelacy. He could not however obtaia one 'till after the death of the favourite. He was then appointed Archbiihop of Alby, where he gave hinofelf up entirely to the functions of his holy miniftry, 'till, forgetting his phi- lofophy, and his religious principles, he once ttiore plunged into the buftle of affairs f buc cautiouHy, at a diftance from the Court, in a' place, and jii a (pecies of negotiations fuitable to his rankji ton- itantly refufmg a more brilliant ^oft, from a^prct henfion of a fecond difgrace. y.^ ^^*^ "vrr.:"=, ; Cardinal de Bernis was fucceeded in the Council, and in his department, by the Count de SttinviUe, created at the fame time Duke of Choifeuh 'X^is man, born, like his predeceffor, with a vcry^ ino* derate Ihare of fortune, had been early^ a£i;uatedrji;^ir a principle of ambition infinitely more 46iive. Impelled with the noble defire of adding fr^ glory to a name already illuftrimis, he had ^ entered at firfl: into the military profeflion j but ]ii«^ g;en;u8 being lefs inclined to arms than to politics^ he fpon ftudied the art of negotiations. Sent at firft Am- bafifador to Rome, that Court had fvipplied Jiim the means of improving his natural talent for inr trigucsi and being afterwards appointed MiniSer at yiennaj the Houfc of Auftria, to which he Iiad the ' ' "^ 10 honour OF LEWIS XV. 129 honour of being allied, thought to find in him a 1759* • zealous fervant at the Court of France, and formed A powerful party in his favour. .;. . ; %. ;. : . Thus he laid the foundations of his elevation. Still, however, he might not have fucceeded, had he not, contrary to the frank nfefs and natural mag- nanimity of his difpofition, condelcended to a per- fidy, which he no doubt hoped to bm*y in that obfcurity in which it had been planned. A Lady of the Court, one of his relations, began to pleafe th^ King; the connection increafed, and ihe al- ready received letters fronj his Majefty, and made aflignations with him. A Courtier, lefs artful than the I)uke of ChoiffcuL would have confidered this event as the moft fortunate opportunity of advance- merit, and of obtaining his end. He Mvould not have failed to encourage the palTion of the augufl: lover, and attempt to fupplant the eftablifhed fa- vourite, by this new objeft, who feemed to Iiave more ready and more irrefiftible means of triumph- ;' i^g^J The Duke de Choifcul thought otherwife J he adopted the fureft method, and chofe rather to facrifice his relation, whofe fway might not be lifting, to Madame de Pompadour, whofe powet" incrcitfed, and acquired gt-eater confifteiicy by time. He was the confidant of his relation, who con- iuhed him upon her behaviour. One day, when XiCwTs XV. whofe love was carried to the higheft pitch, had, by a prelTing note, demanded a decilive interview, the Duke de Choifeul, who aftilted this lady in writing her anfwer, pretended aS if he wifhed to reflet upon the anfwer to be given to this, took it away with him, and, being in polTefnon tjj ^f*-*> <^ '*■' ■>:^j:i::y' CU t'j*^^ . f^M « ^ '^u df II ajo , THE PRIVATE LIFE 1750. of It, went to the Marchioncfs: "Madam/* faid ""■ he to her, " you imagine that I am one of your " enemie§ j you do me the injufticc to believe, that " I am employed with them in forming fecret con- " fpiracies to deprive you of the King's favour. " Look over this note, and judge for yourfelf,'* He ihewed her, at the fame time, the tender and paf- fionate note of his Majefty, told her how he came , in poffelTion of it, and reprefented to her the rifques to which he expofed himfelf for her fervice, declar- ing, at the fame time, that he preferred the good of the State, and the happinefs of his Mafter, to his own greatnefs j and that he thought her more proper than any other perfon to fulfil thefe two im- portant obje<5ts, Madame de Pompadour was too well acquainted with the charader of Leyifis XV. not to be fure of bringing him bacl; to hcrfelf whenever fhe received timely notice. When 'fhe was informed of this intrigue, Ihc foon put an end to it, and threw upon Jier rival all the odium of this difcovery, and the punifhment whicji the per- fidious confidant would have deferved. Ifroiii that time, he became the creature, and acquired the cqr^ lidence pf the favourite. He was young^ ardient, . j^nd intrepid j he repaired the faults of Cardinal de ' Bernis, fealed his reconciliation with the Mar- J chionefs in fuch a manner, as to make, her believe that her charms had loft nothing of th^ir former influence, and thus paved the way for himfelf tp^r- • fiyttd the fqpreme power, which he inherited ,af- ijffer her death. At this inftant he fou^d in:^he,Co,yn- ^n. %■ formidable opponent, who, for^^eifijg, the -P^t Ms competitor was going to a^, wpuld pot .; ^t le^ifl: fuffer him to rule i^ his prefence, and con- ' • . tradidlcd - ■:.( OF LEWIS XV. a^i tradiftcd him, as much from motives ofjcaloufy, 17 59* as from difference of opinion, and natural anti- ' . " ■ pathy. The Secretary of State for the Marine depart- ment was then moil expoied to the criticifms of (peculators, and the abufe of the Parifians; they had detefted him as Lieutenant of Police, and de- fpifed him as Minillcr. His office faw with con- cern at it's head an jobfcure citizen — who had not even obtained that place by his eminent merit — who would not let himfelf be governed — and from whom there wai neither favour nor advancement to be cxpedted. In a word, the Duke de Choifeul, defirous of fixing himfdf more firmly, of making creatures of his own, and of acquiring a degree of renown which his department could not procure . . him, would have been pleafcd at the expulfion of * this member from the body of Secretaries of State, , whom his brethren were afhamed of, and whofe 1 fpoils he already confumed in imagination. The ^ blow was given: his proteftrefs had confented to forfake him ; when an incident, contrived on purpofc •' to accelerate his difgrace, put a flop to it. M. " Berryer faw, with well-founded regret, the fliips ' Ihut up in the river Vilaine, a lafling monument " of the cowardice of the navy. Every day he had frfcfh demands, from indifcreet officers, who pl-c- " tended that this fugitive fquadron ought to be ' kept up with as much eclat as a fquadron equip- ped and ready to fail for the protection and ho- nour of the flag. In an inflant of iU-humour, to which this Miniftcr was very fubjeft, he paid little attention to his expreffions, and anfwered them *' harfhly. The officers, whofe pride ^as not abated "'" . CU by 3r 231^^ THE PRIVATE LIFE ?759» ^y hurniliations, aflemblcd in a body, and rent- — ' him an anfwcr in an inlblent letter, in which, think- ing to juftify themfelves by dint of bravadoes, they; had the boldnefs to extc! their manoeuvre, and de- manded to be tried by a court-martial. The whole body of the navy at the fame time fided with' them, and as they belonged to the moil illullrious* Houses at Court, the circumftance excited a cla- mour, and a ferment which was thought dangerous.- The other Secretaries of State, not choofing that- their dignity ftiould thus be called in queftion, in* the perfon of one of their brethren, united them- felves in his favour, and folicited that he mightl preferve his poil. There was no court«rmartial > but all thofe Captains were removed from theic command, and their (hips were difarmed. - M. ¥ilH> Jars de la BrofTe, the olded ofBcer, the author of the . letter, and the moft haughty man among them, wa» ordered to go to the Caftle of Suumur. =; 01 yix'li/nt Befides, as it had been fettled in Council, th4it the navy Ihould be confined to armaments of meepl ncceflity, and ftiould otherwifc be kept in the moft; complete ftate of inaftion, the only perfon neceflany for this depawm^nt, was a fevere, exa6b,buftliiig^> and ceconomical Minifler, who would not 'fpend. much money, would reform a great rhany abuies^ 5fnd cfpccially, who would eftablifti order in th^' naval accounts. This was the real talent of M. Berrycrj his poft became thus very fuitaWc to -him, and he excited no man's jealoufy. The Duke Ati Choifeul was perfedly fenfible, that the navaJMjde*' partmcnt was not proper for him at that time. i It was principally upon the poll of GomptroUer Q^neral that the ftorms brqke, and iucceeded each x^. other •7 OF LEWIS XV. r other with rapidity. Tliis office had received three different mafters, alternately Succeeding each other, in the courfc of the fame year. M. Boulogne hav- ing only trivial and unavailing refourccs, a man of genius was wifhcd for, capable of fuggefling others.. M. de Silhouette, whofe reputation was previouHy announced among a certain fee of people, was. thought to be the perfon. Born, as it was faid, with a fpiric of obfervation, he had from his earlieft youth been ufed to application} he had nearly palled through all public employments j had tra-f veiled j had written upon morality, philoibphy, finances, and adminiilration} he was a Counfeilor ia the Parliament of Metz, and Mailer of Kequeils ; be belonged to feveral corps i he had a great deal of credit anci folidity, and was in the fervice of the firft Prince of the blood : at the fame time that he was Chancellor to the Duk'' d'Orleans, he was Com- miflary to the Eaft India Company; and the ta- lents which he difplayed in thefe two places, ana- logous to the one he was raifed to, gave the higheft idea of his abilities. The enthufiafm was general when he was appointed. He began by operations which announced invention, equity, ll:ri<5t honefty,- and a fincere deHre to repair the mifchiefs, tx> puc a ftop to the depredations, and to prevent the King's revenues from being converted to the profit and cupidity of the Great. > ft^vfV^- •After having reformed fomc abufes introduced in- the farms, he created feventy thoufand Ihares, each-' of one thoufand livres *, fettled upon thel'e farme,' 'ii'\ -^{^W ^rnrtt-rm- fn^f \j|iward8 of feity guilds fterling^. W f' 433 '759- ^34 1759- i ,1'iO jr* THE PRIVVTE LIFE to which he gave up half the profits that were en- joyed by the Soixantes. This operation of finance, which produced in four- and-twenty hours feventy-two millions f) was much applauded, inafmuch as it did not burthen the State, and affefted only the Farmers of the "revenue, enriched at it's cxpcnce. It conciliated the minds , of'the people more to him, as it feemed dif'ntereftcd . and generous on his part, fince he was attached to this body of men by the ties of blood, nnd of the i^rifleft friendlhip X* His declaration, which fufpended feveral pri- vileges concerning the taxes, drew upon him the bleiTings of the country people, and made them , confider him as their father. In a word, his de- claration, which tended to the reducing of penfions, the multiplicity of which was become an enormous burthen to the kingdom, by alienating from him the minds of the Courtiers, and of the molt illoftri- , ous pcrfons, proved, that he was not afraid of making himfelf enemies i and that in doing his duty, and for the public good, he bade defiance to cabals, to power, and to influence. The applailfe then became univerfal, and even thofe who inwardly curfed him, were obliged to join in it. All the public papers refounded with his praifes, and the ^ Court, delighted to find, in thefe critical circum- * ftances, a Comptroller General agreeable to the na- * tion, put an unlimited confidence in him. He en- , joyed the fingular honour of being called to the \. ^'^ 't Three millions fterling. '^^^ I M. de Lage, his relation, his heir, and refiduary legatee^ \ W44 QPC pf the Farmers General. Council t> OF LEWIS XV. 235 en- Council of State four months after his appoint- 1759. mcnt, and became there the oracle with refpeft to ' his department. Marlhal Belleifle, who was the caufc of his elevation, fupported him with all his influence* fo that whatever he propofed was accepted. Then it was that his elevation only ferved to make his infignificancy more perceptible. Inftead of the brilliant projcifls that were expefted from him, for the relief and profperity of France, he only pro- duced tyrannical and ill-contrived operations, cal- culated to make the kingdom lofe it's credit abroad^ and to ruin it at home. ":*. *" '"""^ 'A Bed of Juftice holden at Verfailles for the »»S«pt' regiftcring of his famous edift of fubfidy — a cere- mony always odious, and an outrage committed again ft the laws and the nation — began to fpread the alarm; this was increafed upon the perufal of this infernal work, in which was difcoverjd an af- {cmblage of taxes of all ibrts, fuch as had never been bprne, in the mod difaftrous times. The Courts of Juftice protefted againft the form, and againft the matter j {o that the edifl was not at firft carried into execution : and the public credit having received an alarming fliock from it, it be- came impofilble to procure, in the ufual manner, the funds required in thefe exigencies. Not one finan- cier would accept of anticipated afTignments upon uncertain incomes. M. de Silhouette at laft reibrted to the extreme and unheard-of refource of fanfack- ing all the public coffers, of carrying off all the money from them, and of fufpending for a twelve- »» Oft. month the payment of the bills of the farms, and the draughts upon them, and the reimbiirfement of 'f he capitals which were to have been made from the ' Royal I 236 uoa. I i ! ,^' THE PRIVATE LIFE Royal trcafure, ahd ffOiti'tfie (inking fund. At the fame time he exhorted all the King's fubjefls to carry their plate to the Mlnt^ to be converted into fpecie, to be applied for the good of the State, and in-^ duccd his Majcfty to fet the example, by fending tis own there. ; This was joining a ridiculous pueri- lity to an atrocious aft of defpotifm. His firft operation annihilated confidence, by weakening the fupport of it J and at a time, too, when his fecond a6t publicly expofed our indigence, which policy ihould have made us conceal from foreigners. The public clamour was foon railed againft him i the variation and inconfiftency of his principles was detededi or rather it was clearly fcch that he had no plans nor views of his own j that hi was only endeavouring to extricate hinifelf fronii the'^cm- barraflinent of the moment, by plunging igalit into another of a more intricate nature. THu^ nd became the execration of that peojple, who had firft idolized him. His name was even btandi^d with infamy, by comparing him to CartoucbeyRaf-^ fiat, and Mandrin. Some people did not take thiihp in fo ferious a light, arid jefted about them. P/V-» tures u la. Silhduettc, and breeches a la Silhouette i^trt made; the outlines of the former being traced in the ihade, and the want of pockets in the latter^ were the ftings of thefe witticifms ; which ihewed tb what a ilate the Comptroller General had redticiid individuals and their purfes. It was inripoflible tb prefcrvc at the head of the finances a man in fucK difcredit ; and the circumftancc that completed' tltd indignation of the capital, was, not the pHiloTophy^ but the impudence with which he bdrc His cJif- gracci Before his elevation, modefly ' had been , , reckoned *5^H' J OF LEWIS XV. i m reckoned among his apparent good qualities: he lof^ it at a time when it was moft necefTary to him. He afie&ed an arrogance and an oflentation already in-* credible for a man of his fort, but much more fo in the ftate of humiliation he ought to hftve, appeared in, Inftead of retiring into the c.Qtintry« to bury his (hame there, he hired a confiderable hotel in the moil: brilliant part of the town; magnificent equi- page^, rich liveries, and a great number of fervants, announced at his houfe a degree of opulence injuri- ous to other people.: It Teemed as if he had railed himfelf i^n. the ruins of xnany^ of his fellow^iti- zens; he was ferved in plate, at a time when the ^eatelb noblemen had only earthenrware or china. In ^nitation,of the Monarch, allmen did in reali- ty^ cany, their plate Jto the mints the religious com^ Aiunities. did mot .even dare to refufe theirs* The Clergyof Not^e Dame having fent a deputation to his Majeily, . ta inquire how much of their plate they (hould lend, the King replied. All, except the /acred va/es,.lti order more effedtually to excite the emulation of thofe.jfvhO' were known to have plate, it was rciblved that a lift ihould be printed of thofe zealous citizens^ that it ihould be inferted in the pe- riodical papecSj:and be read at Verfailles. Thisigra- dficaCiQii of a chiidiih canity is an infallible mode in ^janqe. Even the courtezans were deiirous of figuring ^ upon this patriotic catalogue. There were,; however* fome prudent perfons, who did noc pique, themfelves upon it, and contented themfelves withimaking the plate difappear from their tables. Others only carried a part of it. This concealment, added to the expences, the frauds, the failures, and l^e, adv^ta^u^. encouragements that are always ^&b±>:M given. 237 1759- ;Ar» \ I fljii ' THE' PRIVATE LIFE >759' given> in thefc fort of tranfmucations, reduced the " ezpe<5bed rcfourcc from^ia millions*, in the whole, to a trifling matter. The violation of public depOi- fits, and the breaking of engagements, by procur** ing for an inftant Turns in abundance, but ilrhich were foonconfumed, wasnttended with; fatal con&K I quenccsri u :.r"ih^(i(h ?!•* ^;rn^''i^; Since the time of Samuel Bernard, the Court had jilways had a banker; that is to iky, a man^ who by his- credit at home ' «ad abroad ifonmiihed them a fpecdy fupply of nioney, ilpon wjtich ihc profited No welKordered ftacei : undoubtedly, • would ftand Ah needof fuch fupports, or -at lead would referee them for the Lnfrequent occafion^df an extreme crifis*. in France this is become an addittohalmode of encbu^ raging the depredations of the Mii^fters, the rapiE&> city of favourites,: the jprodigalitie&.^f.tiie women^ and^^of the Sovereign jand, in a;.w6rdiik.fn(ire4fn[ttd* diaite caufe of ruin, : and defh:uAfdn.ri But thisfeiril^ ; which fhouldha^^ been repasrediintimeof iseadeifwas become necefl^ry in tiheiprefent: jwair, lon^^^pcoujit of the derangement of -the: finandes. tro^ : "^(S al'^-^-lftmH ' *^ M.lde Montmartel, fucccffor tolSamudl^emard^ after having filled tEe: fame o£ikie , for the fpace; of twenty years, had prudently i^Ltted- it* Alth<^ugh he. was. worth forty miilion&t wheiii&e retired, he was not odious to honefl men, as moft of his profefiion are $ lie was, on the contrary, beloved by them, on ac^ count of the good ufe he made of hia: riches, and of the pecuiiiary fervices he rendered to thofe wh9>ha4 - recourfe to his purfe. Betides, though born in ot>- Near five hundred thoufaiM! ponndii ' - Upwards of one millioft aad a h»lf fitrlkig. J tf»il,;:fe i*s **«&T fcurity/ -1 t-^b F LEWIS xv; r 239 ri'> ntjT/ fcurity, he was not afhamcdof his extraction} he was 17 $9' modeft, and tried by adverfity j for being a conn- panton in the difgrace of Le Blanc, Belle-IHe, and Sechelles, his perfonai merit had infured him a well- ' founded fhare of confideration. The King had feve*^ ral times folicited him to put himfelf at the h^ad of « the finances j but he did not choofe to be CompcroK > ler General, he only created thofe Minifters; and there are ftill letters from Lewis XV. preferved in his fa- , mily, in which itis Majeity confults him upon the choice of officers in this department. ' ' >*« .>i&M. 1 His place> on account of the misfortunes of the kingdom^ had been fubdivided among feveral finan- • ciers. M. de la Borde, who had been lately a pedlar in the pr' *n?es, raifed fuddenly to the pinnacle of fortune- < '^ eature of the Duke de Choifeul, tor whom he had advanced money> in hopes of haiing > it returned a hundred fold — was charged with the payment and maintenance of the land forces. M. Beaujof^ who liad been hanged in cffig)' at Bourdeaux • for a monopoly, had infinuated himfclfinto the fa- I vour of Madame de Pompadour, and, in conjunftion < with M.die Harvelay, Keeper of the Royal Trea- fure, .M. Michel, Trcafurer of the Artillery, and Goofens, a banker, had contrafted with the King tofurnilh three millions* per month for the fervice^ of the navy J five hundred thoufand livres-j- in the fame fpaceof time for that of the fortifications, andnt of the body of engineers -, and a kind of douceur in 'advance, of two millions §, to the Royal Treafury, ) nf: ■k ■o^\xi * *# One hundred and twenty- five thoufand pounds. t Near twenty-one thoufand pounds, .j^W^fi^'i . § Upwards of cighty.tbree thoufand pound*. >#fj^!j|.tii!i« ASi 4» THE PRIVATE LIFE »759- I i I' PecMntier. To fulfil thefe objeds, draughts had been given to this fociety upon the general income of the finances; but the fufpenfion before mentioned preventing thefc funds from coming in, they could not keep their en^ gagennents, fo that it became neceflTary to aflTifb them; for which purpofe Government granted them a writ of fuperfedeas. This ad of jufticc to thefe Gentle- men, became a fource of injuHice to individuals ; for their creditors, being in their turn fruftrated of the affiftance they expefted, were obliged to become bankrupts; and it is impoffible to calculate the eff- £t&s of this failure, extending and fubdividing itfelf ad infinitum. The refult of it was, a general fubver- fion in trade, which completed it's deflruftion. >' Another evil, occafioned by the defperate flroke of M. de Silhouette, was the prolonging of the war> of which the enemies themfelves began to grov/ tired. hi the beginning of the winter. Prince Lewis of Brunfwick, tutor to the young Stadtholder, had noti- fied at the Hague, to the Minifters of France, Vi- enna, Ruflia, Sweden, and Poland, that he was com- miflloned by the Kings of England and Pruilia, to tell them, that, being moved with the calamities of a war, which had lafted feveral years, they Ihould think themfelves wanting to the duties of humanity, and particularly to the tender concern they had for their refpedive fubjeds, if they neglefted the means of putting a flop to fo dreadful a fcourgCi that in this view, and with a delign of manifefling the pu- rity of their intentions, they declared themfelves re^y to fend Plenipotentiaries to any convenient placa that might be fixed upon, in order to treat about a folid and general peace* Mr. Pitt had repeated the ^me declaration at London, to the foreign Mini* w ftcr^ r.'. > I It ^-^ OF LE WIS XV. ^ y . i4i ftcrs. But his Britannic Majcfty, judging by the extragavant operations of the Comptroller General, that France wks in the utmoft diftrefs, foon cooled, and thcfe overtures vrent no farther. Perhaps, in- deed, thefe offers were on his fide only a kind of parody of the noble proceeding of Lewis XV. which had aftonilhed all Europe, during the lafl war. George would not Ihew himfelf lefs generous, and thought he had acquitted himfelf by his declaration, probably lefs fincere than that of the French Monarch had been. Accordingly, his confidential Minifter was too good a politician, not to know, that the law of the ftrongeft, being the only one admitted between Kings, the Sovereign who is able to impofc it, ought always to do it in fuch a manner, as not to be ob- liged one day to receive it. If England had adhered to this maxim, fhe. would not be reduced to the cri^ tical fituation fhe is in at prefent *. May France not commit the fame fault in her turn ! ^^ The year I760 was therefore begun by frefh ac- 1760. tions and lofTe^, which continued and irlcreafed dur- ing the cdurfc of it. The death of the brave Thu- rot, which. drew along with it the total ruin of his . fquadron, was the firft check that France received.. 'Thepla'ndf operations, which he had given in to Mac*?; fhal Bellftifle, sM which that Minifler had adopted,: could 6niy be eligible, inafmuch as it was connedted with the grand expedicion ; but this having failed, • the other coiild only become a very troublefome and very cxp0hfiV^ fcheme, without caufing any great: damage to the Englifh. After beating about in the Northern feas, in the moft rigorous feafon, and ex- lien this bodk was written. #Tk. III. i779» R periencing ««&; ft4« THE PRIVATE LIFE 1760. periencing all the horrors of ihipwreck and faiiiinr, "~~" Thurot, furmounting all thcfc obfta^lcs, notwitl^- ftanding the reprefentations of the officer command- ing the land forces, would not return to France, without having done fomething. He fpr^ad the alarm on the coafts of the three kingdoms fuccefllve^ 17 Feb. ly^ and concluded with an attempt to land at Gar- rickfergus, in the North 6f Ireland. He fucceeded, got polTeffion of the town, and laid it under contri- bution i but the poverty and defertion of moil of it's inhabitants did not permit him to derive apy confi^ derable alTiflance from theoi. It.wo^^d have been .. more advantageous to go to BelfaH:, a commercial town, at the diflance of four leasee. Thurot-pro- pofed it, and if the General of t^e land forces had feconded his aftivity, there would have been time enough to execute this coup de main before the arri- val of fuccours. But the mifunderftanding between the Commanders— the conferences ho!ldei|-*-together V \ y^^^^ ^c flownefs of the march, and of the attack of the town and caftle of Carrickfergus, rendered if im- pradlicable. They re-imbarked haftily, and, a few hours afterwards, the fquadron, reduced, to |hree fri- gates*, miet an Englifh fquadron, to appearance near- ly of equal forcef , but; in reality fuperior in the lium- ber of guns, and men §, befides being quite frelh. VP-* f he Marichal it BelkiJIe of 40 guns« on boai^ «f Ivkicli wis Thurot ; the Bkntie of 32, and the Terp£fcore of 26. Thii fqua- don, when it firft failed, confided of three other veiTefs ; the Beitn ,/ of 36^ PAmaratitbt of 18, and the Faueon of 8. ■'of l6»'^^'*'^ ''"' •'"'*'"■• rf'-'-'^MiJt'''-S':,iii. tM&ht ^3.^ OF LEWIS XV. «43 After rather but could n6t obtain it; he then feizecl a boat, embarked in it by himfelf, and arrived at Calais at the fam^ time as he. The Marllial, a(|oniihed at the boldneft of the enterprise, conceived the higheft opinion of him, and confidered him as a man capable of beings ufeful for fome expedition in his profeflion^ which required bravery and enthufiafm. As foon as it was determined at Vtrfailles to attempt a defcenti M. de ^' Aronger and better manned than oors; for though the BtUtiJl* ^f^sA ,44 gvosV .^c** Arength was not equal to this, aiid the ftprmy , ..** weather we had experienced at Tea, had cbliged as to put fome . ** of them under t&e hatehway, particularly oar i8 pounders; '* and M. Thurot did not heave them up again ior th^ aAiQn«.ib ** tbat we had np nio*f th^ 39 or 34. I: was the, fame ^iog in ** proportion with our other frigates. Befides, the ^nglifh had v^".a great many gbod Tailors on board, and we had none, or l^arce , u^aa.;* ,. , Rj- Bdleifle I 244 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1760. Belleifle thought of Thurot, who having pafled a part of his time during the peace in the enemy's country, had acquired an accurate knowledge of their coafts and fituationj who, befides, had juft gained ftill more experience in feveral cruizing ex- peditions with which h«; had been intruded, and from which he had extricated himfelf, if not with any confiderable (hare of profit, at lead with a great deal of intrepidity. Excepting the mathematics, which he had fludied regularly under an able mailer, he was very ignorant in everything that did not concern his profeflion ; but he had a good under- ftanding, and a facility of expreffing himfelf, which was of fervice to him> in perfuading thofe whom it was his intereft to bring in!;o his fchemes : he made ule of this with fuccefs with the Miniflry. Perhaps the planj which was adopted at his inftigatiqn, would have fucceeded better with regard to himfelf, if there had been more harmony between the land officers and. him: but the mifunderftanding was extreme; 0,nd M. de Flobeit, who commanded the troops, threatened to put him in arreft, and deprive him of his commifTion. ; Thurot, enraged, wantf i to kill him, and had already cocked his piftol at him, when the Brigadier was given to underftand that he ex- ceeded his powers. This quarrel was appeafed, but not without a leaven of animofity, which was perpe- tually fermenting, occafioned continual piques, and turned to the detriment of the fervice. Thurot, who had more vivacity than precifion in his ideas, had ihewn a want of underflanding upon this occafion. He ought to have forefeen what happened, and not undertaken an expedition, where the mixed autho- rity might make it mifcarry, by preventing him from '• ' * giving a >l OF'LEWIS XV;TT 245 giving a loofc to the ralhncfs of his cdurage. This 1760. rafhnefs was founded upon the good fortune whitor*ofc and at a time .when his ca* ^Tec^ was* beginning to grow brilliant;, -^y om <>:■ • ••Iot juo-Xhurot had a quic^ conception,; ajigwat ? deal of iir^, a tiiie figure, an amiable charader; was iniinu- bating with his fuperiors, eafy with his equals, but haughty when they attempted to lead« He fhewed t»i.Rf(|.(dfrJFlQbert, that he was not afraid of him, and fh{|t:he knew how-to prefefve, at the expence of his life, the command which the King .had intruftcd hini wi^h. : Ho was harfh with his in^riors, hot fo much fpoiTi-infenribilityi.§54.fr^i|i,his zeal, for the-difciplin« '^ R 3 of 14)^: THE PRIVATE LIPE 17^0. of the (ervicc ; he dirplayed all his cocnpaflion to* • wards his enemies when prifooers. This gained hioi their heartis fp much, that they were fomecimes more attached to him than his own crew, who admired ' THrithout loving him. They gave him too ftroog a proof of this in his lafl: adion, in which molt of the Gunners of his frigate foribok their poUs, and hid themielves, without a poflibiiicy of bringing them back. If we may credit the hiftorian, hn presump- tion was the caufe of all the misfortunes of the day. Trufting to the iightnefs of the BeUeifie, Tburot fiat* tered himfelf, nt firft, that he ihould outfailthe ene- my { he omitted, at leaf!:, to employ the time in f re? luring himfelf for the adion, though prcflbd to it by every body J he ncglcfted every precaution, and qrei^ did not give the fignal for joining, to the two other frigates, -till he was obliged to make that for the atr tack i fo that he found himfelf alone againft threey and the Blonde and the ^erffycwe. only came up to be raken. The defection of his Gunners rendering; the artillery afelefs, he endeayogred to board j hue, having neither grenades nor grappling-irons prepared^ failed in the attempt. The frigate then beiiiglB the moftdeplorable ftkte, andthe erewdefencelefs, ex- pofed to the continual fire of the Engliih,' he was fo^ licited to ftrike j/but tvas determined to rcfceiv«6 one more broadfide, that is to fay, to give himfelf a chance for the laft ftroke of good fortune, which he «3cpeAcd, that of being killed upon the fpot, without being «c- pofed to the reproaches of the Minittory* or to dit dcrifion of the enemy j and fbrtyne « kaft g^artwd ^im this laft wifli. \t'i-^^\. ^H hiuwn /nHi ^ Not^ithftandiAg his difafterj Thupot Wis regret- ^d by the Courti they were fcnfible of tkt Waht they r4 were i OF LEWIS' XV. sf were In of fuch men, for the CsSety and fupply of their colonies. Unable, from that time, to fupport them by the King's fquadrons, they had recourie to the afllftance of the merchants ; who placed fo little ' confidence in his Majeily's officers, that M. de la Touclie Treville, Captain of a man of war, having put himielf at the head of a company of financiers of Paris, to whom the King gave fome of his. fhips up« on very advantageous terms, the merchants of Bour- deaux refufed to be concerned in them, under pre- tence, that the expedition was to be conducted by ofHcers of the Royal navy ; they declared, that they had a greater refpe^ for Canon, Dolabaratz, and Cor- nic, than for de la Clue, Duquefne, or Conflans. It was a matter of importance fpeedily to fend pro- vilions, money, troops, and ammunition to Canada. The Marquis deVaudrcuil, to make more prefling atid mope effectual folicitations, had fent M. Mcrrcier, Commandant of the artillery, to France, in order to reprefenc their fituation, and to declare, that he did not defpair of re«eflabliihing affairs, and of retaking Quebec, if he were fcconded in his plan. In hopes that the Court would be ftricken with it, he conduc- ed himfelf, in t'leenfuing campaign, in conformity to this fuppofition, and every. thing was ready in the month of April. An army often thoufand men was colleded from the fevcral troops under the command of the Chevalier de Levy, and began • their march. They arrived within five leagues of Quebec, wjchout the enemy fufpeding it. They were almoft come up with aa advanced detachment of 1,500 men, which they would have furprized and routed, when an ac- cident, impoilible to be for^fcen orpr^ventedj.difcon- cerM |h^ wjioic prqjea. -':^-.-,s{t,xiuo3^ds-''^''^-' :'3>i!^v. R 4 The 247 1760. M THE PRIVATE LIFE 1760. The troops went upon boats, by a way made " through the ice j and lantlcd every night. A gunner, in jumping out of the bo it, fell into the water : he ^ )aid hold of a flake of ice, and was carried with it down the ftrcam. As he paflcd clofe to the fliore of the city, he was feen by a qentinel, who called out for . help. The Englifh flew to the afliftance of the un- fortunate man, laid hold of him, and found him motionlefs, They knevv him by his uniform to be a . French foldier. He was carried to the Governor's houfe, where means were employed to recall him to . life, as much from motives of curiofity as of humanity. Spirituous liquors were given him : he recovered his fpeech— declared that an army of ten thoufand men were at the gate of the capital — and expired. The projedled coup de main^ having ^husmifoarried, a re- gular fiege was obliged to be formed. The'Cheva- . lier de Levy opened the trenches, and battered the town, but weakly. It was necelTary to be fparing of the ammunition, till the arrival of the fuccours from France. At length a flag was perceived at a diftance »7May. upon the river; no doubt was made of it's* being a French flag. It proved to be an Engliilh fquadron j * which no fooner arrived, than it detached a fhip of '60 guns, and a large frigate, to feize upon the little / French fleet, anchored near the camp, which fcrved , them for a magazine. The Athalante, of 30 guns on- ly, protc6ted theni, and gave them time to efcape. She fdfliained a very unequal combat, and had the glory of making head againfl: an enemy much fupe^ . rior in ftrength. She defended herfelf till at laft (he 'fank; and more than half the crew being killed, the ^efl: were obliged to furrendcr prifoners of war. We may readily imagine, that the Captain of this frigate [\ '--^'t- '"'""- • . V -iyn- *' : • • was O F L E W I S XV; "IT was not one of the King's navy; he was in the fcrvice of the Eaft India Company, and his name was M. Vauquelin. ; . This check obliged the French to raife the fiegc j fthd the fuccours from Europe, confiding of fix fhips only, having been intercepted, it was followed by the lofs of all Canada, which was intirely reduced in the fpace of a few months. The good-humour of the French made them foon comfort themfelves for this 4ofs i it was faid, that it was an expence faved, rnd that this colony, which produced nothing, had roil more than a hundred millions * fince the wari This 'mode of thinking was particularly adopted by M. Berryer, who mieafured objeAs accbrding to the nar- rownefs of his own ideas. He was delighted to g^t; rid of this' one, which gave him nothing but gre;»t concern.^ In the-iame point of view, he'^pported the lofs of Pondicherry witli equal cool nefs. * ■ Since the departure of MefHeurs d'Ache and Lally, there were none but difmal- accounts received from thofe countries;, and it could icarce be otherwife. The delay of the fuccours, that had been determined tobe fent to India fmce 1755* and which did not fet outtill 17 57j--^aconfidcrable diminution o"th-troops, ihips, and money, intended for this expecution, but applied to other purpofes, on account of the preffing exigencies of the State — the choice of the Chiefs, the refult of which would foon be a perfonal mifun- dtfrftandihg, and afterwards a general difunion-among the fubalterns-— all thefc circumftances made well- informed people prefume, that unlefs a miracle took S49 1760. tScpt. \ Upwards of foor millions fterling. place. i m vr;:< < ■* ^t ■•- T ■ 5 March, J737. J THE PRIVATE LIFE phice,' France would alio be humbled in that part of the world, and ihamefuUy expelled from it. ' v'^! "•"•s" M. dc Scchellcs, who, as Comptroller General, had %he India Company in his department, had, in the King's name, firom the beginning of £he war^ prCf" fiiaded the Conjnany to continue their trade, with the ftiongdk aiTuranoes oft his Majefty's protedion. Ac^ jcordio^f i Count I^ly, initiated in this adminiftra- tion as Syndic, and appointed to command the troops that wei« to be ient there, held early conl^ ferences with that Minifter. It was agreed to give him three thoufand men, Hx millions **, and three men of war, to which ibould be added^^lbchihips of the Eaft as could i)e fitted out for fenrice^j The ftate of the forces the Engliih had in Indian of which an account had been procured, did not ceqoire any greater force in 1755. ®"' ^^ nation, ever a^tercv had not remained, idle, like her :rii^l;i and Fcancc^; faf fron[idimint(hiif)gthe'reinforcements,:Qiflght: rather ; CO have augmenccad them» at the diftance oftwo^rears after the time fir£Li^pointed for fiending^then:. : i^^A the contrary, at the moment of depanuiie^ two rnttiii^ battalions, four millions ^, and two King'r fliips, wece retrenched; that/ is to fay, two thirds of the wlioik. The, General, otafperated^ refufcd tO' embark i he was tird^^red not to recede, and promifed, that thii. de- ficiency fhould be made up to hfm the following year ( *which was by no means the fame thing* j; tuM^ However this may be, iic fet fail widx M. -d'Aohp, who, on his part, had begun by a bad manoeuvre. which retarded the expedition for two months. Evfcry „ • Two hondred and fifty thou JipdjKWiiid*. . ■ ^^-[6^ ^•m-- t Between one and two hundred thoufand pounds. month O F LEWIS XV. i month is precious in a naval expedition. There were iliU more delays and other negligences during the voyage, fo that the fquadron did not anchor at the ifland of France till .about eight months after it^s departure from Europe, though the voyage may be completed with a fquadron in lour months, acnd ought noyer to take up niore than itx, with all forts of impediments that can be imagined. Ho>vever this may be, there were (reik delays in this colony ; My d^ Ache wanted to wait there the favourable mon* foon *", when it was decided toObc fail, in a general Council, after a declaration made by the |}rincipal perfoos :of the Ifland of France, that the colony would ^e in want of provifions, and would not be able. to furnilh any fubMcnce to the fhips crews, nor so the land forces, till a more favourable feafon for the departure. He therefore fet fail, but ibon ilood in for the ifiand of Bourbon ; and^ after having beaten aibout the &a for three months more, he fell in 'With the Engiifh %iadroR ient -fron^ £i<»raipej which, zpore^ligeitt than he; 'had jcift joined the Ifaips of Admiral Pocock. k was then perceived, how neceflary it ««ould have Ijecn to ufe greater dif- patdi, fince fix weeks earlier this communicavfOA would have been intercepted— the honour of the flag would have been maintained upon the 4coaft of Co^ «!omandel-— the enemy would have been obliged to quit it-*^and we ihould have tri«rtnphed over theiM, during the whole war, in the peninflila of India. "Two adions, oh the contrary, were the refult, whkh turned 1760. a? Jan. 1758. »9 Aprilf 175«. S4 March. 1758. ^ In India, the general winds, wlilch blow £x mont^ from the ^(h, and fix monthf ffoi^ the fo^thj are ««Ued m^/mu 7 "' -f"' *^;>. W rnniKii 252 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1760. to the difadvantage of the French, and forc'5d M. """■"""" d'Ache fhamefuUy to regain the I (land of France, to remain a twelvetnonth without daring to Ihew him- iclf in thofe feas, in which he only appeared again to be beaten a third time, and to run away in full fail fafter than he had come, and by this occafioned the lofs of Pondicherry, the only bulwark we had reniain- ing upon the coail. . . .ptH ern-i^fRrLmm*! '^o •> ; In the account of the war in 1756, in which the navy has fo confidcrablc a (hare, we fliall attach our- f^lves particularly, to what concerns it. We have pbferved, that the fubjeft of our, navy is thcworft part of all our Jiiftorians, even of Voltaire, who does not reafbn ypon it with any accuracy., To difcufs this point, it is neceffary to be coaverfant with fea terms, and to acquire a knowledge tif all parts of the fervice, otherwife, the journds ofthe Commanders of the feveral naval actions. will become, ^\Tr^A,fr. in the hands of thofe who confult them, a fource of v?t* errors and hiijtorical blunders. Wehave endeavour- .dwM , ^^^^ '^* pretawtions againft this inconvenience^ by ■Un.' maldng ourfelyes^ well acquainted with the matter, from informations received from people of the pro- feSion, It is in the fame view, that, befides the ac- counts of different kinds, we have collected of the , ^^ three engagements of M. d' Ache, and of his conduft 4n Indian we have alfo confulted feveral perfons con- fernf d, and witnefles of thefe maritime adtions. . . -p . ,,In avoiding, as ufual, long and minute dcfcrip^ Jtions, mpre tedious in the accounts of thefe engage- ments than of thofe upon land, we fhall confine our- -felvefs to the refult, andto the effential circumftances. - It feems to be acknowledged, that M. cTAche was " • • . luperior ■J ' ^. 4 OF LEWIS XV, ' , •1 » • fuperioi' to the enemy * j already he had even obliged two Englifh frigates to blow themfelves up, and had began to imprefs them withteror; when he committed leveral faults, which occalicned him to lofe his advantages, and made him inferior to the enemy. By an ill-judged pique againfl: Count Lally, to whom he refufed to pay the honours due to the ^?* ■ \ Cemparifon bettoeen the fwt FUitt, fVl v FRENCH FLEET. Ships. Guns. Captains M.M. Le Zodiaque, — 74 — M. d'Ache, Commodore. Le Comte de Provence t 74 — de ia Chaife. Le Bien aime, — 58 — Bouvet. Le Vengeur, — 54 — Palliere. Le Condi, — 50 — Rofbau. ^. Le Due d'OrlSotts — - 50 — Surville the younger. Le Saint Louis, — 50 — Joannis. Le Moras, — 50 — Bec-de-Iievre^ Le Due de Bourgogne, 50 — d'ApresdeMennivillette. Frigates. f '[ La Diligence, — 30 — Marion. .« La Sylfhide, — — — Marin. E NG L I S H FLEET. Ships. Guns, Captains M. M. ThtYar mouth, — -Q __ S Pocock. Admiral. ' ^ Harrifon, Captain. -y.j, j Stevens, Admiral. ' ( Kempenfelt, Captais, ' The Elifabetb, — The Cumberland, — 66 — Brereton. The Weymouth, •— 60 — Michael Vincent. r The I'yger, — 60 — Thomas Latham. The Newcaftle, 54 — George Legge. _^ 'The Salijbury, — 50 — J. H. Somerfet. ^v, Frigates. r^^The ^tfeen/borougb. 30 "'The Prtteaor — H ' . ■ V^ ^53 1760. ' Genefd, ^4 TME PRIVAtE LIFE 175** '1760. General^ inftead of efcorting him to Pondi^hcfry with hJR whole fleet, and by that means keeping to- gether, he detached a fhip of the line of 74 guns, and a frigate, for this piwpofe. It was at this moment thatj having negleftcd to inform himfelf of Pocock's «9 April, fitijation, he was attacked by that Admiral, who took the weather-gage of him. The forces were ftill. equal j he fought well, and was even wounded— The defection of the Due de Beurgogne proved very ufeful to the enemy. That fliip was commanded by M. d'Apres de MfehriivSllet'te,'a Ciptain of an India Ihip, a man of lettd's, and menriber of the Academy of Sciences. Unfortunately, his courage did not an- , fwer to his undcrftaiidingi M. d'Ache, m the letter he wrote to the Mifiifter t> compkins, that this of- ficer never jkept lus poft, nor indeed ever wa^ Irtit j that, on the contrary,he got out of the line at the Very . beginning of the aftion, and fought only actsofs the m^s of the oth€r' fliips, under which he fh^^It^red himfelf. However this may be, having Yn^de his fhip arriver, which, in naval terms, fignifies'bfearingf away before th^ wind, the French General did rtot avail himfelf of the pretended fuccefs he boafted 6f j hccvcn fumiflxcd an opportunity for the Engliih Ad- miral to takte honour to himfelf for having ittade M. d*Ach€ Idfe the objeft of his preieht ftatioh. This was, to remain off Guadaloupe and Fort. St. David, which were at that time befiegcd by Count Lally, and to which it was effential that no veflel fhould be fuffered to approach, either to tfirbW' in fucconrj^^Ot CO carry oft the effeds a|id' ftjgrpij^iipii, t bated fit)m the Ifland of France, the 30th of OBjthel i2sSp See the Appends, N* XUI. in Which is likewlfe a jotiibaf of th« two aftioas* in OF LEWIS JCV. - ^S m in cafe of a furrender* Ic is true, that the^ Eoglifli 176<\ did not fulfil their projeft, but this was only oWciir to " the obftacles they met with from the eleixients. However, they paflcd, in fight of thti French fleets to windward, went to refit at Madrafs, and put-to iea again ten days after. ^ r 5t?jf77jj puv/ 'jri w; liji/?;. -- *' ^ " In- the mean time. Mi. d'Achc kept hinofelf ck>fc "^ ' at Pondicherry. Being weaker by one fliip *, which was \6ik after the a£tiof\y he had refifted-thc iqliiiitao' tions that were made ta him to go out of haf^bour, under pretence of inabiUty. H« contented hitnfelf withforining wtKhes for the fuccefs of Count Lally, at Fore Saint ]l>«\Vidi by writing to him, th^ eiUy thing' I think terribiey is, that w€ cannot dj^ om af(9^ tber t^> Count Lall^ wai- obliged to ga in peribn to Pondicherry, and to. force the Commodore to weigh anchoTj jt)y heading the grenadiers, and by giving- orders to arreft him> if he refufed to ihew himfeif: before Fort Skint David, in order ta de- prive the befieged of the hopes of receiving, any fuccours. This violent proceeding is attefted to us by M» Leyjrit, Governor of the place for the Com- pany J. We do not know whether M. de Lally had any right to adb in this manner ; he exerted it however very a-proposy for the fort capitMlated as foon as M. d'Achc appeared, -j^ni muV ^-^yhb ,(4 ^3f^ After having taken this bulwark bf the power of the Engiiih upon this coaft, this wotild have been '^ Lit Jfttn jstMe* f The:t are the exprefs words of a letter frOm Count d*Ac1ie, to Cotint-JLally, dated Pondicherry, May the iBtii, 1758; ''^ * I See the letters that the Sieurt Davall, Leyrit, and Lally; fiavewritttn to one another in India, with a coameatb/'the ,^,,/, ^' fermer; :;, :.:i;« - . ■ '^*v^' •^n*n^ the ■ -^^ 1256 1760. I 3 Aug. 'X>>, tHE I*RlVA'rE LIFE the time to avail ourfelves of this firfl advantage, which rendered the French name refpeded in Indi*i extended the glory of his Majefty's arms, infpire4 the troops with that confidence which paves the way to viAory, and is almoft always followed by^" it, and to encourage the troops to go to Madrafs, ^' the fecond object which it had been recommended to the Commanders of the fea and land forces, ift!" their inftructions, not to lofe fight of. This was the opinion of Count Lally, who exerted himfelf to the utmoft to pcrfuade M. d*Ache to it, with*- 7 ' out whofe concurrence he could not aft with ad-f'^ vantage. Jealoufy rofe fo high between thefe two"^' officers, that it was impoffible they fhould agree. The Commodore remembered the" violence with* which he had been threatened by the Couritj he pretended the neceflity of gbing previoufly to. meet the fuccours expefted from the Ifland of Frahce, td \. intercept, if pofliblie, thofe of the Englilhi- arid, fail*^^* ing along the coaft, he turned his back* to Madrafs .[ ' and Pondicherry. The alarm was foon fpi*^ad ill ' ' that faftory, and the Council difpatched a veflel t6''\^ him, to fummon him to return, not with intentiott to attack the Englifh, who had recovered them-']* felves, but^b preferve the town from their'infultsl. ' It was again propofed to him to fail up to the ene* , '' my's fleet, which had been in fearch of him foi*^ ' two months; he obftinately perfifted in remaining'"' ' where he was, to avoid, as he faid, the expofing ot I, the King*s flag. At laft, Pocock t^rea^ened to^'" attack him at anchor ; and, to avoid this difadvan* tage, he was obliged to fail out. In this a^ion^ '^ wherein his adverfary again got the weathei'-gage "' pf him, he experienced all fores of difaflers and mif- fortunes. ^,MH U'lH*|iH»^ ^«f "1 •' ♦ ' *!' •T» I* Indii(i ifpire(J es the ed by V adrafs, . lended ■CCS, ih is was himfclf ^ , with'- , th ad- .(q two agtec. :c with^ jhts he to. meet ihce, to '- id, fail* , iadrafs '^ad in eflel to ' tentiort them- infultsv |he cne* lim for aining fine of t OF LEWIS XV. fortunes. One of the Company's (hips took fire : others could not make ufe of their upper batteries, and were obliged to bring to i the Zodiaque loft it's rudder three times i and M. d'Ache was in danger of being blown up, by the fire thrown into his ihip, by the Englifh. He went on board the Due £Qr- hansr—\o(t a great many men— was wounded — and while, on the one hand, he faid that be bad well warmed tbe enemy s tbat tbe enemy would notfigbt bim any longer s tbat tbey did not cboofe to come witbin tanon-flfot of bim *, he acknowledged, on the other hand, that bis fleet was difabled f . He was obliged to leave the enemy in poiTefHon of the fea, and to run thirty leagues to windward^ in order to return to Pondicherry. He did not ftill think himfelf in fafety there; he declared, that he would „not anfwer for the event, fhould the Engliih come to blow hiip up i ^> notwithftanding the afllfl^ance offered him> 9nd the intreaties of Count Lally, and of the Council, to engage him to ftay.at leaft as long as the enemy, he departed before the proper feafOn, and againft the monfoon, abandoning the coaft and the fea to his rival. "We leave our rea- ders to determine upon this exposition of fads j but, although a General be not refponfible for events, which neither prudence nor courage can prevent, And. An circumflances where (kill and chance are fo intimately bjended, yet, when a man is always on the lofing fide, we are much inclined to condemn ji i57 1760. n * The terms of fevn^ of l)Is letters, or ofthofe of M. de Mon- ^ tcuil. Major of tHe fquadron, f See his letter of the aijlof Ai^aft 1758, to Count Lally. Vol. III. S him, \ i: A- I- f-.* 358 THfi PRIVATE LIFE 1760. hiifi, t6 think he h deficient in (killj or ha» not fo gre&t k (hare of it at his adverfarf . The fihgukr dreumftance 19, that the Count alledged the ArYie motifes for hit retreat, as were urged to diflfiMde hwd frofti it. Ht fiiid^ that hii fleet would be the falvatiOA of the French fettle- ments in Indi^ ; and it wai )>«^rcffetttad to hin), that, under ph;tence of being useful to them the follow- ing ye!ir> he begM in this, by abandoning them tQ an indefatigaMe enemy, whd h^ kept the lea for three years, in defiance of winds and teniptihiout ^afons; and who might take idvanci^c of his ab*- fence to undertake fome decifife ftto\Lc^ which ^ould render the return €>f his fleet the ne)tt year fuperfluous. Another fingularity is, thttt he Ijuitted Pondicherry contrary to the wifhes of the Council there, in order to go tO tht Ifle ttf France, where the Council dreaded his return, and decided tq him, upon his arrival, that they had not t^i^wit;^^ to furnifh him Wi* fubfiftenC** cy v "\. w^- M. d'Ach^ WW Obliged to f^d, it a g©eat eit^ence, twelve ihfip^i to fupply hinifHf with |>rovi(lonsfiom the Qi:pc of <&bod Hope. No doubt, this eacpedi-^ tionrerahled hi$ return upon the coifts but thef^ prorilions were however coUeded early enough for him td haf« Af^peared there ^in a long while *^ before September^ ifter more than a twelvutnonth*^ abfetiee. This time, he himfblf owned, thaS lid Wttt fu^rior \h fcH'te^ : three of the King's fhi^ ^ ^ . • 5A»>*. J2 j.nY,, 9i^u CsftfimM, li.. . , vjvMnii The mnotaiart ' — 74 ife i^Effupklle, ConaipodH^ VlUuftre ' -64 dekqS ^ " V ' • ■'"• fcveral .t ^it wg fwi i inii m mmtm OF LEWIS XV. •./ 5 ' 3) a .»' '*c br ae had fee the example, by expofing his own per- fon, would have been fufficient to confound his ac^ cufers upon this point : but valour is not the Hrll qua- lificatiOR of A General; he muft alfo po^efs a great ihare of judgment: whereas it is evident, that M. d* Ache's was perpetually in default. He was agi- tated with internal > paflions, which rendered ufelefs the intrepidity he could have difplayed. His con- du6t, when not in adion, feemed to be directed by a kind of caprice. He quitted Pondicherry with precipitation, under a .pretence of being ^informed^ from good authority^ that this city was in want ol'all the materials ncceflary for refitting his fquadrorii and that it'had'iioteven provifions for the maintenance of it's ownli^'fi#^'*:^'' :_?i:^^f-*?'-^*'^''' ■W^''^7.<|*;h..^-^ "'"offtred lli.*.'^ the reprefentations ihaJe to Count dMche, By the Gen- tlemen of the fuperior Council of Po^dicherry, in the name of the fiatioo, aJTem^fdin 'a body, on the 17th of September 17^9; and S3 the 3^1 1760. u 1760. vV>: ^ t w H 1 fi » ii ^ THE PRIVATE LIFE offered him, and as many provifions at he could de- fire, together with an immediate fupply of every, ns- ccflary for the repair of his (hips. M. d'Achc even condemned himfelfi he endeavoured to juftify hia «k<* parture, by a fecret prc^e6b he meditatccW 0^ Seising upon Mazulipatan, an EngHfh fadory^ more than a hundred leagues to windward of the fettlementa he was forfaking. He could not, therefore, be fototaUf in want of fubfiftence and men; neither could hit fliips be in fo ihattcred a condition, iince» of his own accord, he thus endeavoured to prolong the. campaigfia and to hazard an expedition which stn^ oftieflarUy make him lofe time, and men, and perhapa cspoifilltun to a frefli ehgagement ; which, he faid» ht w§$likM able to fuftain. .j.i,/. ,..? But the circumftance. that renders;theQ(Mldu^ the moft dreadful extremity. la. vain does he 6bje6^, in -order to juftify his inadion,' the ,(e4r9;ipf the French Miniftry for that colony, and the; iecret intcHigence \^ had received of the ftcttng" out of a the proteft of the nation, aflembled ih the; QovernflMat*|ball of Pondichcjriy, to M. d'Ache, on the 17th of September, >759* Thefe two pieces are inferted and prdiui^ed at ^ length » in Several inemorials produced on the famous trial al Count' Lally ; which prevents us from-inferting th^in here*. ^ ':'•■■• ••■'■•fleet JL ..} OF LEWIS XV. /feet in Europe by the Englifli, which threatened It. From the month of January, to the feafon of the fa* vourable monfoons, there was nrK>re time than fuf^ ficient to repair the dam^es occafioned by the (lorm. It wu eafy to be perceived, that the apprehenfions of Verfinlles were groundlefs and improbable i that all the effbrti of the enemy would be firft exerted againft: Pondicherry, and that it was this bulwark, which ftood in greateft need of protedion, as being the iureft rampart for the defence of the French iflands :— in a word, that, as h^ was alarmed for two places at once, it was beft to attend to that which was moft likely to be firft attacked. Befidcs, another crrcuRiftance ought .io have infpired him with the unalterable tvfolution of returning to the coafts this was famine, the nnofl: cruel of all the fcourges, %ii!h whkh the Ifle of France was threatened; an iMrvit«ble 'and invincible eneray, againft which, nei-. ther precaution, plan, nor courage could avail, and wMch would have been the moft powerful affiftant to the Engliih, in cafe they had invefted the iQand. The Governor) M. Desforges Boucher, had urged all theie powerfiil motives, to get rid of the £iccti and M.d'Ach6, after having fcen, at Pondicherry, the whole nation protefting againit him, becaui« be foribbk them, beheld, without aoy emotion, the Council of the Ifland of France proteft againft him, alledging, for it's prefervationj that the lofs of it would infallibly occafion the lofs of India ; that the falvation of thi& country depended upon it: — and yet Pondicherry was taken at a time when this fleet was in a.moft flourifh- ing condition, ' and remained in perfefl fecurity jS^f; the diftance of fifteen hundred leagues. ;~3vi: iLbit^- It is therefore certain that M. d'Ache waS(|the im^ mediate caufe of the capture of Pondicl^ecryj,, f^f rather, perhaps, the imbecillity of the ^inift^y,; j(^ adopting, upon very flight grounds, the io^Qua^ioi^ which were, perhaps, artfully fuggi^fted to.tbeit)]^ the Court of London, by which they infpiifed,hj{xi. withfalfe alarms for the fafety of thelfland of Francje?* allrms of which the Direftor of the mari^iine opsr 1 rations very readily availed himfelf, becaufe ^hey? favoured his natural indolence, and his antipathy j>Qh Count Lallyj who, from the report of his accuferfi,i^ had made himfelf formidable to all perfoi^s^ .^xcept; r the Englifli. This is the opportunity of n^akii^.oMf : readers acquainted with this Gentleman, upon whon(i,. the eyes of all Europe have, for fome , ti^ie^ t beientfi fixed. He was a man of a hard and fplenctiq difpQf.i fition, and tormented to excefs with . the f^ienzyof dominion, which he exercifed with intolerable dcfpo-r i tifm. He had been fent to India by the Compj^nyr , as much to defend them againft their, d.pmeftic as their foreign enemits. The firfti were their mofl: de-4 . .ii,:*: jc.-.-^ V-— -..-■', •; • •'•■■•.-■--. .> voted i i u. l i L i wHWn w;^^'^ "O F VE W IS XV. 26s voted fervants, who, enriched with their fpoils, and i76o, having nothing more to gain from the diftrefs to which they had reduced them, were inwardly dcfiroiis of* falling into the hands of the CngHlh, in order to cover their particular depredations, under the general fyftem of pillage, which always attends coxiqucft. M. Lally was the moft improper peffon, to remedy thefe evils. Full of prejudices, he was> ^Tiorcover, fo head- ftrong, that he was prevented from feeing any thing with the coolnefs of reafon ; and hjs exceflive violence contributed totally to obfcure his underftanding. T9 thefe faults was addec], a mean and infamous vice, a fordid avarice, which made him ^ger after the pur- fuit of the depredators, but mecrly with a view of appropriating to himfelfthe reftitutions he exacted of them. Hefeemed as if he referved to himfelfthe ruin of the Company. Scarce was he arrived at Pondicherry, when, already at variance with his col- league for the niaritime enterprizes, he prejudiced againfl him all the orders of the tQVfn, the council, the military, and the citizens. By this proceeding, he expoled himfelf to cppofitions, which ibured his temper, and which he foon magnified into crime;. Upon fuch occafions, forgetting all bel^aviour, ye- fpeft, decorum, and decency, he became ferocious and barbarous, infulting both humanity and nature ; and, to all the horrors which his rage fuggefted to him, he added irony, flill more bitter, and more hurtiiiiating^^^rfV^^,^^^?^"^ ^^-":^^ "■ : "■:: • ■,, '- ^ But, notwithflanding the jar of fo manyoppofitc interefls, aftive paflions, animofities, hatred, refent- ment, cabals, and fad^ions. Count Lally, who was not a General dcftitute of talents, during the time of his commiflion, which lafte4 near three years, was b^iov engaged 266 THE PRIVATE LIFE If Jan, 1761. v 1760* eiigag;ed in ten battles, or (kirmifhes> and took ten places, or forts. Reduced to only 700 regulars, agaii\lt I5>O0O Und forces, and fourteen (hips of the }ine-»not having a (ingle boat for his defence — he iliftaioed a blockade, was invefted during ninemonthisi and did not furrender the place, till there did not re- ipaia one fingle grain of rice, or any other kind of nQurifhnnent for hisgarrifon, already worn out with fttigue and . miftry» ._ , ' , .4 ;.'i ^. ^ lj„ >, ^ . i^' f',^' A Angular circunaftancc rendered the capitulation of Pondicherry, dilated by neceffity, ftill more hard, A pdnciple of revenge operated on the fide of the conquerors. They had intercepted the inftructions given to the Counts Lally and d'Ache by the Com- ])any. Thefe inftrpftions forbad their granting any terms p the Engliih fettlemcnts that might fall int6 their hand^. The Governor of Madrafs, who carricto theEnglifh army, in order to regulate the artides of capitulation, laid a ftrefs upon thefe di reft ions of the French, and infifted upon the fame rigour. Not only the troops of the garrifon, the Magillrates^ and the Council, but even all the fubaltems in the Company's fcrvice, were embarked for Europe. The fortifications were demolilhed, and the plough was made to pafe over this fupcrb city, which hereafter exhibited nothing more than a heap of ruins. r The fcene of diffenfions, with which this city had been agitated, was only removed to another place, and the clamours with which India had refounded, were transferred to annoy the capital. Everyone took apart ki them, according to his intereft, affeftrons, or prejudices, and the refult was, that famous trial of which we ihall hereafter fpcak. This, as well as that of the Canadians, was the only thing that France " r obtained 7' / I '.* 1 1 i •OF LEWIS XV. obtained for the blood and treafures (he had lavidied in the prclervation of thofe immenfe poflfefiions. It was time to conclude, by any kind of peace, a naval war, in which the equitibrium was fo entirely defbroyed, that every conqueft obtained by England over France, paved the way fcr others, without any hopes left of a compenfation. The capture of Cape Breton, the key of the river St.. Laurence, opened co the Englifh the way to North America by iiea, which they could never have conquered by land. Pondi-- cherry loll, for want of a fleet, put them in poflfiflion of all thepeainfula. If hey became mafkrs not only of the coafl: of Coromandel, but of that of Malabar aUb, where Mahe had capitulated. There only remained che Ifles of France and Bourbon, which would in tinae have been reduced by famine, widiout the conqueror being obliged to employ any other means. ^ Guadalupe had been the ftaple of the expedition againft Dominica, and thcfe two iHands, in the neigh- bourhood of Martinico, were made ufe of to preis the latter, and to facilitate the approaches to it. It was taken a few months after, and drew along with it the dcfedlion of all the other Windward iflands. A Captain of a (hip commanded there, his compa- nions ufed to call him the Great la Totukf, not on account of his exploirs, but of his majeftic fhape and fine figure. Certainly, if Nadau had been degraded for having given up Guadalupe, after feveral months refiftanre, and having defended every inch of grouftd, what fhallwe fay of the Governor of Martinico, which was made an intire cOnqueft of in lefs than fix * • The landing was efFeSed on the 7th of Jtnaftry 176a, and the total redui^ioD on die 14th of February* ' '■ 1 ; . . li.:-' , - • ' •: • •;>■;' weeks? a6^ 1750. ivFdb* li 268 1760. THE PRIVATE LIFE >:i. $\ I weeks ? But he belonged to a corps in which evcrjf ^ offence remained unpunifhed;he efcaped. h .e foma-^ ' ny others, the capital punifhment he deferved. He laid the Mame upon the inhabitants, who, in fa6t, chofe rather to live in plenty, under the dominion of the Englifh, than to die of hunger, under that of the mother country. Saint Domingo, Cayenne, and Louifiana, were fodn to experience the fame fate. Arid France was threatened, if the face of affairs did not change in a Ihort time, to be deprived of all its colonies in tht Eaft and' Welt Indies. Stich was the boldnefs of the enemy, that they had al- ready begun to blockade the kingdom by the capture of Belleille, which put them in polTeffion of the gulph of Gafcony. The Englifh had feveral times attempted the conqueft of this ifland, but always without fuc- cefs. They fucceeded in it this war, when the debi- lity and difcouragement of their rivals allowed them to undertake every enterprize. They had prepared, ever fince the month of March, a confiderable arma- ment for this purpofe. Having been repulfed at their fiirft landing, they fucceeded better a feCond timej arid, notwithftanding the brave refiflance made by the Officer who commanded the fortrefs, they 7 June, fubdued the whole ifland in lefs than two months. At the figning of the capitulation. Major General Hodgfon, and Commodore Keppel, did not fail to dojultice to the valour of the garrifon; thf.y faid, Granted, in favour of the gallant defence which the cita- del has made, under the orders of the Chevalier de St. Croix. The Parifians were fo little accuflomed, at that time, to fee fuch kind of men, that the Chevali'^r df; St. Croik, as foon as he appeared there, was pointed out, applauded, furrounded, and followed as a pha^- nomcnon. 8 April. mammrmt >a.. OF LEWIS XV. nomcnon. He did not long furvive his glory, and, having been appointed to the defence of St. Domin- go, he died in that colony. But if the refiftance of Belleille did honour to it's generous defender, it was not a lefs ignominious circumftance to the French, to fee one of their bulwarks carried off before their face, without fending the leaft afliftance to it; to fee Eng- land extending her fway even over their own coun- try, and be enabled to infeft, without moleftation, and with impunity^ all the coafts of the country of the Bay of Bifcay ; confine their armaments, coalling, and other trade, and acquire a place of fupport to favour their invafions. and a convenient fpot to retire to, in pafe of any cbeck or damage from the elements. 269 1760. i1a- m3flt hrui:';?iVH>«:.'-.t i 18 b3li!?^ND QF THE TH;?10 VOLUME, * ic:%:^ '!;; o* iiii) "on f>ib Jjq'-pX ->»'•>!... \h'iH\ pdl indh-nsg ail J Id •• -RiVi a'V\ d'iJ^oi •i;sri\)^i un^vitiv -, •^u.v •5;!! f)J •)nj\itui ob .^b r>ifr.v3ilO axil l«b rn':^!!) "lu . . • '^loj ,5frr't b92:iioq giiv.' .^l^dl LoTt^quc t;;i APPENDIX. -*flq fj as fcsv/uIlol.bitK J«bni.vi:^'i , i-ouv^r^-at. .jtv ■'■(A t >-a .1 i!l ¥..«■' -U4il^.. ■-^ TT^. ' V"--.* ■ « m: **.-*-,■•• c^-^ ,'.' A W: ill 8(1 \ ,x 1 d VI a 'I T A I i>l—<— ■<*!»*>«**■» - "! -V r » V «*»' wU*.*^- a H A ^Vi tii.v'ii'ti'.vv ;\ii\?. ^j^v ^ji \mttJ^ vo ii'':n:>\i\niOir:. . . ,i,']i.5>^h\ii 'tilt! ^-mriff^fl^ ^E> .11! . roV ' •)! •M Ute ,.<•;. J L__^ ^73 ■•:o ifv .t have been obfervcd in the mode of collcfting this tax. He moreover fignified to the deputies, his re- gret, in not being able to yield to their folicitations ; but at the f^me time apprized them of his firm re- folution of carrying the orders of the King into exe- cution with thjs greateft ftridnefs. .Letters from Britany, of the 4th of tliis. rnor^tb, mention, that tl^ States being aflemWcd on Sun- day, the Kind's Convpiflioners had fignified to jdiem , an order in writingr to appoint comqirittees to ^ro- .ceed upon the bufinefs} and that this order bail ex- , ckeJ a conHderable tumult, which had only been ap- peafed by a prppofal made by the Commonalty q( Vac State, to fend a deputation, intreating the Cona- mlflloiiers to revoke their order, and hear the com- plaints otthe.States concerning the Vingtieme^. This .deputation, at the head of which was the Bilhpp of Q^irnper, as well as two others fent with the fame view, iii -which the Bifhop ofVa^aacs ^a.^ th^ j^peaker, ^|;i!^rc equ.^Ily un availing. M. de Chavlncs con- tinued )9feMqSn«nnn A P !> £ N D I X, tinucd to anfwer with firmnefs, that he would never depart from the order fignified to them ; that he would not attend to the complaints concerning the Vingtieme, till the committees had been appointed $ and that he would not fufFer the King's authority to give way to an obftinacy founded only upon ill- humour, and which announced, on the part of the States, a premeditated defign of remaining in in- aflion. Upon the reprefcntations of theBilhopof Vannes to the States, it was decided by a majoricy of votes, that, without appointing the ordinary committees, that of the Vingtieme fliould continue to fit, and Ihould draw up a complete memorial of their grie- vances refpedting this impoft. The refolution was given out by the Bifliop of Rennes, Prefident, but interrupted by fcveral members of the Nobility, who drew after them almoft the whole aflembly, faying that it was irregular, and that treachery had been ufed in colleding the votes. They protefted againfV the re- folution with great clamour, and prevented it's being infcribed upon the regifter. We learn by letters from Britany, of the 6th of 06tober, that the oppofition of the Nobility has had it's effeft i that the refolution which was the caufc of It, has not been infcribed upon the regifters j and that the committee of the Vingtieme have not even been verbally authorized to continue their bufinefs. The aflembly of the States have confined theirs to the eftablifliment of the authenticity of the regulation of the year 1607, which juftifies their conduct, and was dontefted with them by the Duke de Chaulnes, who has ftill continued inflexible, refpefting the orders, the repeal of Which was folicited. The T 2 States, ^75 -• ''.•W»JF * * >.1^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^lii 1^ itt 122 12.2 £ Ufi 12.0 s IK "'^ mil I 6" Fh0fe[)gra[jiic Sdmces CorpOTation ^ <^ • in order to remove every idea of bufinefs and delibe- ration from the States, they have not, according to cuftom, fcnt a deputation of humanity to vifit the fick members of the States. The Duke de Chaulnes )ias difpatched a Courier, on the 5 th in the evening, to the Court. They write from Britany the 8th of this month, that the States had fent a deputation to the Duke; de jChaulnes, to afk of him if his Majefty, when he had exprefTed his fatisfafbion concerning the voluntary gift, had not revoked the orders given to his Com- :mi(rioners, not to attend to the reprefentation^ of the States refpeding the Vingtiemcy relativc^eith^r to the tax itfelf> or to the mode of colleding it. They add, that this deputation has been ^nti^ely as ufelefs as the former j and that the Duke de Chaulnes had anfwered them in a very high tpne,. that he .neither could nor would hear them, finqe they had not appointed the committees. At the following meeting, a refolution was produced^ which the Nq- Jbility themfelves, Ibmewhat calmer, propofed, and .whjch was immediately adopted by the otjiier Orqeirf. ,This was, to draw up a memorial in juftjficatioii pf the conduft of the Affembly j and that the cprnmittee of the Vtngtitme Ihould immediately, fct about i^, ,and fhpuld fend it to the Duke de Penthievre, to • • * Sixty- two pott&ds ten fhilllnfi's .j^.u. f^ •4 ■ APPENDIX. I the Keeper of the Seals, and to the Count de St, Florentin. .' The Bifhop of Rennes having pronounced to the States of Britany a very pathetic and very elegant difcourfe, to induce the alTembly to give way to cir- cumllances, and to fubmit to the King's jfleafure j a deputy of the Nobilityi who fpoke after him, faid, that all his corps admired the eloquence of M. de Rennes, but that they were ftill more affefted witl|^ his example, and that of the CJergy, which they would think it an honour to follow. > .;The King has difpatched a Courier to Britany, with a letter de cachet to feparate the States. t By a letter from Rennes of the nth of this month, received this day, we are informed that the three laft alTemblies of the States had been more tumultu-r ous than ever i that the Bifhop of Rennes had in vain endeavoured to conciliate the people j that the Nobility had oppofed every kind of refo- lution J that on the loth, at nine in the morn- ing, the States being aflTembled, an order had been fent to them from his Majefty's Commiffioners, fignifying, that the King, informed of the refufal of the Nobility to obey the orders of the Commiffioners in appointing the ufual committees, and of tl.e pre- tences upon which they had founded this refjfal, ordered them, under pain of difobedience,to conform to them, and declared, at the fame timt, th..c his Ma- jefty authorifed his Commiffioners to hear them, and make a report to him of the complaints they had to propofe upon the adminiftration of the Vingtiemei to the intent that his Majefty might pay futh re- gard to them as he (hould think juft and reafonablc. After fome debates, the opinion of the three Orders was unanimous, to regifter the King's orders, and to T 3 obey ^77 I I a78 A]PPEWDrX. obey them. Accordingly^ the committees have been appointed. By letters from Rennes of the 13th, we learn that the States had refumed the ordinary courfe of bu* finefs, and that the Nobility had propofed to infid: upon demanding the fuppreffion of the Vingtieme before they proceeded. The States have been informed, that the bifhop- /ick of Kennes—^which in 1749 was taxed only for the Dixieme at one hundred and nine thoufand livres* — was taxed in 1750 in one hundred and thirty-nine thoufand f, and in 1751 at one hun- dred and fifty-five thoufand livfesf, for the f7»jr- tieme i and that it was the fame of the other biihop- ricks. The committee was required to afcertaiit thcfc grievances. The letters from Britany are filled with eu1ogiunf» of the Bifiiop of Vannes, and of th^ Marquis de Lannion. The cafe is very different with refpcA to the Duke and Dutchefs de Chaulnes, and the Biflidp of Rennes, at whofe gate a tolerable pafquinadc ha& been fixed. He had given a loofe to his fentiments very indifcreetly, though very eloquently, at a meet* ing, and the next day he found the following words upon his gate : This day will ht reprefentedt for the fi-r cond time, the rage of Guerajin, (the Bilhop's family name,) which will be followed by the falfe brethren, ^' A caricature print has alfo beep fixed at the door of the Senefchal of Rennes, in which he is reprcfented hanged. "^ '> -, '■'>*' fAimnmo^' :j4j i^ii? afij * Between foar tnd five thoafiwd poandff. t h-^m^^iq ,^(ii t Bet^en £ve and fix thrafaad p«anda< 1 -tisi^ m^ib : \ Between fix and fcvcn tbouiand pouadi^ ^^ ^g ; ^ , ' v» APPENDIX. TIic leiterj from Britany of the 15th inform us, that nothing has been done at the feflion of Friday the I Jth, but to hear and agree to the propofal that was made, to require of the Direftor of the Ving- time the general ftate of the tax in each biihoprick> in the yeans 1750, 1751, 175.2, the committee being de- firous of being acquainted with it, in order that it may ferve as the bads and motive to the memorial of the grievances. M. Ferre, Diredor, has anfwcrecU— thjit he pould not communicate it, without the order of the liMcndanc ; who having been applied to, has reiuied to allow it, before he had written upon the matter to the Keeper of the Seals. The 5j:ates ad^ dreffitd themfelives to M. de Chaulnesj who anfwer-* cd the deputies fenc to him-^that he was furprized the States ihould imagine they had a right to dcr roafid from the King, and from thofe who repre- fenced him aa account of a. tax levied iq his name; (hau as for the reft, he could not avoid reprefenting (Q them, that they ought to employ chemfelves more lerioufly in hafliening their memorial, without in^ Urriipting it by iacidents which could only retard, 9^4 perhaps difgrace the decidon. Upon the report of ,thist anfwer, the next meeting was rather warm. Thti Clergy, however, and the Commonalty, agreed t9 iAOft no- longer upon the demand of the abllraa inade of t\ik. matter. By the letters from Rennes of the 1 8th, we learn that the committee of the Vingtieme have at length prefented their memorial to the aifemblies of the States. It has been read in two coniecativc fefllons, and has met with the gteateft applaufe : but ther^ T 4 being 27.9 28o APPENDIX. being feme obfervations to be made upon it by thc^ three Orders of the State, it has been agreed upon, that each Order (hould examine it diftind^ly } and, to avoid confufion, Commiflioners have been appointed in each Chamber, to make their report to them, and definitively to the whole Affcmbly. This ftep was preceded by a demand which the States made to thp king's Commiflioners, that they fhould be per- mitted to ele£b a fecond Syndic } which the Commif- iioners refufed, alleging their inftru^bions, which were exprefs upon this fubjef^, and enjoined them particularly neither to allow this, nor even to receive any remonftrance upon the matter. Upon which the States have determined to write to the Duke dc; Penthievre, and to M. de St. Florentin, to obtain this permiffion. iOiuM'hin-ih'iq. ^' The letters from Britany of the aoth, upon that fubjed, fignify, that on the i8th the Bifhop' of Rennes had made a report to the Aflembly, of three letters written to the Duke de Penthievre, to the Keeper of the Seals, and to M. de St. Florentin, upfOn the fubjcft of the Vingtieme. He added^ tfa$t he had only received an anfwer from M. de Penthift^, which evidently confirmed, that it was in vain to-ex- pe£b any fuccefs from them; that he did not think any better fuccefs was to be expected from the -let- ters written by the Aflembly to obtain a fecond Syndic : upon whi :h the three Orders of the State fecraed inclined to proceed immediately to an elec- tion, without waiting for an anfwer. But at length * > -a majority of voices declared againft this ; after which ;i> the Aflembly proceeded to bufineffc ^TJt,r»n * Of iiThc memorial was read to the NobiKty, with A. ^hc changes that the commiflioners had made in APPENDIX. in it, the chief of* which was refpefbing the demands, .which were folely reftrained to require the fupprel-- fion of the Vingtieme, or being allowed to compound §ox it i whereas the demands of the memorial were, fhat the new abftra^s of 1753 (hould be exadly conformable to the lifts ascertained, and that in the fliean time, they Ihould be fixed to one half of the fums of the Dixieme in 1749 ; that the abllra^s of 1750, 17 5 1, and 1752, fhould be exadled only upon the fame footing } and that, with refpedb to the ab- ftrad of 1753, the overplus of what had been paid fhould be accounted for; that the lifts fhould not be rejeded upon pretence of want of formalities, and left out in the fupplementary abftrads } that the prefent demand fhall be authenticated, in the prefent Affembly, by a decree of Council. The Commonalty approved of all thefe changes, and added to them a demand of the exemption of the Vingtieme from freehold eftates, and the diminution <0f an eighth part for repairing the houfes in the ci^ lies, and a tenth for that of the houfes in the coun- try places. The memorial thus altered, was fent to the two other Orders j but the Nobility would not adopt the demands, and declared that they would ilnot refolve, till the Clergy had adopted theirs 5 -iwhich being rcfuled, the bufinefs was poftponed to b the next day. The Commonalty pcrfifting in their siiopinion, the Nobility as conllantly refufed giving •>i)theirs, upon a certainty that the opinion of the H Clergy would be agreeable to that of the Commo- rl nalty, and that their own would confequently have no effed. The Sutes in this pofition remained af- il:fembled all day, and till night, and were flill fo r>. when the courier fet out. The Clergy, at ten o'clock at ?8f i8l APPENDIX. » at night, fent to a(k the Nobility if they perfided in their intention of not deliberating, and declared c» them, that in that cafe they would take the refolu- tiun to withdraw} which they did, as well as the ' Commonalty; but the Nobility remained. Count Lannion, however, who was but in an indifierene ftate of health, went to bed in the infirmary of the Cordeliers, ftftui ^ It was a(!ded, that in the morning it had tranA pired, that the King's Commiilloners were to make the demand of the capitation, and the other matters belonging to the King. , , , , ,| fe, By the letters received from Britany, we learn that the three Orders of the State, after having fet gp all Thurfday night, were each of them aflembled on Friday morning in their chambers j where they have remained ever fince, in the fame fituation of alfairsi and that they were not removed from thence by th« demands made by the King's CommilEoneits oa Friday morning, which they had aflembled to hear-- Thefe demands were, the hearth-money, the ta^es upon rents, the cuftoms eftablifhed, and the two pence * per pound of the Dixieme, and the reading of the decree of Council of 1738, which forbids, the granting of any pcnfion or grati&catioo, without thj9 pernjiflipn or authority of the King, UponthkUft point only, the States ordered the decree to be retdx but the Nobility refufed to deliberate upon the other ' demands. Even by a delay in deliberating, thePre-» fident of the Commonalty having collected the voted of his Order, and having got up to give their opinKkn> was hooted and reviled. Nevertheief^ he did ai^ ^ ' ^ • One penny* r i uiiiliu : -tin Sf( IBfir fm.r nounce APPENDIX. Mkounce the opinion, notwithftanding the clamoun which interrupted him j and it was, that hia Order were for granting every thing. That of the Church wai the fame; but the rule of their not declaring it> till after that of the Nobility, prevented them from announcing it. Matcei'i. being tn this ftate, the Bifhop of RenneSj after having made frcfh but ufelefs reprcfcntations to the Nobility upon the irregularity and danger of their obtinacy, took the opportunity of propofing to them noL to continue the fittings of the AlTcmbly longer chun four hours, and that this rule fhould be ma<:1e a ftanding one. The propofal was accepted for the day only, .and yefterday it was renewed, and fixed to two o'clock in the afternoon. It was reported that the Duke of Chaulnes had difpatched a courier to give ai\ account of the con- du£t of the States, and a(k the King's orders. Letters from Britany of the a^th of Odobcr mcn- ti6n, that on Sunday the States remained in the cfhambers withotit doing any thing, and feparated at Cw6 o'clock, thefeRions ftill continuiri:. That on the Monday, before they went to the chambers, they drew up and (igned what was to be inferted in the regifter fincc Thurfday. Afterwards Count Lannion figntlied to his Order, that after having in vain endeavoured, both in public and pri- vate, to make them fenfible of the irregularity and danger of their fituation, he thought himfelf obliged, upon fo critical an occafion, to afcertain with the ut- raoft exaftnefs the wifhes of the Order, whofe votes perhaps he had not cc^eded with fufficient accuracy, and that he propofed a fcrutiny — that the propofal was at firft rejeded; but^hat his complaifance in not • infixing aJj 284 .y APPENDIX/ infifting upon it, had induced a great number to con- fent to it i which number increafed fufHciently for it to become the opinion of the majority; — that a fcru* tiny was therefore entered upon, to afcertain whether the opinion for not deliberating fhould be perfifled in or not, and that the affirmative was carried by 167 votes to 16 i — that this being done, the States rofe at two o'clock, the fittings of the chambers dill continuing, and that yefterday the refult was the fame; — that all the conferences, negotiations, and reciprocal propofals of reconciliation among the Orders, had been ineffedtual j — and that upon that day (the a5th) the return of the courier from the Duke de Chaulnes was expefled, who only could put an end to this inaftion. ,, ^i^ The letters from Rennes of the a7th of this month mention as follows; .^;j-/ >» . . - >*■ The courier of the Duke dc Chaulnes arrived yefterday morning at ten o'clock -, at eleven, the At- torney General came to the Chambers, and fignified to them the orders contained in the letter from his Majefty to the Duke de Chaulnes, of which thi? i^ the tenoif r ; . , J^rf-^i-C^ f* Cousin, " By a letter of the 7 th inftant, I have author rifed yoM, as well as my other CommilTioners, to receive the reprefentations of the States, and to hear their complaints upon the manner in which the ordonnances, given in confequence of their demand for the impofitipn of the yingtieme, have been executed j and I have at the fame time figni- fied to you, I did not underftand that, under pre- tence of drawing up the memorial of thcfe pre-r tf ndgd grievances* and waiting for the anfwer, the •' States cc c< cc and 'to regifter it, the Nobility have exclaimed in a tU' multuous manner, and with heat, upon the falfe ac- cufation laid to their charge, of having refufed to deliberate, and uponthe unfavourable imprefTions that had been given of their conduA upon this point ; maintaining pofitively, that there had been no re- fiifal, upon their part, of deliberating upon the four articles in queftion, nor even any order from the King's Comminioners to deliberate upon them, otherwife than as ufual in the courfe of their icffioii ; and that, if they had not done it, it had not .been from any intention of not agreeing to them, but only becaufe they hod begun e ^fwer, The Bifhop of Rennes, who was th^ fpeaker^ acc^ultted himlcU' of, this ofbce with sdl the delicacy and ma- nagement ^he fubje^ admitted of i and the Duke de Chaulnes anfwered coolly, but with poljtencfs, and with ftill greater ar^ . that the States were. riot mbre defirpus than he was, that the Nobility ihould juftify ^^emfclves t(^ tli^ Xing> ^nd^^Kat they (hould take care APPENDIX. care to do it themrelvcs, as they might do by pre- / fenting a memorial, which he would inlmediateiy fend to the King by a fpecial mcflenger. This art- fwcr being carried back to the States, feemed to ' make them much rriore quiet than had been ex- > pe6ted, and they trufted, without difficulty, to the Bifhop of Rennes, and to Count Lannion, who had b:en deHred to draw up the memorial. It was then fix o'clock, and the feflion concluded. It is to be obferved, that after the fignature of the deliberations of the preceding day, the Prefident of the Commonalty reprcfented, that by the manner in which they had been drawn up, it appeared, that the intention of the States had not been fulfilled ; which was> not to leave any traces of the accufation brought againft the Order of the Nobility, or of the King's dlflfatisfadtion : but this reprefentation, how< ever proper it might be, was not attended to. » Yefterday morning Count Lannion^ who had been in a fever all night, having excufed himfclf from coming to the States, and the Bifhop of Ren- nes having taken the votes of the Order of Nobility, as is cuflomary in fuch cafbs. Count de Lorge was eleflied Firft Prefident. Then the Count de Que- Icn, who had not been able to fpeak for a moment tht day before, fignified to the States the demands which the King's Commiflioners had charged him to make^ for compounding the capitation, the barracks, and the militia; and alfo an order to the Aflembly to caufe an account to be given to them, without delay, of the feveral Committees they had appointed iipon the ufual affairs, and, among others, of the Committee for .fettling the ternu of the: leafes, the Iniiinefs of which they were exprefly charged in their Vol. III. U inftru(5tions 189 ^^ ■■■■■.■■. i ^ i, *^^ The States being then aflembled in their cnam- ^f^l bers, the deliberations began concerning the me- t^Ai morial of the Fingtiemej and two hours elapfed be- jjcanfore it was irrevocably finilhed. The, Church made bn.^ a few alterations in the demands, which weit at «l'l^/>laft adopted, and which co^vcluded nothing. "" The -fjwu;nfiemorial was written out fair, an4 trapitnitted in the evening, together with the juftificatibn of the Nobility, by the Prefidents of the Orders, to the ^- Duke 3£ APPENDIX. Duke dc Chaulnes, who fent tbem by a Courier, dif- patched on Monday at ono o'clock In the after- noon. . The three other papers, concerning the com- pounding of the capitation, the impofition of the tax, and the adminiftration of the barracks and mi- litia, were afterwards deliberated upon. The No- bility were of opinion to appoint a Committee, to examine what meafure would be moil advantageous in the prefent fituation of affairs, either to com- pound the capitation or not, and to give up, or to take upon themfelves, the adminiftration of the barracks, and the militia. The opinion of the Clergy and of the Commonalty was uniform, to fend a deputation to the King's Commiflioners, to demand the diminution of the capitation to four- teen hundred thoufand livres *, and to order the impofition of the barracks and militia, the admi- niftration of which fhould be made by a feleft committee. The opinions of the three Orders, having been fent to all the refpeflive Chambers, the Chambers re-aflembled in the hall, and there the Prcfidents repeated, each of them in the ordi- nary form, the opinion of their Order j and the opinion of the two Orders of the Clergy and Commonalty being confiflent, the Bifhap of Rcn- nes accordingly pronounced the decifion ; but this was done amidft the loudefl clamours of the Order of the Nobility, which made them determine, a moment after, to adjourn the States to the next day, and the Bifhop went out with the Clergy and Commonalty. The Nobility, in the greateft tumult, ieemed inclined to remain i Count Lannion difluad* ^93 * Upwards of fifcy>eight thoufand pound*. U3 • «4 f r. m APPENDIX. ed them from it, but without making them give up their pretentions, that the deliberation was null, and that upon the matter in queftion, thfc ma- jority of the two Orders was not fufficient, bUt that the unanimity of the three was neceflTary. Irhc Prefident, in the conference of the evening, having informed the King's Commiflioners of this diipute, they judged, according to what was pi'e- fc.ribed to them in their inflrudlions, that it was their duty to fettle it. Accordingly, they gave the Syridic, Attorney General, ah order, which declared, on the part of the King, that in the cafe in Quef- tion, the majority of the Orders had Been lu^il^iit to conftitute a decifion, and that fuch" was the King's intention, in all fimilar cafes or fitiia^tiohs of the fame nature. And the fame order coitiiTia(rid- Vd M. Berthclor, Clerk of the Records, to infCribe the deliberation upon the records, and enjoined (he |*rcfidents of the three Orders to figh itjj arid the ^ States to regifter the faid order, !^^ .. ^j '''^r'!)'^^ ^J,^^ The Syndic Attorney General presented l&iiiifelf . "^bh the Monday, at the opening of the feflfTons, arid upon t)ie refufal rnade by the l^obillty to h^^V the deliberations of the precedin.^ day rekd, He )Sid, that he was tlie bearer of an order from the KiHg upon that fubje(51:, arid he delivered it t6 the Clef k of . the Records, to read it i But the NBtillty ob- ' jeaed to it with a degree of violence, which rofe eVei^ tinie the teilhop of iRenneS atteittpt^ to fpeak. .Perceiving, therefore, the intitility >6r tfe- mohttl'ances and requifitibh^, which he made fiiVe- ',fsiL times to thfem, and out bf tbmpalUbn to'Cbtint "Lafiriidh, who had hid a'ffevfeV all night, -afid was ^m incommoded with it, he adjourned the States to o' Jm give on was the liia- but that evening, of this ^as pi*e- it was jave the eclared, in (Juef- was the tualtiohs tiiTla'rid- inftfibe riecl i\\e anci th^ 'hiiilfelf . ^^ the le Ird, fc King ity ' ob- :h mfe ti&d' to J ftf'e- 'C6tifnt id tras States (0 APPENDIX. to the next day : it was then half an hour after two o'clock. The Nobility, in order to aflign a reafon for their oppofition to the deliberation of the preceding day, faid, that it was not according to form : i°. Bc- caufe their opinion had not only been previoufly doing juftice to the demands of the King, and that the two other Orders having voted upon the grounds of the queftion, their opinion coujd not confliitute a majority, fince they had not deliberated upon the fameobjed. 1°. That if even it might be faid, that they had deliber^ited, it was not true, that in the bulinefs of impofing a tax, or of compounding for one, the majority of the two Orders was fufficient, but that the unanimous opinion of all the three was requifitej and that it was. to avoid the decifion of this queftion, that they had oppofed, with To much warmth, the reading of the order of the King's Commiflioners, being aware, that the order decided the matter againft them. . t In the mean time, the King's Commiffioners had been fummoned to attend the Duke de Chaulnes, in order to go with him to the States, to have the order regiftered, and to caufe the deliberation to be figned there in their prefence, when they were informed that the States had adjourned. The whole evening was fpent in negotiations, exhortations, and folicitations, to gain over, per- fuade, or intimidate, the Chiefs of the Nobility. Moft of them, indeed, confented to agree to the •opinion of the two Orders, but wifhed to withhold this confent 'till after their return to the cham- i}erS| and were dcHrous that the deliberation of 295 I^' 296 APPENDIX. the preceding day fhould be confidcred a$ if Ic had never happened, and efpccially, that no men- tion fhould be made of the order of the King's Comrhiflioners. On the other hand, the King's Commiffioners— • confidering the crafure of the Saturday's order, and the tuoiultuous rcfufal of hearing that of the day before read, as a contempt of his Majetty's autho- rity—infilled peremptorily, that the firft fhould be re-cftablifhed, and the fccond regiflered, and that the deliberation fhould be figned accordingly! and they made no fcruple of avowing, that the fate of the AfTembly depended upon it, and that they (hould come there the next day for that puVpofe. Things were in this fituation yeflerda?^ rhorhing, when of a fudden the fcene fhifted. Cotint Lan- nion rofe to fpeak, and, with that perfuafive tone which is natural to him, and which he has always found fuccefsful, he exhorted the Nobility to pre- vent the entrance of the King's Commiffioners, by acceding to the opinion of the two Orders; and he prevailed. This being done, and the deliberation figned, negotiations were entered upon with the Duke de Chaulnes, to engage him to withdraw the order of the 30th, which was become ufelefs, on ^•\^ccount of the date of the 29th, which had been af- V fixed to the deliberation ; and he confented to-it. J So that matters returned to the point from whence ^ ^thcy had departed on Sunday. Three fbccefljve de- ''^jjtitations were fent to the King's Comfwiffiontrs, ^^ at the head of the lafl of which were tht Prfefi- dents, to demand the reduftion of the i:apitatiot* 19 "^ |»4.00|000 livres. All fhefe three dCputatioifi hav- ,r: /^f 5 if it ) men- King's oners — • !er, and le day autho- uld be nd that "f t and fate of it they ofe. orhing, t Lan- 'e tone always 6 pre- ers, by and he sratioo th the aw the fs, on ;en af- to it. 'hence i^ede^ ontrs, Prtfi- mt^ hay- APPENDIX. ing been ineffeftual, probably this morning, new meafures will be taken, to be difpenfed from deli< berating definitively upon this article, 'till the ar- rival of the anfwer to the memorial of the Vingtieme^ which is expedbed Saturday or Sunday, by the re- turn of the Courier difpatched on Monday. The feffions of the Wednefday and Thurfday have been very quiet, and the three Orders have been in perfcft harmony. They deliberated unani- mouHy upon the report of the Prelident de Bedee. Afterwards, the three Orders acceded to the opi- nion of the Nobility of the 29th, upon the fubjeft ^ the capitation, and to appoint a Committee to examine, if^ in the prefent circumftances, it would be advantageous or not, to accept a compofition; and the feffion ended by agreeing to proceed the next ^..day to the ele^ion of a fubftitute; which took up i yiKe whole tinie of yefterday's fitting. M. Cha- pelier was elcfted by the votes of the Clergy and ComniiPOalty. He had eighteen votes in the i»,[Church, twenty in the Commonalty, and forty- ftf 4ive in the Nobility. M. Jclin had had feventy-feven 'jjiyotes in the Nobility, fixtcen in the Church, and jj^ifixteen in the Commonalty. M, Abeille had had no aajjnpre than forty-nine votes in the Nobility, one in ^ii^thc Chiirch, and .five in the Commonalty. , The 3iele£tioi| being over, a wifli was expreflfed to electa f^^^ecQndj and it was decided unanimoudy, by the .sijhrec Qrdcrs, to fend a new. deputation to the King's ,>N^oiQm^0loners i to whoni the Duke de CKaulpes -fiia$ l^n graciou,0j.pl!?afe4 this time jp .prpipifc to ^? wriite.;^ut, it* ^,. ,._.., -f^'c ,; ..yr/ Iti^eins vat/itwere fettled, that the King's Com- |niaiQiver|,#rS,|Bi.ico^^ the States, 297 Jfljf sr« ^i to 29S APPENDIX. to make the demand of the nfual funds of two hundred thoiifand livres * for the fubfiftence of the troop^> of fifty thoufand livres f for the ftuds, and of eight thoufand livres j; for the Marlhallea, and the Scl^rd Committee (hall begin their report. By advices fron^ Brjtany, dated 5 th of Novem- ber, ^ye are informed, that the King's Courier had brought to the Duke de Chaulnes an anfwer to the laft memorial of the States, which he has not chofcn to communicate, but has verbally faid, that the King pcrfifted in his firll anfwer, and would be obeyed. The airemblyof the States, holden in confequencc, has been very turbulent. A great ferment was pjWticularly excited againft the Biflibp of Rennes, an4 tl^ey feparated without concluding any thihg. XJ?cy were to ^flemble again the next ^ays. Thing?, were, in this ftate when the poft fet out, , , . The .fitting of the Sunday palTed in negotiations, toipra|3ly peaceable, between the Nobility and tl^c ;' ' two othfU" Qrdfivs* A^er haying in vain attempted p prevail upon tl?em to fend a deput.^t;on to de- iT^^d ja conpppnti9n, at firft plainly .^nd afterwards in obfcurc terms, finding that they could obtain nothing pf theppi wjiile they remained at variance^ mi4 bein^ ^efirous of knowing the la[ft anfwers >vhJcK. jhe Commiflioners had received upon the ^. A>bje4t, of the Fingtiepte, they propofed to folicit ^l}p. Jy^ks de Chaulnes, that he would be plcafed t9 " ferjd tp ,the Affembly the letter which he had re- cpiy€|^,in,anij^wcr to their menibria^ The CJer|y| eX^. <* Upwards of eight thoufand pounds. jf Upwards of two thoufand pounds. 4 Upward) of three hundred pounds* ^ thinking I APPENDIX. thinking the demand of the letter unhandfome, and indifcreet, foftened the matter, by propofing to in- treat him only to communicate to the States the anfwers which he had received to their memorial { and the Nobility confentcd to it. The Commonalty added, to inquire if the Duke had not received any more favourable and more circumftantial anfwers to their memorial, than thofe he had notified to them the day before ; opinions were accordingly taken, and the deputation was fent according to the opinion of the two orders of the Clergy and Nobility ; and the States, after having appointed the deputation, and . having commiffioned them to give an account of it the next day, adjourned : it was then four o'clock. . The Duke de Chaulnes made atifwer to the de- putation, that he had fent them, the day before, the only anfw6r he had to give with regard to the fup- predion, and compofition; and that, with refpe^ to their grievances, if they would colle6k them aU» and appoint a Committee to dra^ them up, and confer upon them with the King's Conimiflioners, he 175 ij and 175a, againft thpfe iyho,il>41.lbavc i3il»adc.falfc4cdarations. ^.- 1 i/i uf^t^i « Ml "M 4.-. ,3 j4»/l^^* ofji>e States of Britany- UJficfUr^ifiom' •' THE States of Britahy hate hdthiftg fti^dear to them than the rights 6f franchife, and liberties of their APPENDIX. their country ; they cannot in honour and confcience confent to any incroachment upon thofe rights which their anceftor^ have tranfmitted to them as the moft precious portion of their inheritance. ri *' The moft efTential of thefe rights isj that no levy of money can be fet on foot or continued, in their country, without their confenr, nor beyond the duration of that confent. This fundamental point of the conftitution of their government, which their antient Sovereigns, at their coronation, fwore to maintain, and the obfervance of which has been fo- lemnly promifed in 1532, when Britany was united to France with the confent of our forefathers i this right, acknowledged in all the contracts which the States have fince paflTed with the Commiflloners of the Kings, predeceflbrs of his Majefty, and with •^ thole of his prefent Majefty likewife, has been vio- -^^Uated in the impofition and collection of the ViHg- >^'iifme, and is evidently threatened with further in- '>ci croachments in future. grij , " xhis grievance affefts the States Co fenfibly, 'i^^kmd it is a matter of fo much importance to them '^•^ that it ihould be redreiTed, that it makes them forget, ^P in the prefent moment, every thing they have fuf- -«f fcrcd from the adminiftrators of the VingtiemCy how- ^^/>vcr injurious that may have been. They cannot "^^ conceive that a Sovereign fo equitable as their glo- rious Monarch, ftiould wilh to annihilate fo authen- tic a right ; a right, which he maintains and pre- ferves himfelf, by the folemn promiles he makes to the States, in the contracts which his Commiflloners p^fs^veny two years in his name with them. *f TKeff Siat;e$ dfiff^rVe the more that this right iiir ihould be prefcrvcd to them, as they themielves have made 301 w< 502 ^ P P E N D I X. nKRk k yiddi as much as polfiWe, to the exigencks of the kingdom j and it is upon the fame principles that they pcrfift: in offering to impofe the Vingtieme upon themfelvcs, and to raife, till the holding of the fub- fequcnt Scates, in two years hence, ypon the fund« ap- propriated to the Dixiemey the fum of nine hundred thoufand livrcs • per amnum, and to tranfmit this fum to the iinking fund^ as the amount of this com- " pofition J which they cannot agree to upon any other terms : every other mode of levying this tax being too oppreffive to the people of Britany ! >ijta V,UJ J^"!}'^f ^ > t3^3f!j:s.i, httter written from Rennes, 12 November. ^ tt «t M t< 4 'n ill I APPENDIX. " of the Vingtieme^ in order that the obfervations they might make upon it Ihould be fent by depu- tation to the King's Commiffioners, after they had been approved of in the Aflembly." tt « «( By the King's Command* 1.^ JF ce fa The King being informed, that by an abufe " which has been introduced in the States of Brita- ny, one of the Orders, being defirous of hindering any deliberation upon the affairs fignified to the States, refufed to give any opinion ; fo that the ** difpatch of the faid affairs is entirely flopped : and " his Majcfly, wifhing to reform an abufe as injuri- ** ous to his fervice as to the real intereft of the ** province, hath commanded, and doth command, " that each of the faid three Orders fliall deliberate, " and give their opinion without any delay, upon " all the laid affairs, of whatever nature they may " be ; and as foon as one of the faid Orders fhall have given their opinion, the two others fhall be obliged to give theirs within four-and-twenty " hours, without any regard to the rank which it may have been cuftomary to have been obferved amongft themfelves in giving it; the whole on pain of difobedience. And in cafe one of the ** faid two Orders, which may have delayed iii giving their opinion, fhould refufe to give it in the four- ** and-twenty hours, his Majefly's pleafufe is, that as this refufal can only be confidertfd as an opinion contrary to that of the two other Orders, the dc- " liberation fliall be And remain formed by the " plurality of the two Orders againft dne; and, as " iuch, infcrtcd in the regiflcr, and figned by the ■::—-.■ « Prcfidents cc ct C( c< ' to withdraw this orders— that the Duke de Chaul- nes anfwered them, with a great deal of politcnefs, that their demand could not be complied with j— that the marks of good-will, with which this anfwcr was fofrened, made the Nobility receive it with good temper ; — that CountLannion went to the Duke him- felf, and received the fame anfwer, accompanied with much regret on the part of M, de Chaulncs, not to be able to Ihew them this civility ; that on Monday morning, the Duke de Chaulnes, and the King's Commiflioners, fignified to the Affembly, that they would come there j — that thfe Duke de • Chaulnes having taken his place, putting his hat on, and being feated, faidj that havings been informed that the King's Order had not been regf ftered, he was come to have it regiftered in his prcfence : he caufed it to be read by the Secretary, infcribed in the ; regifter of deliberations, and figned by the Prefidents ' « V of the three Orders, and had a copy of it tranfcribed for him immediately j-~that Count Lannion had prevailed upon the Order of Nobility, to behave with refpeft and filence, and they ftridly kept to it, as well as the two other Orders ;-^that after the de- parture of the King's Commiflioners, the Order of Nobility adopted diflfcrent opinions, but without tu- mult, to remonftrate to the King upon the faid or-^ der i— that on the 14th in the morningy this plan of remonftranccs was read to the Affembly, and ap^^ proved of by the three Orders, which dire6led that they Ihould be infcribed upon the regifter, and cari rled by a deputation to the King's Commiflioners^ who were to be folicited to fupport them with their ' . «.'»»i*^v -i good .1' APPENDIX. e ifeood offices j which was accordingly done. The objc6t ^;of the remonftrances is, to afcertain the right of the .States to enjoy the interior ceconomy of their de- ..Uberations, and of their regulations, and to ihew chat Tfthe King's order could have no other motive than to Ktake that right from them, which his Majefty's goodnefs induces them not to fear ; or that of punifh- ing them for the abufe of it, of which they endea- ,«Vour tojuftify themfelves j— that on the 15th they rrwere in the Chambers alTembled, at the going off of the poft, to deliberate upon the fubjedt of the decree of Council of the 2d of this month. t)f We hear from Eritany, that the States aiTembled the 15th, had! retired into the Chambers to delibe- rate upon the plan, of fixing the object of their griev- ances ; — that after fome debates it was agreed, that, ;Without loling time upon the object of the compo- jGltion, or upon the adminiftration, the Prefidents ihould tacitly confer with the King's Commiffioner s> in order that their anfwer might be deliberated upon T^he next day j — that the Duke de Chaulnes, as the on- ly ^wer to the Prefidents, had fhewn them three let- ters, one from the King, another from the Keeper of the Seals, and the laft from M. de St. Florentin, which exprefsly forbad him to liften to any thing more about the affair of the yingtieme, upon my pretence whatfoever J but that, notwiihftanding this, he would take upon himfelf to write about it, if the States lent -him a deputation for this ptirpofe, being perfuaded that his Majefty had only refufed to allow Britany to compound, becaufe no other province of the States had obtained this privilege j that the in- ftance of Languedoc made him hope he ihould X 2 obtain 307 308 APPENDIX. obtain for the States the fame adminiftration of the Vittgtieme as that province hadj — that this anlwcr did not in the leaftfatisfy the Nobility — who declared, they would not alk for nor adopt any other plan of •adminiftration than that which the States JhouM have judged capable to redrefs their grievances. Upon which the three Orders appointed Deputies from each of them, to agree upon the principal points of the plan of adminiftration, and to draw up the articles, which were fixed to the number of fix j — that \t was decided by the States^ that the Deputies who had drawn up thefe articles, fiiould go to M. de Chaulnes, in order to confer with him upon them, without, however, entering into any engagenient, till after they had themfelves made their report to the States of the deliberations taken in confequence j-r that thofe Deputies having laid before M.de Chaulnes the defire, and the reafons of the Aflcmbly for ob- taining an adminiftration of the Vingtieme which might redrefs their grievances, he had fliewed them the fame letters as before, and that the only reafon which could authorize him to liften, and to propofe any demand from them upon the fubjeft of the yingtieme, and which he would take upon himfelf if the States made the propofal to him, was to fuppli- cate his Majefty to grant them the fame admini- ftration of the Vingtieme, which his Majefty hid granted to the States of Languedoc -, that he could , do nothing more -, and that he exhorted the Ghieft to refled upoR the danger of infifting upon ^ny thin^ ■ further ; and that he had given way only to the re- peated felicitations of the Deputies, that he would ^Kften to the plan of their adminiftration i — that it wjts :-^y-^ ' much APPENDIX. much to be feared this anfwer, when reported to the Aflemblyon the 17th, would rekindle in the Order of the Nobility that flame which [had raged witii great violence the day before. 4,,- j^ By the letters from Rennes of the 19th, we learn, that M. de Chaulnes' anfwer had not fatis- fied the Nobility, but that, notwithftanding, they had hear'd it with better temper than was expefted ; and that, upon the reprefentations of the Prefidents of the three Orders, who had informed them, that- this was the only mode the Duke de Chaulnes had the power to take upon himfelf, the States had agreed to fend a deputation to the Duke, to intreat him to write, in conformity to his anfwer, and to know what treatment Britany might expeft, in rela- tion to her unhappy fituation, to her rights, and the difFerente in the nature of her property, in order that, upon theanfwcf from the Court, communicated . tp the Aflembly, the States might follow the mea- fures they thought moft proper j — that accor-t 4ingly the Duke de Chaulnes had fent off a Coi|- rier, whofe return was expe£):ed on Tuefday evenr ing i-r*that the reft of the fitting was taken up in continuing the report of the intermediate Commit- tpe j^that the Bilhop of Rennes made a report of three matters concerning the five larger farms, and upon which they h^ determined j — that they might have continued to receive the reports of the two other Committees, but that the Nobility had op- pofed this j — and that it appeared no other report would be made till the return of the Duke d^ ChauU nej'Courier. ' ^ ^'' 309 3ib APPENDIX,^ ^y the letters from Rennes, dated the sad, we are informed, that no other bufinefs had been done fince Sunday, but to continue the report of the inr^^ termediate Committee, from which fome few arti-r^ cles of little importance had been extra£bed, which had been deliberated upon j— -that the contents of the news arrived the day before from Court, were not yet known, though it had tranfpired that they were un^^i favourable; — that the courier extraordinary was ex-" peftcd, who was to arrive in the evening, and bring the anfwer back. i: ^^uvi;^i-^r:^amn They write from Rennes of the 24th,thatthe King*$ Commiflioners had entered, the day before, inta the ' AlTembly of the States j— -that the Duke de Chaulne$ had caufcd to be read and regiftered there three letter»n> one from the King, which forbids,' upon any p^c^/ tence whatever, air remonftrarices' upon the fubjeftof the Vingtiemey \A% Majefty having pronounced ndefii»q nitively upon that matter, in his decree of Council' of the 2d of this month, upon penalty of difobcdis? encej another from the Keeper of the Seals, whd fignifics, in the ftrongeft terms, the diflatisfaftiott of) the King with regard to the conduct tsf the Statci^> and orders that they (hould be feparated, upoa thpj firfl: reifufal they fhall make of deliberating, at tfid'^ end of four-and-twenty hours; that his Majefty, con*!- defccrids, by favour, to grant them the f^me adtniniff:! ftration upon the Vingtieme^ as he hath juft granti?d[} to the States of Languedoc: the laft letter, from M.:J de St. Florentin, explains the intentions of the King:,^ ^ refpedi ng his Majefty's order of the 24th of Oi5tobcr> laft, the execution of which is ordered in perpetuity, and- in cafe of oppofition, the AfFembly is to be fe- parated. The Duke, after having made the Prefi- dents •7* *- IS P.J ■>-A APPENDIX. dents fign thefc letters, had ordered a copy of them to be taken ; and that every thing had pafTed in the moft profound filencc on the part of the States — that after the Commiflloners were gone out, feveral of the Nobility had propofed, as their only refource in the prefent conjunfture, to draw a verbal procefs of the proceedings of the States fince the opening of them, and afterwards to defire M. de Chaulnes to clofe them j but that the majority of the States had formally oppofed this propofal ; — that the Bifhop of Rennes, having attempted to Ihew, in the ftrongeft and moft pathetic terms, the danger and ill confe- quences of the leaft refiftance to the King's will, this had occafioned the moft violent tumult j and that, in order to put an end to it, the retiring to the Chambers had been demanded, to continue the re- port of the affairs already begun : affairs of little im- portance; >! ! • J0!'«> November ft6. The laft feffion has been as tumul - tuous as the preceding ones. The propofal made there by the King's Commiflloners, to proceed to fettle the new leafe of the farms, met with the • warmeft oppofitiou on the part of the Nobility j and to calm this heat, all the eloquence and firmnefs of the Bifliop of Rennes was n^ceffary, as well as all the flexibility and addrefs of Count Lannion. They , have had ample occafion to exert and to difplay their talents, from the acrimony that prevailed in the Affethbly ; which perhaps they may foften fo far as to induce them to obey the order of the King's Commifllioners, ..,<, November 29. After feveral debates upon tn report of the Comrtvittee on the fubjeft of the terms of the Icafes, it was agreed to depute to the King's : It :;j X4 . Commiffioners, 3" e 3X1 A P P E N D I X. CommilTioncrs, to alk their approbation of the akerr atiops which the States meai)t to make in the prefent . leafe. The Duke d.e Chaulnes, after having coi)- fulted with the other Comipiflioncr^ upon the two alterations which were the fubjedb of difpute, foft- cned the firll, which confided in connmunipating to the parties concerned) the verbaj procefles in cafes of rebellion, before tbcy were brought into a Court of jufticej but he abfolutely refufed the fecpndr which was^ that the States fhould be ^Uowfsd to 6x the price of brandy. Two other deputations feiit to the Com- miflioners upon the farpe fubjqdl, upon the felicita- tions of the Nobility, have been equally unfuccefsful. The Duke de Chaulnes has proceeded, upon his own authority^ to the tirfl prqclamatipn of thq leafc by the Heralds of the States i the rcfiifal of being al- lowed to fix the price of brandy, has thrown the Nobility into fuch a rage, that the enfuing feflion : will moft probably be rendered null by it> as the two preceding pn?s. . . i . • In the Affembly of the States of thp ift of Decem- :;. ber, phq farm of tl>e duties, after rnany debates among the three Orders, has been adjudged to M. Daucour, at four millions five hundred thoufand livres*, not- •^jjKithftanding the menaces and protefts on the |>art of r jlhirty of the members, who were of an opinion con- trary to this determii]ation, under pretence that it J ought not to have been paffed till after the terms lihad been depofited in the Secretary's oifice. . o ;r By thp letters from Rennes of the gd of Dpcerp- ' ;-,5 ber, we learn, that the feffions have been very ti^mul- • One huRdred and eighty-feven thoufand five hundred pounds." "bdvtiibii^i^jVk^ " .lusnii--J tuous appendix:. ^uous upon the fubje^b of the proclamations made AgainO: the will of the States, and of the advanced prices received ; againft which the Nobility wanted to proteft in the llrongeft terms, declaring the proclamations made, the advanced prices received, and the alTignments that might follow, abfolutel/ null, and expofing all the infringements that had been made in the prefent feflion, upon the rights, li- berties and franchifes of the province ; but that the Church had endeavoured to foften matters as much as pofTible, and at length brought the States to con- fent to the following determination. .(..*> *< I *^ The States, perceiving that the proclaftiatior, and *» the fetting up of the farms to fale, have been made ** before die term^ were depofited in the Secretary's ' ^5 olfice, againft the difpofition of Article III. chap. vii. -* 'ff of the regulation of 1 687, and without obferving the nr^! intervals prefcribed by the faid regulation, protefl: ^i\*' againft the form in which thele proclamations have " been made; and accordingly charge the. Syndic •,if^ Attorney General, and the Deputies in Court, to ,^nlf attend, that in future the faid regulation fhall be ,iif' obferved according to it's form and tenour.'* The fecond advanced price, which was fettled by the King's Commilfioners, was adjudged to M: Darig- non for five millioiis *, and againft the wilji of 4II the Nobility, the major part of whom withdrew. Pre- vious to this, it had been propofed, on the part of the Commiflioners, to deliberate upon different grati- fications to be granted -, among others, 15,000 Jivres f to the Duke, and as much to the Duchefs dc «» -JO nfifYf 'n.'i * Upwards of two hondred thoufand pounds. t Six hundred and twenty-five pounds. ■hnu.^'s Chaulnes, |I4 APPENDIX. Chaulncs, The Nobility oppofcd the entering intd any deliberation on this fubjcft. ^'"' ^ By the letters from Rcnnes of the 8th, we arc informed, that the decree of Council for the ad- minitlration of the Vingtieme was not yet arrived j and that the States appeared very impatient for it. That in their laft bufinefs, they had granted feveraT penfions, and bought a ftallion of Limoges for the ftuds of the bifhopric of Qiiimper, at 1,500 livres •. That on the Thurfday morning, the Duke Chaul'- nes, alone and without guards, according to cuflom, had come into the AlTembly, to recommend, in the narne of his moft Serene Highnefs, the Duke of Pen- I ' thievre, the Bilhop of Vanncs, the Marquis de la Riviere, and M. du Bodan, Mayor of Vannes, for the / deputation to the Court j the Abbe Cue, the Mar- " quis dc la Maifons, and M. Kcrebar Scncchal de L^i^ on, for the deputation to the Chamber of Accounts. The States withdrew into the chambers to delrbe-' rate, and they deliberated at the fame time upon the continuation of their Treafurer in his employment j.^ upon which the opinion of tlie three Orders was unanimous. '*^-^ By the letters from Rennes of the loth, we learn, that M. de Lorgeril, Dean of the Nobilit)-, had been elefted Prefident of that Order : and that the States had deliberated upon the granting of extraordinary gratuities to the Prefidents of the Orders, to in- demnify them for the extraordinary expences of their table } and that a gratuity of 95,000 livres f had been granted for this purpofe, befidcs the 40,000 * About fixty guineas. t Near four thouraD4 pound?. w;^^i. livres APPENDIX. livrcs • ufually allowed to the Prcfidcnts : that the cudomary gratuities had alfo been granted to the Syndics Attornies General, and an extraordinary grat V of 6,000 livrcs f to the Count dc Quc- Icn. ^ That the Bilhop of Renncs intrcatcd the States to take in good part the refufal he thought himfelf obliged to make, of the gratuity of 30,000 li- vres J they had granted ; and M. de Chaulnes re- fufedi with a great deal of politenefs, the 15,000 livres § which the States had offered him in tefti- mony of their gratitude, his poft not allowing him to accept of this prefcnt without an order from the King. That afterwards a fumof 139,250 livres || was fet- tle^ for the bufinefs of the King's ftatuc^ which M. le Moyne iS commifTioned to make ; and the drf- fercnt penfioijs vacant were difpofed of in favour of the n>ilitary Cadets. That the Commonalty cfpoufed the caufc of M/ Duclos againft the Order of the Nobility, who had refufed jco join him to the Deputies in Court to take care of the bufinefs of the King^s flratue, as he had been aflbciated with them in the feflions of 1744, 1^748, and 175.0, in which he was perlbnally charged to compofe the infcription. ]Py the letters frohi Rennes of the 13th, the Com- miifioners have again ^ropofed the regiftering of the four decrees of Council in (jueftion. The States 3»5 * Between cut and two tfroufand pounds* f Two hundrtal and fUty poondSf . X One thonfand two hundred and fifty pounds* § Six hundred and twenty^five pounds. II Near fix thoufand pounds. J»T have i A P P E N D I X, have not agreed to this propofal, and it has tran- fpired, that the, Conimiffioners are to go to the AX- feaibly, to enforce the regiftering of theic decrees. The Clergy and the Commonalty having been of opinion to fet apart a fund of 600,000 livres j- for thp high roads, the . Bilhop of Rennes has announced this decifion, in the midft of the.greateft tumult, and the Nobility have protefted that the decifion .was null, on account of the want of unanimity ir^ fhs, ^hree.Orders. " nw vr.K' From Rennes, the 15 th. The States have conrtniif- fioncd their Deputies in Cour^, to endeavour %o ob- tain from. the JCing terms which they mean to afk for, refpefting the high roads, for which a fum of ^oo,ooQ livres t has been decreed, f**^ ?rf^ I'^i^'rs^'^ '> The king's Commifli oners came into the Afle'riiv. ., , . 4 ■ ■ T^ .it...... ,' ' J bly- on Wcdnefday, ^ where the Puke de Chaulri^^ caufed to be regiftered, in hi§ prcfencd, the fbtir d^^ crees which the States had rejected. After thtir ik* papture, the Npbility pxc^iiped yidlently againft this rpgiftry, ^nd fefolycd pocommiffion the Deputy and Syndip Attorney Q|Bo,er^l, to form ah pppoiitjoii t6 the faid decrees, arid to repair to Court, iftcr the cloiing of the St?M:es,:tQ make .remonftr^ccs to the Kin^ upon this iul^ea, ':.}. '- ^?'1 ^ ^^ "^'^^^"^ T'^ ^^' ^' ^' After this, the Syndic Attorney Geheral caufed the^ecrec of Council to be read, cpriccrning the ad^ miniftratioiTi of the Vingtieme^ which contains five articles. As it was Jate, the deliberation was jpbf^-." poned to the next day; and, in order to appoint the Commiflionqrs of tiiis ,Committeej the .Mobility obliged on this day the States to t^e. the opii^|ons t Twenty-five thdafendpottttdi^^''- inuxjai liatii ?jj.'i "'f • .1 .U^ 'it..' uwtiiiv n • «^^-^i» ■■»«>fw<^fi- Sil V* V-^iii'"t2,H " H . <, *,. A P !» E N D I X. 'i,^- by fdnitiny ; and there was a majority of 107 votes againft 28, to rejed the adminiftration, as infufficienc to remedy the total ruin of the province, and even, to refufe their confcnt to the impofition of. the Vingti- f{wr^' The Orders being all of different opinions in the Aifembly, the deliberation upon them has been poftponed to the morrow j but the refolute oppo- fition of the Nobility does not permit us to hope for any good fuccefs. . .'•» -VfThe Nobility perfifting in their opinion, and the other two Orders not agreeing upon theirs^ the Com- monalty and the Church were deflrous that there fhould be no decifion ; but the Nobility, pretend- ing that the rejedion of the adminiftration would follow of courfe, infilled, that of the three different opinions, theirs ought to have the afcendant, and to form the decifion, not only to rejedt the adminiftra- tion, but. alfo to refufe their confcnt to the impo- fuiofk of the tax. The fcffion was obliged to be clofed, aad the Syndic Attorney General returned to the King's iCommiflioners the decree of the adminiftra- tion, which they took back on the i6th. The No*, bility, ftiil perfifting in the fame principles, feemed as if they would not yield; but at length they gave W9y> and agreed to the propofal of inferting the three opinions in the regifter, adding to them the following words : " Accordingly, the States have "f! commiflioned the Syndic Attorney General to **. return to the King's Commiffioners the decree of 5*. Council of the 8th of this month,and the document ^ fubjoined to it." Us The Committee for the poll-tax are to make their report, upon which the States are to deliberate whether they will accept of a compofition or not. The JiS APPENDIX. The laft fittings of the Affembly of the States of firitany have been more or lefs tumultuous, ac- cording to the nature of the objeds they have had " ' to difcufs. As they are of little confluence, no notice has been taken of them. Let it fulHce to fay, that the Nobility have always maintained their fyftem, and they have acceded only by compulfion to the decifions that were contrary to their fenfe of things. They have drawn up a memorial, iif form of remonftrances to the King, which the Pe~ puties in Court are commiiConed to prefcnt, and the minute of which has been depofited in the office. It was reckoned, that the States might have been clofed on the 21 ft in the evening; but the ' fefHon having ended too late, this cannot be 'till the 13d of this month. At length, information has been received, that the States had been clofed on the 23d, with a pro- tefl on the part of the Nobility, againft all that has been done contrary to their opinions and privi- leges. The Dtike and Dutchefsde Chaulnes, re- turned yefterday to Paris* JJfi 6f thofe of the Nobility cf BritafPf, who Ibavi Letters of Cachet, and the Place of their Confine- ment, \ M. and Madame de Pyre, at Saintcs. M. de Kerfaufon, at Iflbire at Auvcrgrte. . !v M. de le Bemerais, at Angouleme. M. de Kerquefec, at Ganat, in Bourbonnois. M. de Keratrice, at Iffigny, in Normandy. M. de Begas, his uncle, at Vitoux, in Bufgundy. ''^ •. " U.6% APPENDIX* ^ 1< M. de Bcgas, his nephew, at Gueret, in the pro- ~^. vince of la Marche* ** h- M. du Lattay St. Peon, at Nie^^e^s* o*; M. Duthoya Baron^ Senefchal of Quintin> at Montmorillon, in Poitou. i» »*.: M. dt Vavincourt, at the Mount St. Michel. ***- M. Dcfchard, to the Charitains, at Pontoirfon. M. Bedogere, at Angoul^mc. ^^i5tM*i?# *** ' ^ Meflieurs de Troufier, de Langourhj de SceauXi and le Manticr, arc to be confined, and conduced, ^s tthe two preceding gentlemen, into caftles, by the Marfhalfea, and at their own expences. '*^ '\ 7r'ilt is not known where the Bifliop of Rennes has received order to remain, in his diocefe. )A. loitirmfr'^fisi ■^^^*<- m . i-'t:it) ■m Abridgment of the Life of Lewis Mandrin *, Cap- tain of a Band of Smugglers i with an exa5i Ac- ^ count of his being taken^ and of the Execution of his Sentence. "tTO-KlIf EWIS MANDRINy of an obfcure family, born at Saint Etienne de Saint-Geoirs, a village near the coaft of Saint Andre, in Dauphine,. entered into the fervice in France, as foon as he was old ^no^gh • This pteM has been written by order of Governnient, to make it believed that Mandrin was^ not takcn^.up;by The £lng*« troopa, and that this was done without 'the confent of tiie Court. 3 ^° 3^0 A P P E N I> r X; to- carry a muikec. He dcfertcd. He foon re-en- tered the kingdom, where two of his brothers and lie took to coining. Being purfued, and thrown into prifon at Grenoble, one of them Was hanged, another lent to the galleys. Mandrin alone efcaped | he was neverthelefs condemned, it is^ faid,* for non- appearance) to *He gallows. Finding himfclf out* lawed, and not knowing what to do, he turned jockey, which employment he followed fome years ; biit halving committed a murder, he was again con-^ demned to be broken upon the wheel, by a decree of theParliatxient of Grenoble. He afterwards bca came a Captain of Smugglers^ a fet of vagabonds, outlawed as he wa$. His extortions;,. the msirdersi and other crimes which he continued for near two years, are made public in the fentence pronounced againft him. at Valentia, the 24th of May i75'5;,iuo7q £ Mandrin, with Saint Pierre, brother to bi$ M^iV and five or fix more of his people, were furprifed in the night from the 10th to the nth of May, i; by the Clerks of the farms- of the Dauj^tny^ who had difguifed themfelves : he did not make the le^ft Jre* fiftance ; and they conduced him to Valen^oix, v^ith a ftrong efcort. Limu n\%iTicxp /oimnoqw tuni • The firft four days every body wa* permit^d to fpeak to the prifoner : he anfwered with tolerable politenefs all the quciiions that were alked him, wk^ not indifcreet ; at other times, he anfwered bluntly^ efpecially to the Monks and Ecclefiaftics j but Ji0 did this only whon he was in liquor. M. Levet had given orders to give him whatever he ihould uSk for; It is falfe, that Mandrin fpoke info^ently > to him i very far from it, he always (hewed Jiiin a great dtal of refped. He was examined every mormtng A P P E N li I X. dnd evening. He was confronted with two of his fervants. Mandrin anfwered to the depofition of ©nc of them, who was called the great Bcrtierj that the depofition of a footman ought not to be de- pended upon; The man named la Pierre, conduftor of his horfe^, and who had defcrted from the vbluri- teers of Gantes, feplied, thai he ought not to befuf- pe&ed of wanting to impofe upon the tribunal of this worldj as he wa« foon to make his appearance be- fore the Sovereign Judge. He was fucceffively con- fronted with other prrfoneri df his troop, witnefles of his crimen j but he anfwered, that probity required of hirii to fay nothing about other people^ that be- ing a matter which did not concern him. -A bafbcr's boy, who ^as kept in prifdn on fulpi- cion of^ifxuggHngi was fbt at liberty. Upon the proofs which Cafnc oUt from the evidence in Man- drill's trial, that the latter h^d forced him) fome days fincej to enter into the troop merely for the purpofe of fhavirtg hinrtj Howe^ir rcfblute Mandrin fcem- ed to be, the puniihftie/it of two of his comrades^ and the good difpfofitions with which they fuffercd cieath to ex|»htte' their ef^imes^ made fome impVef- Hon upon him> efpcci^lly at the irtftant when ^he executioner c^mt to feise and lead them to ihc kiffcAd I but he fobn drowned the gloomy ideas that agitated him in wine. Hardened in fin, he had narconfidence in the Clergyi and had declared, that he wottld not <:onfefs himielf to any pried oi: ikiar in the city. A Lady belonging to the Cbaritf, wbo had feen him every day in prifon, renewed her BitreatieS) to prevail upon him to confcfs himfelf, on Saturday the 24th of May, the day of his: Qrisli but thtt fe^e^ble .Lady Could not prevail. 1 Vol. III. y The jdt 3** A t> P E N 1 X. The next day, (he w-as more fortunate ; ih« (p^kf to him with fo much ze^I^ that (he made him il)^^ %Bars : feeing him mov^d, ihe propoied to him for a cpnfeflfpr Father Gafparini, sin Italian J^fuit, a man of Hierit, of the h^uCe ofTournotn^ who wa$ at that time in ilyer houfe. of the. 3idiop of Valentia. She went to tell M. L^yet.the ftat^ in whichjhe had left Maifr 4rin i M* Levet went to %h^ prifon* and told him that he came to feehimj^not as his judge, Iput as his friend j that he would procure him whatever he wanted i that he could no; es^hort h^m too often to ^e^edt npon his palt co^dyifb, and ;o return to God. M. Levet £^fFe6ted him fo much, i;hat he weptbitpcrly. ..j He fent the Reverend Faifher Gafparini, after having fpoken highly o him, to eixde^vourto affect him ftill more. It was repgrted th^t; . this Father firft entered into conye^l^ion with hifPJitwMUt indif- ferent matters, that he rfterw?«rds fpokiG) |;(^ hiw upon ^e bufmef^ of his falvatiion) 49d th^t^t l^g^ho prevailed upon him to cQnfeik himfelf* Ti^crimi'- nal wanted %o put it off tQ jKr next day j,^ but the Jfi'ather, Knowing j:h^t M^nd^in w^ to beexfcuted on t;he ?6th, perfua,ded hi(» -1^ h^ln his coefclfioa on Svinday.: H^.conclu4e4Jt^nMQnday> after living jfc^ad his fcntencp read to him i 9^ he performed this ^d: of religion with all die deoKMiftratipnsof the . :?^armfift repentance. ^pot >bs\r\- oiiw vfnit*; i^^.-Tlus gres^t criminal was ?xe P E N D- I X!; Humanity of his Judges. Thus expired, at half art- Hour after five in the evening, on Monday the a6th of May 17551 and ended his active career, this Chief of the fmugglers, who had had the hardinefs to fight with M. dc Fiflier, and whom chance favoured fo far that he efcaped from him. Such was the end of Lewis Mandrin, two years after he had been arnong the fmugglers. He was more compofcd at the time of his death than any of the fpcftators. Some fay he was only twenty-nine years of age, others thirty-nirtc. He was about five feet four inches high, very well fhaped j had a lively look, and a good leg ; his '^ce was long, his eyes blue, an4 his hair a bright chtfnut j ind the whole of his figure was very pleating. He was not entirely deftitute of fome qualities- of the<; mind i his repartees were quick, and to the purpofc. Had he cultivated the good difpofitrohs He Md t^-^ teived from nature, it is to be prefbrtied* tHat "He would have been fomething eifc thkn a grfcat vftliih. He was very robuft, fwore much, was foi* tvtY fttii^k- , ing, drank Hard, and was exceedingly fond bf'^bdd living: he was in everything lefs bloody-irjinded than his comrades. On the morning of his pxccutioiii^ his confeflbrs fpeaking to him of aclcrk in the piffagc-bbat of the Rhone, tp whom he Haa graptcd ■ his life J Mandrin anfwered, t eafify forget m^ a^s of. j heHeiJotefice, ■. Uixoi He Had inquired, in another tone of voice, qftl^l^^ , LaSy who was ipeaking to him about his c^ti£^^iq^ > ^ and falvation, how many alehoufes there 'were .^^^/^ *; ihti'diid fafadifej adding, t\\z.t he had notrt(ireifjanfiii,' Hvres* to fpend upon the rond, Thefe woriii^and ' ^115 ■ \?|fxin*^i • FiVe milliftss. othersj •APPENDIX. others, collefted from the mouth of Mandrrn, will ferve to give a complete idea of his charafter, . ^ ,. *"It is certain that it was he who condudled all the marches arid counter-marches, and direfted thp operations of his company. Some people, who think themfelves acquainted with the turn of the other fmugglers, pretend, that not one of them is enr tirely capable of fucceeding him. From the Rhine to the Mediterranean, over a range of forty leagues, he was not unacquainted with anyone track, ' Jt is faid, that in one of the converfations Man- ' drin had with M. Levet, he told him, that he had had, at ihree different times, an opportunity, if he had chofen to make ufe of it, of killing him, or of ca^ifing hiin to be carried off by his band; and he mentioned the circumftances to him. Th» Sgveseign Sentence which condemned to he broken upon the wheel Lewis Mandrin, the Chief of the Smugglers who have committed the crimes and dif^f* oird^rs mentioned in the fentence of the a/^th of Ma^f \ ^}SSi fxecuUd the %6th of thrfame month, TAsPEk Levet, Lord of Malaval, Counfellofk^^ Kmg*s Secretaf}', Judge Delegate of the Council, ap--^? pointed by decrees of the 3d of December 173^11.-. ad of' 0£i:ober 1742, and ad of April 1743^ tq^J hear, and to judge ibvereignly, and without further^, ^ appeal, the adjtions agairift fmugglers, fraudulent. coHeif^ors, ahd uhllcenfed dealers in fait, their aiders,. | an^ ^ ^complices, in the province of Dauphiny^*^^ Prbvcrit^j Langoedpc, Lyonnois, Burgundy, Avi;%,\^ VC)rgnre,^^Ouerque, and Query, ^...#.»;v *i i^:i ^ccofdiiig to the aforcfaid decree or Council of 3>5 J26 A P P E N D I X. the 3d tf December £733, and the commiffion un* dcr the great Seal upon the fame day, ficc. We the Judge Delegate of the aforefaid Council, in virtue of the power given to us by the aforefaid decree of the 3d of December 1738, with the ad- Viee of the Graduates, Judges, Aflcflbrs of the Com- iniffibn, to the mimb?r required by the ordonnancc, have declared the faid Lewis Mandrin, a native of St. Etienhe of St. Geoirs, in this province of Dau- . phiny, duly attainted and conviflcd of having car- ried OR a contraband trade, with an armed band, for two years, fince he was obliged to quit the above- named place of Saint Geoirs, on account of the pro- ceeding againft him on the accufation of coining and didributing falfe money, and of aftafiination : and namely, of having been the principal Chief of a band of eleven or twelve fmugglers, five or -fix of which were detached to the village of Ciir(bn> ihe 7th of January of laft year, in order to go axid cftcet the five Colle<5kors of the brigade of Romans j who fufFered them to come near them, thinking .that th^ belonged to fome other brigade ; and the fmugglei^, , taking advantage of their furprize, fired at them, ' killed two of thetn, wounded two others, one bf vrhom died of his wounds a few days, afterwards, ftole the irms of the faid CoUei^^rs, the horfe of the Chief of the brigade, who was one of thofc who ' vras flarn, his cloak, and his gold-laced hat, -Which the afotefald Mandrin has worn j —and for goiilig, ' ' III the night firom the 8th to the 9th inftant, to the lidufe of a man ftamed Diitret, ont of the Ct^le^brs of the brigade, on horfeba^k t/« Grand Lahpsi ta\d ^ktt having iH-treated, aftd thfeatched to k]H:^hiln, ddit his arms, and ol^ig^ his wife ta condu^ them ^^■^■^ i- '<■ . ' to c to ^ APPENDIX. to the ftablc, from whence they took the horfe of the aforcfaid Dutret j — for being the Chief of a band confifting of above thirty, who, on the 7th of June following, attacked the Colledors in their guard- room, at the bridge of Claix, upon the Drac, after having caufed their door to be opened by furprize, killed one of the aforcfaid CoUeftors, wounded feveral of them, ftole their arms and cffefts, as like- wife fdme belonging to a private man, who had a houfe near the abovementioned corps de garde i — of thofei who making the moft confiderable part of the aforcfaid band, on the loth inftant fired, near the village of Laine, upon fome CoUeftors of the bri- gade of Taulignan, who were upon the great road from this town to Montelimart, in order to go to ' their pbft, killed one of them, pounded three others, one of whom died a few days after j-— of the three - ih number belonging to the fame band, who the ncktday, thj iithinftant, hiving remained at the • alehbiife of Tioulk, in the Jjarifh of Saint-Bazile, in ^^iVAres, before the aforcfaid alehoufe, fired at a .^erjeant of the regiment of Belfunce, taking him for , a Gollcftor dr a fpy j— Which band went then to ' Rouerque, where they committed feveral depreda- tions, and particularly killed, on the a3d, a womart whb was with child, belonging to Saint-Rorne At i Tartij dt whoTe houfe a private man, purfucd by forpft :fef the afortfaid fmugglers, wanted to take refuge oh , :tHe 30th. they forced the Glerk of the magazine at jkhades to takt fome of their tobacco, and to pay r ihd {iriefc fdr it ftipulated by the aforcfaid Mandri^ ; • ii6cl Xhtf wrote to the Deputy of the IntendarH^y, to , ifeike Mm tTftUm the arnris depofiKd In thie tpwni . ridttite, Which had been fti^zed fomeyeari before froiA Qi ' ^ y 4 other jay 12$ APPENDIX. Other fmugglcrs. On the 3d of July following, the^r alfo obliged the Clerk of the magazine at Maude to take fome tobacco from them } and on the 9th of the fame month, while the faid Mandrin was retiring in-r to Savoy or Switzerland, and pafTing with his band at the aforefaid place of St. Etienne of St. Geoirsj be killed the nanc^cd Sigifmond-James Morct, for- merly a Collcftor, and alfo a child of eighteen months, whom he had ir his arms, upon fufpicion of the aforefaid Moret's having been the caufe of the taking Peter Mandrin, his brother^ who was executed for coining ;— for having been the princi- pal Chief of that band which penetrated, towards the end of laft July, into Franche-Comte, killed, wounded and robbed feveral CoUeftors of the brigades of Mouthe and of Chaneuvej — and ^Ifo of, that ban4 which penetrated from Savoy into France, the aoth of Auguft following -, forced, on the a6th, the Clerk of the magazine of tobacco at Brieudc tq giye thenv a fum of money, under pretence of depofiting in his: pffice fome rolls of tobacco i on the aBtb^forced.the retailers of tobacco at Craponne to p^y them likei; wife a fum of money, on pretence of having remitted.' ibme tobacco to them ; as alfo tjie Clerk of the: fnagazine af lylontbrifon^ at whiph place they forced: open the prifons, and kt eleven prifofters at liberty ^i and, pafllog by the Pont- de- velc in ^relTe, . i);oppei!i: ^wo. Cqlledkors of the brigade of (Jormoranche^ Tsrhon). they robbed of the greateft part, of $he faWit^ pf tj^ bfigader of which they yterC' the caniertf. |j; aAdxwf^A 5th fired, near the cato jfome Collefeors they met with, one of whom waf killed and others wounde^i-r/p'i l^'ving been one oi the numerous band, alfo as principal Chief, which peneWteq APPENDIX. penetrated from Savoy into Pugey, in the night of the 3d of 0£lober lad, praflifed fome extortions upon feveral Receivers from the general leflees of the King's f^rms, under pretence that they left them ipme rolls of tobacco ; the iame on the 4th, at Nan- tua; on the 5 th, at Bourges in ^rciTe; on the 6th» 4C ChatillQn les Bombes s on the 91^, at Charlieu » 9tRouannej on the fame. day} on the 10th, iith* lach, 13th and 14th, at Thiers, Amberg, Marfal, Arlan, and la Chatie-Dieu j on the 17th, they made the proprietors of the corn, who were in the grana« ries of the houfe occupied by the Clerk of the magazine at Puy, to pay the fum of 600 livres *, to prevent thepi from carrying off their corn ; on the 17th, 1 8th, aoth, a I ft, and 22d, continued their extortions upon the Receivers, Clerks of the maga- aineS, and retailers of tobacco, at Pradelle, Langog* nei Tance, St. Didier, and St. Bonnet le Chateau ; qn the 23d, at Montbrifon, and at Bocn j and on the 24th> for the fecond time, at Charlieu ; fired upon thp poftjlion who dr<')ve the Diligence, to fee if thcjft were not fomebody in it whonr^ he was in fearch of j on the 9th, pafling by St. Juft-eh-Gheva- Ictr they went in fearch of the Colledtors, who wei« fired upon, one of them being dangeroudy wounded ; his arms andefFe^s, as well as thofe of the Chief of the brigade, were plundered^ and ftolen;— on the^ i6tb, forced the ofHce of the magazine of Puy, and thit^ufeof the Clerk, ftole, pillaged, and broke th^ tobac<»>^ effefts; and furniture of the faid Cleik i Yfo^^t^Q CoUeftors who had been appointed tit, .\A.::i ai-ii'v^ '>:■■ -■■'■ ' ''■■■'4'- n^ rt.«d.3ni7^lTweaty.fiYepottiKl<. .: ;.:. ,-^^l^ $29 APPENDIX. tht guard of the faid magazine ; alfo plundered^ otj^ the 2 i ft, at St. Didicr j oh the aad, at St. Bonnet j €(rt the 25 th, tit Clugny j iand dh ^^e 27 th, at Tri-^ tief, the hbufts of the ftyttsA Coll?^ors of the faW ^Vactls i ds alfo oh the 28th, at $t. Laurent ill Franche Gi3tnt6, irrhskt it Gollcftor was killed j ftok likiBWife feveral tfi^fts Irbrn a houfe in Orgclet oH the 27th i foffccd bj5eh thfe prifons of B dh the 16th, tipoii the trdopi- d» of the regiment 6f Hiircourt, Who were pafling tmt an alehoufe Whf rd th« faid band Wjis ft^d^ed^ killed One of lhem> and (tole his arms, cfoait, iind doak; oh the 17th repaired to Seurre k Btirgtind)^ where he went aiffeer the Gblledtors, and ftolc the d^ ffelts of the Captain-General, after having forced tjie dt^r df his apartment and of hi^ dofet ; compelled libit ReteiVer^ bf the falc and of the tobacco msig^^ 2ittC6 tb pay them a fum of moneys and tht Itttfjr to give them an ackhowledgment for a number df r^li of Md tObaccb, which they left in his ofHce, Where he was obliged to ftbw themj-^on the iStfe, iblted the citiiieh's guard of one of the gates of the dty of Bestoine, after mdde his difpofitions^ at ibriie diftantt from the city to get into it, upon vtHi^ :.inibrmiitiott received thdt tke)^ were mdaming Hat goatd thei^ ^-^illed twd eitlfeehs) who dm* pofed part of this guard, and wounded others i killed alfo a foldiifj whb^Wilt ifr^tht faid city upon i-i^r. leave, A P P E N t> t lt> leave, and who was accidentally upon the rampart neaf the faid gate j obliged the Mayor to come to the fuburbs to fpeak to the faid Mandrin, to treat with him of the fum meant to be extorted j com* pelled the faid Mayor to Write to the Receivers of the fait and tobacco magazines, to bring the fum ilipulated and fixed by the faid Mandrin at so,ooo livres *, which was accordingly done by the faid Re- ceivers i— which band forced iikewife, on the 1 9thj the Mayor and the inhabitants of Autun to open the gates of the city to them, threatening to fcale the Walls, to put the fuburbs to fire and fword, and to carry off a number of young Clergymen, whom they had met at fome diftance from the Md city, going to tak^ orders at Chalons, and whom they had obliged to return with them, detaining theni as hoftages till they had received the fum required from the Re- cover of the falt-magazine, and the Clerk of the ^baeco-magazine, which w^ iijced and agreed u^on in the toWn-houfe, where the faid Mandrin, jttid two more of his band, affembled, the greater part of the band having remained before tht laid toWrt^hbufei — on the aoth, at the village of Guehand, in the parifll of Brion, they fought with the King's irbops, upon whom they fired firft, killed ^nd wounded federal ofHcers, foldieh, dfagobns, and hulfal-s ; and both at Seurre and at Autun forced the prifonj, :«ind fet the prifoners at liberty j— for having afterwafds affembled t(urty-one or thirty-tWo irhugglers of the h\d band, at the head ti Wh6m M^iidrin put himfelf, and whb, on the atftj ^d 331 0:!!ij •< >•"»>> ■■■• o ifVpfti^ of eighrfaaiidtcd ptttiiidi* , w- !.«> four 33^ T% APPENDIX. four horfes, arms, and accoutrements, belonging ta four horfemen of the Marflialfea, at Dompierrc in Bourbonnois ; on the 226, murdered at Breuil, five Colleftors of the brigade of Vichy, though fome of them begged their, life upon their knees 5— on the 2^6th, murdered a man at St. Clement, under pr€«r tence that he refufed to (hew them the houfcs ik' •which the CoUcdors were, whom they imagined toJ be in the faid place 5*-on the fame day, and on th^'' 24th, by different ads of violence and threats^- obUsed the Receivers of Cervieres and of Noire* ' Table, to pay them a fum of money, and at the laft place, fired againft the door of a houfe of a Chief of a brigade of the farms, and wounded his wife, whd ' nvas on the other fide of the door to open it ; pf' which wound (he died fome days after j— ^on the 25tlii '^ praftifed fome extortions upon one of the retailed ■' of tobacco of la Chaife-Dieu, and on the 26th ffrerf' upon a party of cavalry of the Volunteers of Flaii-^ ders and- Dauphiny, at Sauvctat in le Mtelay,'an,^^'* killed a Quarter-mafter j and, in a wprd, thte fatf ;; Mandrin having befides written and figned molt of "-'^ the receipts for the fums extorted from the faic^ Re- '-^^ ceivers. Clerks, and retailers, in fonrie of which Kep'*^ ' has declared, that the fums fo extorted had bnly^ been paid to him on account of adls of violence ar^'f menaces; and having likewife written upon thc^^^^' jailor's books, of the prifons of Bourg aiid Seujfe*'^'^^ the attempt made by him upon the faid prifons :'^^ —Fojr the reparation of which, and other crimes dip''^ clofed in his trial, we have condemned the fajij^* Lewis Mandrin to be delivered up to the execution- er, who is tQ condudt hipti in his ihirt^ • ivltH a rope rx y. V 'i u :'4, H- «i ^- a" P P E'* N 6 1 i. ,:«^^?« ^bout his neck, having a label faftened to it, iipon'^^ which Ihall he printed, in large charafters, thcfe words : Chief of a hand offmugglers, robbers, and dif-^ turbers of the public tranquillity ; and holding in his hand a lighted torch of wax, of the weight of two , pounds, before the gate of the^ cathedral church of thk city, which faces the ftreet de la Peroleriei where the faid Mandrin, his head being bare^ and kneeling, (hall do public penance, and ihall declare with an audible voice, that he a(ks pardon of God, of the King, and of the legillature, of his crimes and enormities ; from thence he fhall be condudled to the place des Clercs, where his arms, legs, thighs, and I loins, (hall be broken while he is ^alive, upoa a fcaf- ^ fold raifed for that purpofe ; and afterwards fixed . vpn;^ wheel, with his face upwards, there to end.,, his d^ys rafter which his. dead body Ihall he tx- ^ pof^l^y thcJfaid executioner upon the.gallQws of^^ this city i ptpyipus to all which, . the faid ^andrin/j^ ftajlfpffier torture both ordinary and extraordinary,^ for not haying acknowledged from his own mouth ^ the truth of any of the fa6ls proved in his trial, and ;^^ for not having difcovered his accomplices : — We de- clare all and every of his efFeds confifcated to the King, the fum of ten livres 5 penalty being. pre- .^^j vioufly dedudted from them, in cafe the confiscation ,^^ fiiould, npt ^^ajke, place, to the profit of, his Maje^ ; , ^ ■ and th? fum of jOnethoufand livres f being alfi? de^„ j^ duded,^^ penalty to Joha Baptift BocqililJon,^_^ Leirp9 General of the farrpf, and.the.expeocea of lihtt^r^ f Upwards of forty pounds. .•♦ .vj«i jfjod^ 7/' tl3 in trial; 334 A P p E N D I ^* trial 'f in which penalties and expenccs we have con* clemne^ the i^i4 Mandfin towards the faid Bqc^ quillon* in CQn^deration of his petition of yell^r^^y. And the pre( in all the (pities and places with^ in namedi mi in all other parts which it m^y cpn-* cern. Glv^n at the eriminaj Charnber of the Pre- fidial Coort of V^cntia and-Pauphiny, oci the %^ of May, 1755. ':> (Signed) Levet, Gaillardy Luillierf BqIozoh, Bacbaffon, ^0tvifre, de fEtang^ and. Cozm,. And lower down is written ; 0« the a6tb ef Mfy, i755» ^^4 above finHn€$ has hen read iy me the underwrUten Secretary of the €om- laiffim^ H the faid Lewis Mandnn, and exeattffd $he\ Jam day^ agreeahfy to it*s form and tenour. (Signed) JV. t^ori'er^ ^ S$euh of Count J^oaiiles to the Kmg^ of Sardinia. THE Kiiij, my mafter, owed to himfcJf the difa- Towal hQ ha» made of all that has pafibd upon your Majefty's tCFritories, and the care he has taken tou have the crimiiiak puAiihed. The fcntiments he has always entertained for your Majefty, have not allowed him to confine him- 5 ftlf A P ? E N P I X. felf to an attention which could only fatisfy juftice ; he^has been defirous that this circumftance fhould CQntribuce to ftrengtbon the. t^es of friendfhip, by which he is no lefs connected with you, than by tbpfe of blQQd% 1 am mm (f D I*:X4 ^jf: Venice, 1753. the maritime forces oC this Republic confift of 1 4 Ihips of the line, fnt frigates, 20 galleaflbs, and Ic galleys. •/>>. ■■ •■ ••■ Nap-le's.- ■ "^^^ Two fliipS of' the line, fix frigates or xetecks. TWSCANY, 175I* One ihip and four fi^ttes. yi'^.S: "J-'J.t h-u ,:jii:i .^01 lu >.';^ ■ *is* V.Thr^e;ibipt of the line, two frigit^s, ind R^c galleys. ij^';4y tM *-^ * t " B.» it Aii.», - 1755. ^ ■'? ^'^ik-.-v ^.jOne htindred and thirtjr-x>nt fhips of thefUrie, and' 112 othcrarrtied vcifek^O^jIt :-tt n;;--^; r ! i, ■ ,. ': ■ ■■.■■■ '' ■ • t St^iy-lcVen (hips of war, 31 frigates, id pi»fc*i tfw)^ irtned batki, four xebecs, and fiv* doo^a of. war^V^ iV. ■'■"'"■ '■ ,■ ■'.'' - *t'ji W4:>1 Tlib??^' X^'' ^> v.-rJ^ .,:<^i 5-^'U .«''tAUv-r^ yoi,.in. N'VI* :0k A p p E n n I Xi: ^C i^Dr^lV? I'^tJf'- . yltf tnojl humble and mcfi. r^peSful remonfiranees pu- fented tQ our muchrhotu^ured Scverei^n. jfjordjlfe ^ Kihgybytbej^erfonibekti^inito She Court of Aids, ^^ J: . S I il^Ejjti^te/^ n€&3^pKik':30; 3iu6i:j5)armT^ ^ THE warycvu havcrjult .aeclarcd againft your eneoilic^s. -had been.;amiounced by the im- patience of your mbjeas: their jult indignatipn made them coniider it as> unavoidable^ at a time when your ^^ajefiy'^ moderation was purilun^ all poinble mealures to prevent it. ' ' ^^ ', . . * ^^- There is certainly no one who is not ienflbic of the neceflity of the extraordinary fuc(fobfs reqpired by Vo\ir Niiaj^ityi and no one who is not ready to de-- vote a part of nis fortune to them. ^^ ^ _ ^ ,.^_^^ The French natipnihavc at alL tiiij^ lliftingiiiili^d ixiuch the people wha fig^t for the glory of tHeir §?ve'^:ci^) ^ ^^^ Soverngii. himielf who t^fNs Mp arms (<^ |U^ iintere^s of hisr people'^ Cdiild tiic^ re infenfible to thofc infults, and repeated violeii which have "rendered the authors of th^ bdibirs to di feurbpej while the juftice of your MajeJ^Vdittife lias made it the common caule of att S^overeigns ^ Can any one complain of a cohtribution, tHt: divi- nation of which is previoufly jiiftified/by tlifc pbwcr- Tul Aiccours given to our Gbmmiefct and t6 our cb- A p" ^ El' ff tf r 3f. I'on'es, by a prodigious augmentation in your navy, and by conqtieils as ufbful as they ate glorious ? No, Sire, your faithful fubjcfts are cvtr animated with the fame fpirit j they are alfo the fame principles 'Whi<*h difcdt the proceedings of th6' Courts to which ^your Majefty has iritrufted part of your authority^ only upon the (pecial injundHon to acquaint you ^ith the abufe that might be made of it. Your Court of Aids^ on accountof their daily fiinftions, can fflor Hn^ your Court pF Aids have immediately, and with- out he^tation, proceeded to rcgifter what was ordered jthcmi they -have not feared that theii' reprtrentatibrisj whip$ ought naturally to have preceded, ftould lofe afty; tiling pif their force. They have flattered t Jiiemfctyes, oa the contrary, that their earneft folici- ^iitioris. wpuH And a readier accefe to* your heart, ahcl makt' their Ipc^dy obedience wcmldfurmfli: them wTtft -'-^^•^ ' Z 2 : ■ - . ft fi9 3¥> ' r A F P E N D I X. a frelh plea for prcfenting with confidence to your Majcfty fomc refledlions, the only aim of which i*. the good of your fervice, and the relief of your people. t The payment of fubfidies which are required ta 9arry on the mod juft and unavoidable war, would j^ an infupportable burthen to the people who fupply them, if they did not confider the end of them as one pf the firft advantages which .^he return of pe^ce is jo procure. But, Sire, how can your fubjeds fupport themfelves with thcfe hopes, while frcfh charges arc impofcd upon thcai, though t^cyfti^ re^ main burthened with part of the jmpoft^ levied during the Uft war, without being able tp, forcfee fome fixed and certain period, when they m^|lai;ter themfelves with the fuppreflion of them ? Your CJouf t of Aids will never lofe the remembrance of the glorious events of that memorable war, ah4 thj^ycari readily conceive, that the expences which have payc^ the^^y for the fuccefs of your arms, may have pro- .<^uced a confiderable derangement in your fipances/* .! This was the reafon which induced your Majefty to keep up the fiTi^ Fingiieme after the peace, arid if tl]ie period of it was not then determined, it w^s l?e- caiijfe the debts were not yet entirely li^juidated, fpr, . the dlfcharge of which the money accruing fr<)m thjs Viifgdeme was intended; but it is not probajbie, tjiat ia the courfc of eight years tranquillity, the ftate of thefe debts Ihould not yet be afcertained. , ^ li ^¥^^* ^^^- » is what Qccafion^ the greateft ^arpfjs to .yQ^r, people ; they are terrified at ;the Idea of j^ie iwrpetviity of the jmpoft, and it is avery difficult ipi^t- ^ te;i^ to calm th^ir anxiety j whc^^ o;^ xkp. ojie h^iicjitfii^y i^M f!^^.?%^ccs wh^ loiij/^sy^ ti > c< APPENDIX. and has ju(i now rcneweli to them, that the produce of the former Vingtieme ftiall be employed in can- celling the debts of the State ; and on the other hand, when, inftcad of a fixed time, which might have been fettled, for the ceflatlon of this tax, they find it announced to continue ten years, which arc onty to commence from the iihcertain epocha of the jpublication of a peace i ^o that the termination of this impoft is thus made to depend upon a period with which it is entirely unconhedted. If the debts were hot known, or the ftates of them had not been fixed, would there not be reafon to fear that the re- volution of ten years after the pieace would be an iriiufficieht time to fulfil an objc6b, the extent of Which was not known ? But if, as there can be no dbubt/ the debts Wliich are to be cancelled arc af- cert^ihedj'h'o motive caii prevent your Majefty from 'detefminirt| with Certainty the time in which you •Will be able to put a ftbp to this tax. '^'^"'^ "'^ ^^\it^r^ Vingttme was prefented to your people in 1749; not only as the means of bringing about the iiquidation of the debts bfybui^ State, but alfo as an ' oecbnoniical operation ; wliich, joined to the order 5^our Majefly prbpofed t6 fettle in the adminiftration of your finances, was t6 furnifh you with refources capable of infuring, in times of nectffityy lU glory of :^6ur State, and the tranquiliity of the allies of your Croivn, without your Mng okliged to have recourfe to extrapt- dinary fneafures, '^"** ' ^"*' . %"Sb flattering a profpeA alleviated the burthen of '"^fiis new, im^bfition, and WAS the occafidn that your Courts M not at that time adopt (uch vigorous pro- ' ceedirtg^, to a:tk'fbr the fuppreflioh of it,* or at Icaft iW obtain that the time of it's duration fhould be Z 3 fixed. 341 ::iim 34* APPENDIX. fixed. But how greatly were your fubjcfts affe(fted| when they were informed, that after feycn years, the end propofed was fo far from being accomplifhed, gnd the cancelling of the debts was in fuch little for- ' wardnefs, notwithftanding the annual payment of the firft Vingtieme! They defpaired of ever feeing the end of their misfortunes, when, contrary to the hopes ^hat had been fuggefted to them, the firft inftant of fhc new war had been markeci by the impoficion of a new yinpieme, and that your Majefty was already" obliged to have recourfe to thofe extraordinary meanl' which you had wilhed to avoid. . H • fj We will not penetrate, with indifcretion and rafli- nefs, into the erpployment or diftribution of the ifitv* menfe funds which have been confumed during the courfe of the preceding war j but we cannot avoid' obferving, that if the fuccours, which your peopk' were then eager to furniOi your Majefty with, joined to thofe you n»y have drawn from your donqucfts, have been infufficientj if the State has been Ih^ debted in the fum of more than four hundred vmh lioni *, as the tmt propofed fpr the duration of the' firft Vingtimei fienns to announce, the fears of your' . fubje^ls, on account of that which is juft left^biiiic^'* will readily admit of excufe. ?f'j ^ ^ .Vd;;!! ,^ olT ^ • Your Majefty *s promifc rentoyes their fearsi as for' it" it is^xpreiTed in certain and precife terms ; but' ^he pbfcurity with which it feem? in fame iei^)e^s' t^ bfition; but it becomes more burthenfome than any otherj when it is Iixe4 iipon id^al and u|i|uft eitimates 1 ,j ^ Z 4 and 343 344 A F P E V ly I X. / and ii^deed> what juftice <:an be expe^ed* when the labour of the hu/bandman, the induIVry/of the cne^ chanic, and ^He credit of (he merchant^, ar^ becficoe objedls of taxation? ^^yr jij ^nr?? . 'Aii^iijum , fiii^ article XI. of your edi orders, that co/itributiops (hall be levied u^an frivaie traders and pthmt whefi prQf^ion it is to circulate their money tp a/^antage } and asj: wheo ^is article w:^ drawp up,- th? inconvcniei^ces pf.it were, forefcen, it was added, that there ihoi^ld only be reqqircd of them, declarations qf property ofdiff^^f imdsfrom tbofe mentioned in the articles ly^andV' iff the frefent edia, -jg--, /ni- j^oriB-^ikii if/ortJiw .grnfiinocr f ' >, Your Majefty> by ib wife a refl:ri£tioor jhaA i^ 4oubtedly in view to prevent the abufes that mig^ have been made of the feyere call of the artipje, a|4 to hinder an odious perquifition from, being ;i|i^e ip the ii^teripr o^faniilies, under pretence ofcpi^Kiir ipg the declaration?! of indivitiual^, M:>t>iio> nlojshiim But, on the opher hand, there w^s no longef^^ pp(p fibiUty of pj-efcribing a rule for this repartition, whkfc^ acpordjng po the terms of the, edict, was tobe prftr portioned to the fncpmes and the profits 0/ t Ke fif^ ions taxed. ':u^' ,^jfxi^, i:ii\i^^; ^'r^mjm io -hv^ai . K' It has therefore bcei> neceflary to reiort^ arbipf^iry ^aluatipi}s, and the perfons coocecned jn the ipV;|f r > /iVwtf levied froni brancl^es of iijduftiy, are o^JigedftP wait their deftiny frorn a decifigri which c^n pnj^y be n\ade upon uncertain eftimappsj a' de^iU6^]^^aSfMI)lt whichrpeyerthelefs, it would |)e uielefs to api^Q^y;;!^: it is equajly impoflible for the perfon. taxedto prp)ie> the injuftice of it, as it h^s beenfpr yp^rMajeftyr's CofnnciiiUQner^.to make, it with JMftic€^,fUidwiv*u .^ m it^ is therefore trade alone, and the arts depen- ^dbnt upon it, which are become the objefbs of this' itax^ t^ fnoft fcvetse of any, fince it is the moft arbi- -^ary $' and it is this fubjedtion which is the occ^fibn c5; -Li-ii-, " ■uJi-i^.^i^-^j/.-fy^- Thofc m n3«c 344 ' ..A P P E N Drl i^. iThpfc among tbenn, whofe fortunes are the iKTpft con^erable, formerly made a parade of their ;ppu« lencC) in order to enlarge their credit -, at prefenf th^y ar^ obliged carefully to conceal their legitimate profits^ ini order to eicape the refearches of the Di*; rectors of your innppils, or to fubjed themfelv^s^ t;^; an exorbitant tax, if they wiih to fupport this credit* . "which, fometinies cpnftitutes ., tl>e whole; of; Ifheifi X'lCneS* ''''^i**;!;;"' H'"lIi»JV Several of them have already rcfufed to be. cpp- cerned in any undertakings of hazard, having, learpt, by di^greeable experience, that- their fQrtune.ijS; valued according to the exertions they ar^ fcjf^ t,^- ' make, without confidering what fuccefs they ^r(?;,a|i7: tended with) and that they cannpt pb^ain ai^y a^pvi^^^; tion, whatever lofTes they may have experieniqeffv v ,;jj ., Every confiderable eftabllfhmei^t will Xopn b/^copQA . ru)Qou8 to thpfe who will. venture upon.jt, if^)>ey hay^. not h^d the art to infure the proteflion of th^ ^bi^^q^^ of^he tJpC) by peHViadijugthera pf tt^e.utiJi,ty,pfii;h5Jyn ^nte:rpri;sesp ^■'^\kiAk^'- -■;• l^^'i'ilw^fC-^Hi bfste ,*>bh^ vHence it follows, that the fpiiiit of iptrigu^iwffl,^! take place of every othpr fpeqiespf iqdyftry i,po[^vis;,, lacion, th^t necciTary foundation of comm^r'^^A W^^ b^ e^inguiihed, and foreigners, frcpd from ;f9;m4r^)^ impediments, will be able to enter into qompjetj^o^ with prodigious advantage. ■■ ■itfo^-'iMrhfiit^^^^lm How great are thefe objeAs, Sire! hp?^^: wprtj^y ' are they to engage your Majefty's at^wipoj, fiiji/ how proper is the moment in which we prcfen^ |hep(^, . to make you fenfible of their imporcance I Tl^^.cjiti^^ zens, whofe intere^ we are defending* are thofe who by a^iduoufr labour^ ac perpetual riique^ and by cal%r culalions almoft infinite^ liay.c.fQ^nd.f^ thi^p^aeana^ A P f B N P I X, p? frtaking our arts admired by foreign nations, and of enriching us with the produce of their luxi»ry ; they arc thofe who keep up :*. ncceflary circulation of fpecie ^nd provifions bet'vern the mother country aftd your colonies j — -thofe precious colonies, the fources of the riches of France, and theobjeft of the jealoufy of fo maqy nations $ they ^re thofe, in a word, and thofe alone, who bring pjeoty into the heart of your kingdom. ^w.:?!;^ * It is unnecefTary to expatiate any longer upon a truth, of which your Majefty is already fully con- vinced : if your Majefty could have any doubt about the importance of fupporting and protefting the pommercc of yqur fubjei^Hvi*i feiiw.jttku ^^ Wc 5*7 14^ APPEND IX. We have juft prefented to you that powcrfiil clafs of merchants, whofe vaft enterprizes have appeared to us to deferve your Majefty's attention. But there is another clafs of citizens, whofe induftry, though it cannot be too much encouraged, yet ferves itftlf as a pretence for new taxes. Thefe are the perfons whofe daily labour increafes the value of the prodiic*. tions of the earth, and the mafs of real riches : fub- jedls neceflary to the State j fince it is from theni alone that the general trade of the kingdom derives all it's ftrength, and all it's fubftancej men who are perpetually enured to labour and fatigue, w ofc in- . digence alone ought to be a motive for affiflTh^ them, and who, on account of their obrcurity, , are expofed to bppreflions, which always remain un- puniihed, becaufe they are always unknown. ^ ■ :1 The M'agiftrates, to whom your Majeiiyhas in- trufted the adminiftration of each province, ^jio^^r? chofen from each, are worthy, no doubt, otthk(:6nr iidence with which yoii have honoured them j but is it poffiblc, that every one of thofe among whpm they are obliged to divide the authority they hay|t received from your Majefty, (hould be equally^in- capable of making a bad ufe of It t . ,l»i .^ .iflt is, however, to thefe fubaltern Miniilers, that the evaluation of the powers and induilry of the un- fortunate mechanic is intrufted ; and they therpfelves cannot proceed to thefe cftimates, but on the report of men of a rank ftill inferior, in wham Xhcy arc obliged to confide. r^. j"s.'*\? ' "What a number of abufes rhuft arifc from tliis feti- jdivinoii of an arbitrary authority ? and what fe^yrbe js left tQ thp iiQfortynate fuflferer, who has neither |hc Icifure nor the boldnipfs r«qi^i0te to mak6 himfelf be '^^r as A P P EN D I X.. be hear'd, and to appeal againft this opprcfllon ? \Vhat a number of animofities, afts of revenge, an4. vexations, nnufl not fucii an adminiftration give. ''fcto?^ ^, . ^ , .,:^^,^ Thus it is, that, under the mo^ juft of Kings, in- juftice, which would not dare to fliew itfelf openly, becomes more aftive in obfcurity. Thus it is, thai^ an operation, ill- combined, and erroneous in itfelij^ is the caufe of a multitude of abufes, which could not be forefcen, and which cannot be deftroyed, but by attacking the principle of them ; and thefe are precifely the objects upon which the moft humble and. mod .refpedful remonftrances of your Courts are to dv/ell. : The.grc'atnefs of your Majefty, and the important tares in which; you are eniployed, do not allow you to defcend into details, nor to perceive the evils which you alone can remedy. It Is in Order to be informed, and to put a ftop to them, that you have cd^ftituted us, hot only the Judges of your people, but alfo their patrons and their defenders, and that ybu have intrufted us with the care of laying before yoiirJ^Cted pcirfop the coniplajnts of the unfortunate. ■'^ Let ui not, therefore, negleft this precious oppor- tunity of making you acquainted with the oppreflioh tinder which your people have lal)oured for fo long a tirtjie jarid we will not conceal from your Majefty, tHat wtat We liave ajready reprefented as the objeft the mdft capable of exciting your fenfibility, is only the ieaitf part of tKc arbitrary taxes which are levied upbii yjovr ,<\i^bj.?(as^,^;yfld^r, fw^flpaipes^aiid^und^^^^ .|^ctqnce^^:_^ j,,,, ', ., ,..,,. . : , • \ ■„ ',. ", ,;; >^ithput entering iqto die detail of ir^regular, and H> jj(f APPENDIX. tipon that which has taken place in your,k'ingd6nii for more than fixty years, without your fubjedts hav- ing any judicial modes to obtain redrefs or anytri^ bunals to which they can appeal ; an impoft which is guided by the fame principle as the Vingtieme, up- on branches of induftry ^ which is levied in the famei manner, and which occafions the fame abufes ; an impoft the nnore burthenromei as it falls indifcriniio fiately upon ^vtty individual; and as, fince it's ef^ tabli/kment> it has been augmented by a Ample order fronni' your Council^ without your Maj^fty's having Aiadeyour Courts acquainted with it, and without this avigmentation being made known ^to the perfoos taxed in the regular form* .,; oa : ofonf'jqV We Ihould be waiting to the Kiqft efllentiadt piart of our dutieis^ ahd (hbuld abandon the intecefts of youf people intrufted to u&, if we were filent any Iqi** ger, and if We did riot join to the rcprc^ation^^>w5 have midc tq your M^efty concerning the ^M^/tfipsrf tipo^ branches of indtiftry, our moft humble fuppin catiomij that you Wbuld for the ftrtlure eftablifti certain rules, as much for thie colkding of the c'apisati6n, ajs 6f the other inhpdfts which are arbitrarily If irledj|| your kingdom* How happy for your people, and hdwglorious|fo]^ your Majefty, will this day be, if Hire afe fortt^ai^ enough to convince youj and to induce yci^. tci refonii the abufes of an ihftipportable part of admii^j:*' fti-ation,and to engage you to apply an ifiim(e(|M^^ and effieadous remedy to it I Your Courts will the^ «o rtrore be obliged td repi^fent to you their JiJacm^ suid their fears upon the fubjcd of the perpet^jit^^ pf impofts. YoUf fubjeftsi Witnelfes of the^<(^^f;^ "^i^h' the expolitioA of their grievances has had upon ,\. APPENDIX. iipon you, and of the care yoa will have taken to Mlcviate them, will be very far from having any tincafincfs relative to the employment or the dura* tion of the fuccours, which in thefc unfortunate times you will have thought necefFary/iP? -jfrtf^j? b3f;ifjj>«' ^- But, however uftrful this reform maybl^ to yo«r i)eopfe,the zeal of your Cbutt^ of Jids would not be thoroughly faitisfied, if,^fcbtttefntittg oarfelvesi with rc- ]^re(bnting lo yoif the abtt^yakeady introduced, we riegledlecf ta iiKf6rn^ f6u df their original caufe^ *. ^'^\Thhck\k% Sire, is ntfitheTtincerf^ff, nor difficult i6be dete^edi we may trac« i« frdm the infraction <*f thti fews'^f ifo^iir kingdbrft, of tlk)fe lawsy^ left re- fpedbable for their antiquity than for the wifdom .iWifcht' h-*S^ai^tcd thcmfi •= ■ ^' t'-^*-^^^ *-'^^ ^iuiMAii.i^^'4 ^'^ lt% ttfthii'prejtidice of^lfhoft'-awgUii litl*,^ the lJdgrti*iSri(^i[ifl^he dili)ute»>^fiidf Havl^^ fH^tB: 6f m^h^ims, attd ori the €apita«iorti haA tSsfei^ake^'fltth^'thef r<^laf^^b^^ affttlthat nd alfc^natli^e his' been left to your fubjefts, wh^ have ilibi%hf themfdkves ihjvbe'd) butcher toTubmit' to ka llii)^ tax, or to App^ t& ttsfc perfdn who is.^ che ihithdri^fiti iJy^cnfnaMtng'b^h^fiorcfo^ hisowa ti^^Itr is "byrtiiearis c* thcfe'jtttfiiJtotioiis crf6Hdt> of MtgHtr^es^ jR'^^^ t«' bftkr, artd acotiftonatd never t6i ^ives ik^ftoii^ I'tUl they havo obtained adeqiQtt3;iiifo]> 35 » A 35a APPENDIX* ,7Tour Court of Aids, to whom it alone belongs Cd take cognizance of all the innpofts that are levied upon, your fubjedb, do not claim the reftoration oC this, juri^didlion, if, in order to prefcrve it, they moft adopt the eftabliihed modes of coUeding arbitrary impofitionSf of other circumCtances added to thefe^ c^j^ged the form of government in the interior of yQ\|r i||&ingdpm» as in that, of the. other European States; thejiipipentary fuccours furnifhed by the peopliQ i^ X}frf9& .q£ war^ proved infufficient ; the taxes re^t)ec^,/pj^l^;^ : limited time became perpetual $ the Iaw$,{Whiisti,}regulate the colle^ing of them, were mu)dpj[i^ tOufu^h A degree, that the Judges ap- ppifitefi) tOjitake cognizance of theni were obliged to forego every other occupation, to attend intirely to this j|aborioii^ fundlion. ^^ •^■^^^,^^^^.i^„ , \,ffy>^-^,fi •* . ''iSiert it was that your Court ot AicJs aflumcd a fofih flrtiilaj- to, your other Courts, but without ever d^^rtln^ Yrqm it*s primitive inftitution, and without loQhg^ihe right it' has ever maintained, of affixing, by each rcgiftry, tlje laftfeil to the Royal authority. >• td^ (he ifdi6bs notifying the eftablilhment of taxes,, ana df taking' fole cognizance of the difputes relativiQ;' thereto; rigbt$ which it can never relinquiQi, Once t^(^ are, inherent in it's conftitution and in ic^^^e^." 'Such are.'Sirc, the authentic titles which we woi^; la^ befdre your Majefty, if, after having prefent^d*^ ybii with' the fpedacle of public misfortunes, we ^ItoL. III. A a . could 353 SS^ APPENDIX. i could bcftow a thought upon the perfonal intercil of our Company. - , ? But this is not at prefent the motive that aniniates lasj we claim our rights, only becaufe they are the ^rights of your people j we only complain of having j been difturbed in the exercifc of our eficntial func- _ t'ionS) becaule this diflurbance is the beginning and the. caufe of the vexations to which your fubjefts are cxpofed. It is in their name, and not in our own, V that we implore your Majefty to leave to the Court of Aids the free exercife of their jurifdidion, and to rcftore to his people their natural Judges, i^j^. . 4.4. > The tax which is levit:d upon induftry, bj^lngvde- fedive. in it's nature, could never hay« boTfte the ex- amination of juftice ; it is not, therefor^,! furp^i^iijg, that there fhould have been a defire of ^xe^pting ic from our cognizance. But the principal paf;tpf, this tax, which, regards real eftates, is lufocptibl? pf,.^ more exad: regulation,, and a more cquitalple yalu- ation. From what motive,, and under what pretcncp^ has it been comprised in an authority given by ypur . Majfifty, to, the CommiffioAers diftribute that ■ ^•■■'•- -»-■»-"■' lO •» A« , I • ■ • .Mi ..^i„ ,i%Il% 3, yot fingl refill ^H APPENDIX. the Interefl: of their jurifdiftion was never the objeft of their proceedings, when it came in competition with public intcrcft. But this impofl, renewed on three different occa- fions, has been now levied without interruption for the fpace of fifteen years. What kind of diredion muft this tax then have been fubmitted to, if, after fo long a time, the valuations have not yet been fettled ? Undoubtedly this ought to have been done j and* if this work is not yet completed, what is become of t)ie advantages that were expefted from the admini- -fl-ration of the Conlnilflioners of your Councils* ''"'' *' We will fay no more. Sire, upon fo interefting a p6int, and which already has fo often been the fubjeft of the moft humble and moft refpeffcful remonftrancc\ of youV Courts. ''*^''^ * "^--^^'-^^^Jt ■i'^'^^wi "^'^ ' '-^ We (hall not quote the numerous laws by which all kinds 6f appeals have been profcribedi nor the ackhowl6dgment of our greateft KingSi who have dectared tlie abufe of them on fcreral ftriking oc* calions. ^'*^*'^ ^iiwC^uw,*- .x^*. *»:* ii4;i-iv.,p',jt>> atsyo H fuiij '*'^^e will not dwell upon the Inconveniences which arife from dripping the tribunals, to fubftitute to them one fingle Magiftrate, who even can only give to the objefts prefented to him a cUrfory attention, being for 6ver taken off* by occupations of a diiFcrent '^■'Hi'ele important confiderations are too ijrefent t6 yoiir Majefty, to make it neceflary to recall them to ybxir memory.' '\^'''' *"''^^*''i"'^'*""**^ i-AiUw^^u-^iN.- f''0^\i v^^jy, . -'^e fliall content ourfclves with uniting under brife fingle point of view, the numerous abufes w^ieh rcfult from the commiflions and attributions of •,ssiU^I>7ujiu,ii^iu4u,A>^.i,^, ^ 2;«-^--->i^ " authority 3S5 'if S56 APPENDIX. authority given to individuals in matters of tax ation. "We have fct before your eyes a (ketch of thofc which are introduced in the levying of the Vingtieme, of the Capitation, and other taxes, the cognizance of which has been injudicioufly delegated to ConmiC fioners ; let us add to this, the creation of thofe ir^^ regular tribunals eftablifhed upon the frontiers of your kingdom, to judge definitively of the offences '. relative to the cuftoms of your farms. .) c We (hall not endeavour to criticize the conduct of thofe Commiflloners j but, while we fuppofc them pOffefTed of all the qualifications requifite for th9 fundtions they exert, we (hall confine ourfclves to authenticated fadls. . , , inifJ'uriOi Two very real misfortunes arc — on one han4» the terror which thefe irregular tribunals fpreadi^mong the people j and, on the ether, the great v^iun^ber of fanguinary executions which have been made.uni4fr their authority, fince they exift. The nece(Bty qf putting a ftop to fmuggling, has been the pretence for thefe formidable cdabliihments. Let us judge, from recent inftances, whether this praf^ice is.put a ftop to, or even decreafed, in your kingdonrJ. ui^w oj *"* If we (hould carry our obfervations farther, and cotlfider, as citizens and faithful fubjeds of yqur Majefty, objedls which are immediately under our cognizance, objcfts of which , we are not allowed to take notice as judges, what confufion > will arife in the adminidration of juftice ! what condier- nation will ptcyail in other Companies I, ii-jo.- Jb.:* One of your Courts has had almoft the whole of it's functions taken from them^ upon the fimpl« re- A APPENDIX. qucft of the Farmer of the Cuftoms of your Majefty ; fefpcdlful complaints have been carried to the foot 6f your throne, very ftrong juflifications have been prefcmed to your Council, without it's appearing that they have been attended to i this kind of int-r- didbion haslaftcd forfeven years, and, during (o long an interval, a fubaltern Judge has been authorized to fill the functions of a Court, with a privilege, as it is faid, to appeal to your Majefty's Council i as if the moft of the affairs which concern the Farmer of your Cuftoms were objefts of fo confiderable a nature, as to oblige oppreflied individuals to come up from the extremity of the rcmoteft provinces, to bring their complaints to the capital. ^^ Aiibther Cortipany, deemed formerly worthy of ydur Majefty's favour, is at prefent opprefled with the weiglit of your indignation, after having been deprived of their moft important funftionsj it's Chiefs are difperfed, the Company itfelf is difgraced by the moft humiliating condemnations. Thefcftrokes are equally fatal to the magiftracy and to the people, ivho are fubordinate to themj they arc afts of feverity, to which your Majefty never confents without re- lu<6lance, and which always afFe<5l yotir paternal ^heatt, even at a time when you think juftice requires "Jthcm. iUJ Vi:3Ji.i.>;«i'; . ;y5 . b5 We (hall not here undertake to juftify thofe un- ^fortunate Magiftrates j this is an objed foreign to our reprefentations, and of which we have no judi- cial cognizance. If any voice ftiould be raifedri in their favour, it ought to be that of the province wherein they rendered juftice to your fubjefts, and ^ which ha3 been witnefs to their condu(5b and their A a 3 misfortunes ; 357 35^- APPENDIX. rnisfortunes : the (^onfternation which prevails there> '^ is a teftimony to which we could add nothing. v'-^ But there is one refledlion remaining for us to .' miihe, which can never come improperly from us, * which is, that the difgrace of that Company* and the misfortunes which have been theneceflary confe- • qucnces of it, have owed their firft origin to one of thofe irregular attributions of authority which are the objeds of our. complaints and reprefentations. 'i ^ The importance of the objeds we have already treated of, and the extent which we have been obliged to give to them, will not permit us. Sire, to cxpofe in the fame detail the inconveniences of the fcveral. impofts comprehended under the name of cuftoms reinftated, and other rights, the levying of which you have ordered by a declaration of the 7th of • July. -w.;:';i;x*>3 It will undoubtedly have been obferved td yow^^i Majelty, that the impofts only fall upon the people^ "^ of your capital j and great ftrefs will have been lai4 upon the eafy circumftances of it's inhabitants) an4"^ the prodigious riches which abound and are con-- f fumed in that immenfe city. ^ But let ns be permitted to reprefent to you, that^'^ it is upon the pooreft portion of your people that part of thefe taxations fall j and that this capital, fo ■ rich, and fo able to furnifti powerful fuccoUrs, ha$ '^ always been honoured with peculiar marks of the * benevolence, and, if I may venture to fay it, with the predilection of your Majeily, and of the Kings you^' prcdecefTors. .■^* Your Majefty has been fo much flruck with rilJi'^j yefiediop, that you have already grafted, of your owij;*^* accord,"'^ « '/.♦ -f ' fl K •J, APPENDIX. accord> a confiderable diminution upon that objeft. Shall we venture to confider this teftimony of your bounty, as a motive to hope for the total fuppreflion of thofq taxes ? and, if the calamities of the war will not admit of this at prefent, may not we at leaft flatter ourfelves, that they will not lafl: longer than the war for which they have been renewed ? The circumstances which oblige your Majefty to eflablilh impofts oppreflive to your people, fufpend, at the fame time, the demands of your Courts, and do not permit them to reprefent to you the mifery to which that people are reduced, with all the ener- gy which fuch a cafe would require. It mud, how- ever* be owned, Sire, that this is the principal ob- ject of the jfteps we have taken, and this is what ex- cises our grief and our complaints at the view of new taxations ; and this motive, fo powerful upon the heart, of your Majefty, makes us hope from your goodnefs, ftill more than from the ftrength of our reprefentations, that, after having humbled your ene- mies, your firft care will be to bring a neccflary al-j leviation to the misfortunes of your fubjeds. : , t : But if the necefiity of furnilhing fuccours to the State, prevents us, for a moment, from dwelling up- on the fituation of individuals, there is no confidera- tion that can prevent us from laying before you our alarms upon the anticipated prorogation of the im- • poft^ the, duration of which your Majefty has limited. We cannot avoid reprefenting upon this occafion to your Majefty, that a part of the taxes which are levied upon your people, have been likewife im- ' pofed originally for the actual wants of the State, and for a limited, time, and that it is by repeated proro- . gatjons that they a^e become perpetual. ^ A a4 Wc 359 3^0 APPENDIX. We are not afraid once more to fubmit to your confideration, that fatal inipofition which we have already reprefented as the mod burthcnfome of all> by the arbitrary form in which it is collefted. Eftablifhed in times refembling the prefent, it was to laft no longer than the war, to the wants of which it was confecrated. The late King, your auguft great grandfather, gave his Royal word of it, and joined to it the pro- mife of not doings while the war Jhould lafi, any other extraordinary affairs j promifes which are often obliged to be infringed by neccfiity, but which it were to be wifhed were never given, but with a certainty of exe- cuting them faithfully. The misfortunes in which your kingdom was plunged, did not permit your fub- je<5ls to demand the execution of fo authentic an th- gagement. The firft years of your Majelty's r<»ign were employed in acquitting immenfe debts, and it was not in your power to give up a fuccour become as neceflary as in time of war. However, there have fmce been happier times than thofe ; the public mif- fortunes have ceafcd, we have feen order re-eflablilh- • ed in your finances, and yet the tax ftill fubfifls. i"t ■ Thefe are, Sire, the examples we have before our eyes, and which we recoiled whenever a prolongation of impofts is in agitation. If your Court of Aids has negleftcd, on feveral important occafions, to tnake their juft remonftrances to you upon this fub- jeft, they have undoubtedly imagined, that all the , refleftions that could pofTibly be fuggefted,had been jilready reprefented to you, and they were " perhaps Tjlfraid of fatiguing you by ufelefs repetitions. ' >'^- t><^ (But why fhouid we feek to diflenpble our fault ? i Let APPENDIX. Let us confefs the reproaches we have to make to our- felves : — wc have been wanting to one of our prin- cipal duties, by poftponing, for fo long a time, the laying before your Majefty's eyes objeds fo impor- tant for the ger eral adminiftration of your king- dom. The multiplicity of abufes compels us at length to break filence, and we cannot feize a more favour- able opportunity, than the time in which your fub- je6ls are going to be burthened with frefh taxations, neceflary, without doubt, but the load of which is not lefs heavy upon the people. The greater difpatch your Court of Aids has ufed in the execution of your orders, and in the promul- gation of your laws, the more it behoves them to reprefent with energy to you the abufes they have obfervcd in them, and the alleviations which may be adduced. - The Court would even have fulfilled their duty but imperfe(2:iy, if they had limited thcmfelves to the pbj efts contained in the three declarations. ' The radical defeat of feveral taxations could not be perceived and felt in all it's extent, without bring- ing all the confcquences together. - This general defcription cannot fail of making a ftrong and lafting imprefllon upon the mind of your M^efty J and if the prefent circumftances, and even the greatnefs of the object, do not permit you t grant, tq the diftrefs of your fubjefts, a relief fo fpeedy as you could wilh, your Court of Aids flatter jhemfelves that the important refledtions they have been n)aking will ever be prefent to your Majefty's p4nd, and they intrcat your Majefty that they may be 361 ^>J fijlowed '•»v 362 APPENDIX. - allowed to prefent them to hi'n in more favourable times. ^ Thefe are, Sire, the moft humble and moft re- Ipeftful remonftrances, which your moft humble and moft obedient, moft faithful and moft affectionate fubje6bs and fervants, the perfons holding your Court of Aids, have thought it their duty to prefent to your Majefty, the Chambers being a(¥ fembled oh Tuefday the 14th of September, 1756. -yiii '•'■^ ?»X' ■^■* •*■ ■ tl « ««.«• (Signed) p m -«» -« !■ J . uim-,fii- ,i*>i \ ;,. ■ "frn LamOignon, O""'^ ■.'•■ '^^ ''\ iL'^y^h ■jcb •■iJJ* N'vii;'-' APPENDIX. 363 N'VII. ! Journal of what happened to us at Louijbourgi from tht-_ ■ ^)^.\\..:^^,c, 20th of June I'j^'j^ u WE arrived on the 20th of June, 1757, in the road of Louifbourg, about three o'clock in • the afternoon. As foon as M. Dubois de la Motte had caft anchor, he hoifted the fquare flag on the mizen-maft, the Vice-Admiral's diftinftion. We fo'jnd there M. de Beaufremont, who was returned frim St. Domingo fince Whit-Sunday. He was on bourd the Tonnant ; and the other fhips of his fqua- dron were, the Defenfeur, the Diademe, V Inflexible , and rEveHUi and his frigates were la Brune anH la * Comete, M. '">ureveft was arrived two days before us, with the Tquadron of Provence, excepting le Faillant, which had been feparated from them by the fog, and which arrived only five days after. About a fortnight after our arrival, the Ihips le Bi- zarre and le Celebre were ordered to fet fail for Que- bec, to convoy the veflels on board of which was tha battalion of Berry. • The Fleur de Lys fet fail fome days after, to convoy a fmall veflel laden with the baggage of the battalion ; but, having parted com- pany during the fog, this vefTel was taken by a priva- • teer j all the crew, however, efcaped upon land. The Fleur de Lys came back after a ten days cruize, with- out having met any thing but a merchantman, which very happily entered here : (he was laden with pro- yifions for the fquadron. - : 'O ',.-■ The "^m :^' : 5^4 ,. . .y 't n V ;.i q t| APPENDIX. ,*rjj£W The Chevalier de Grafle came back the loth of* June, with the fchooner upon which he cruized round Halifax ; he brought us no certain news of the mo- tions of the Englilh, He had landed upon the coafi!" a man named Gautier, who is acquainted with the language of the favages: this man took two of them, with whom he was acquainted along with hinhi^ and they went together as far as the gates of Halifax j they killed five Englifhmen, and brought off one prifoner, who fays that Admiral Holbourn is ex- pefted from England with 28 fhips of the line and 80 tranfports. ^ r ^ -^.s. The 19th July, M. Boilheben brought frol^j Canada a hundred and fifty favages, and as many Canadians, whom he conduced through woods and mountains with a great deal of trouble and fatigue. They are encamped two leagues from hence : fifteen of thofe got drunk yefterday, and went to a wo- man's houfe to afk her for more drink j fhe refufing to give them any, they attempted to ftranglc her j the guard was called, and came immediately ; on'^of '^he favages laid his hand upon the Corporal's gun, asibon as he entered, but the fo^aier who followed him, gave him a blo-vs^ and oL)iiged him to let go his hold : the fav£g,es furrounded the three^nen, wh j wanted to fire, but he Corporal very prudently prevented them, and the lavages were bt iten out of the licufe. Who- ever gi^ w. any liquo: to thef<; people is liable to be punifhed by being fent to the galleys } this puni(h-< raent has not yet been infli(El:ed, but if the firft per-, fon who gives them liquor were to be hanged up im- piediuely, fuch difmal adventures would not haf pea fo often. aoth of July. Our crews begin to rec)Vv?r: ^hofc who are in good heaUh go out to wood and water. I>= ..'^ APPENDIX. v/ater. We are all repaired at prefent, and ready to put to fea again. In the mean time, at all events, we are employed in making a garden, from which we hope to gather fallad fome time hence j which is a great matter in this country, where it is very fcarce. We go a fifliing every day ; there is plenty of fifli here, which is of great fervice to the crews, for there are no other refrefhments. ^y^-'?^; i^M*- A battery is going to be eredted on the corner oif the iflet, capable of bearing at a diftance j for there was none there before, fo that no fhip could be fired upon till Ihe arrived in the very road. The guns of the Royal battery, which the Englilh made ufe of in the laft fiege, to take the town, are to be employed for that purpofe. The fortifications of the town are ftill carried on very vigoroufly, under the infpeftion of M. Franquet, Chief engineer of New France, and Brigadier in the King's armies. It is faid that he is a very able man. At prefent he has given orders to demolilh the Black C^e, which is a mountain of rocks, half a quarter of a league from the town, and where batteries might be ercded to command it. The 17 th, the two frigates the Comete and the Brune fee fail, in order to cruize for fome time, and to fuccour a merchantman, which is blocked up by a brigantine four leagues from hence. The 25th, they returned to port with the veflel, which had had a fmart engagement with another merchantman. The ift of Auguft, a vefTel from la Rochellc ar- rived here, laden with all kinds of merchardize and provifions. She only met a finall private er, which chafed her for fome time. Orders * 36s given three iffii ^'fe6 APPENDIX. three companies of volunteers, taken from the pilotins of the fhips. The 2d, M. GenouVl reviewed the three companies of volunteers and the battalion of inarines. ■^^^^my'^^^- ->.'»,u;> The ^d, half a dozen favages, who went with Gauticr a fortnight ago, arrived j they brought with them three Englifhmen prifoners, of whom very in- terefting things are reported. '^''^ '"''"^ We went yefterday to fee the camp of the favages M. Boifhebert brought from Canada j there are 150 of them, and as many Canadians j they are all tole- rably well armed, and feem to be very defirous of ferving the King, whom they call their Faiher of Paris. They are encamped in d «reek towards the bay of Gabarus, where the Englifh landed when they took the town. Good intrcnchments have been made there, with fome pieces of canon, to prevent th€ Engliih from landing, in cafe they fhoulcj at- tempt it. -- - ; - '^'^ ^^^^ Upon the intelligence M. Dubois de la Motte has received, that the Englifh were to come ahd mal^d fome attempts, he caufed intrenchmerits to be tlirowiif up in almoft all the places where a defc^ht could be? prafticable. The moft proper creek for this piir-* pofe was.that of the Great Laurembeck i arid accoi^d- ingly he jiad put more canon ahd troops there. *^-'>^, The 7th of Au^uft I received orders from tW Commiffioner of the fquadron to quit the vefleli' and go and encamp at Laurembeck, to provide iot the fubfiftence of the troops. - ■- ^~1- nstj tn i The 8th, I embarked on board the Ichooner, tcl' convey provifions fufficienC to fubfift 860 men for' twelve days: they arrived the next day. Myfirft can! dare i iiiu ^y* rm yA P P E N D I X. dare was to have barracks conftrudled, to fhclter the provifiohs from bad weather. ,:^ti: ..;„;;f^ic>i3rv:'-V3 'l„- The 9th, the troops for guarding thefe three creeks came to their polls -, befides 600 marines, ther.e were 200 volunteers taken from the pihtins of the whole fquadron, commanded by officers of the navy. At firft there was a great qonfufion, as well in the diftri- bution of provifionS; as in the arrangement of eacli poft : but at prcfent every thing is in good order, we are ready to give the Engliih a good reception. As there are fcveral other places favourable for land- ing, the General has taken care to fend troops there. •5^^ The 19th, in the evening, we faw ^i fail of Engliih fhips, confiiOiing of 16 or 17 ihips of the line, and the reft frigates* They came near enough to the city clearly to diftinguifli the (hips that are in the harbour. The 20th, we again perceived them in the morning; but the fog coming on concealed them' from us. ^,^; pj.j'jrhe camp was originally intended to laft only twelve days, but as the Englifh have not yet made any attempt, the General, being afraid of their re- turn, has caufed provifions to be delivered to us for twelve days more. For my part, I do not believe we Ihall confume them all; becaufe this is the time when high winds are very frequent, which will oblige them to put to fea i for fliould they blow while they remain upon our coaft, they would be in great danger. i:>*ifi-i^iwi;j tu q;T)K. : bnx. The General has given orders for the Ihips tliat were at the farthermoft part of the bay to be towed up, in order to anchor in the great road, that they- may be near at hand to fet fail with the whole fleet, upon the firft fignal. . Wc 3^ iH 3^« APPENDIX. • • We arc impatiently expelling the Englilh to come to a rcfolution, either one way or another. A veflcl from la Rochelle^ laden with provifions, arrived yef- terday, which reported that it had ftcn the Englifh fquadron in the fouth-weft. The Englilh not having appeared again, M. Du-> bois de la Motte has judged that it was not proper to keep the detachment of marines and the volun* tcers in the camp of Laurembeck any lon03..q'Jyii ..Tas; SINGE the captiire c5f thouaghen, all the vil- lages of the five Iroquois nations have deter- mined tojdin lis, or to remain neutfer. In the month bf November laft, they fent anembalTy to the Gene- ral, compdfed of 200 of their principal Chiefs. They rcmaintd at Montreal near two months,, where they tvere received with fevery teftimony of ffiendlliip. They prefented to olir Goverhor feveral necklaces, fpccifying mattiers of inlportance to the Colbny. One of the necklaces was to aflurie uis, that they had feen Ivith pleafiire the fuccefs of Our chterprize upon Ofwcg'o, or Chouagheri ; another, fpecified their en- gagettients never to permit the t^nglifh to forrh new tftablifhmehts iSpon Lake Ontario, or in the neigh- boilrhbod ; anothef, was to induce us to ellablifh, in themidft of their villages, magazines t6 furnifh thenn tvlth ^hat they iHould want, arid to receive the pro- duce of their chace in e:(tciiange "; another, was to offer us their young wiiri-iors Cb aflifl: us in fighting the ettemy: All thefe propbfals have been received Very favdurably j arid^ In bi*der to give them certain teftimOhies of it> they we/e laden witii prefent^, be- fore they returned to their villages. The 2ift of January, M, de Kouilly, doing the duty of Major at St. Frederic, received orders from M. de Lufighafi, Commander of the fort of thai Vol. IIL B b name. 369 ^, % " IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) y A k ^ *%^ ^4' 1.0 1.1 2.0 118 W u liO u& 1^ III— i^ < 6" ^ ''W 7 Hiotographic Sdences Corporalion ^.^ .,."^ ^. '<^ 4(«^^ >. «^ 23 WIST MAIN STMIT WIBSTIR.N.Y. 14SM (716)«72-4S03 \ 37^ APPENDIX. name, to repair to the fort of Carillon, to convey there provifions of all kinds, with eight carriages, each drawn by two horfes, and efcorted by fifteen foldicrs, one feijeant, and two officers of the Royal RoufTillon^ and of the navy. Three of the carriages, with ten foldiers, had led the van, and being at the peninfula, M. de Rouilly perceived the enemy coming out of the wood, to the number of 70 or 80 men, who attacked the three carriages; feven. of our men were taken prifoners, and three efcaped, by retreating upon the horfes. The enemy purfued them, but in vain. M* de Rouilly detached a man on horfeback to acquaint M. de Lufignan with this event, who immediately fent a reinforcement of 100 men, without any pro- vifions, and little ammunition, as well favages as Canadian foldiers or volunteers. Four officers, five cadets, and two volunteers, were afterwards fent off to convey provifions and ammunition, and our little detachment made a forced march to intercept the tnemy : At two o'clock in the afternoon they arrived at the place where they were to wait for them j an hour after they faw the Englifli, who were marching on flowly and finging. Half of our detachment made a difcharge of mufketry, which had no efftSt, The aftion was begun with obftinacy, and lafted till night 1 the enemy in their flight feized upon an advantage- ous pod;. At eight o'clock at night, two Canadians came to acquaint the Commander that the ammu-* nition failed. Twenty-five men were difpatched to bring fome up, and returned at nine o'clock s the enemy then quitted the field of batde, and- fled to? wards the liay : — their lofsconfifted of 40 men killed, among which were three officers j and eight prifoners, two of whom were wounded i—thofe w^ Aed were. ^iKl,!U'; in ed to the dto^ Uled, oners^ were, in Appendix in all probability, almod all wounded, Hnce only- three of thiem got back to Fort George, from whence they were detached. We have loft on this occafion eleven men, who died upon the field of battle, among Whom is included one favage j we had twenty-fix men wounded, among whom was M. BafTerodei Captain of Languedoc, who commanded the detach- ment, befides four cadets, ieventeen foldiers, two Canadians, and two favages. ? «^ M. de Vaudreuil having determined to make a ivinter campaign, in order to attempt an expedition againft Fort Georgej ordered accordingly a detach- ment of 1600 meni 300 of which were land forces, commanded by M. de Poulariez, Captain of Grena- diers in the regiment of Beam, 300 marines, 600 Canadians! and 400 favages. This detachment was tommanded by M. de Rigaud, brother to the Go- vernor General, having under his command M. de Longueil, Lieutenant of the King at Quebec, M. Dam as, Captain of the troops of the colonyj who aded as Adjutant General, and M. le Mercier, Com- mander of the artillery, afting as Engineer. This detachment fet off from Montreal in the beginning of March, andj on account of the bad weather, did hot arrive till the 9thi from whence it marched the I |th, paHlng to the fouth of the lake St. Sacrament, and encamped the i8th at the diftance of a league and a half from Fort George ; M. Poulariez, accom- panied by Melirs. Dumas^ Raimond, and Savourin, ■were ordered to reconnoitre that fort within a quar- ter of 9, league t they perceived the enemy in motion { tliis made them doubt the fuccefs of the efcalade, which had been projected, and upon their report M. iiigaud g9Te!jt:up. The 19th, the lavages and fome B b 2 Canadians 311 37 a *• « APPENDIX. Canadians went and fired at the foot of the fort. The 20th, 2 1 ft, and 2 2d, the troops were employed in burning a fortlet, in which there were a few vo- lunteers, who, on the approach of our detachment, took refuge in the fort : 300 boats, four barks, two flicds,one hofpital, fome barracks, a fawing mill, and a •quantity of wood for fire and building, were likewife burnt. M. le Mercier, by order of the Commandant, lent a fummons to the' Commander of the fort to furrcnder ; but he made anfwer, that if he were to perifli there, with all his garrifon, he would defend himfelf as well in a bad poft as in a good one. We ■then retired. -«'• --^ ^"-^ ,,au.i:.:v-^" -'• ;• • ■ ' The Englifh have made rib faltics: the favages affirm that they have killed twenty, who came out of the fort; but they are not believed. Our lofs has been five men killed and fix wounded. "' ' ,' -^ ' [' M. Wolf, a partizan officer belonging to the land forces, exafperated at not having been able, after feve- -ral attempts, to fct fire to a bark of 16 guLs, whicli 'was ftill upon the ftocks, and under the canon of the fort, afked pcrmiffion to go there with twenty men, giving affurances that he would burn it without mak- ing ufc of the ufual artifices : Having obtained, per- miflion, he made fome faggots of dry wood, took a pot of greafe, aad a hatchet, with which he made five holes in the body of the veffel, wherein he thruft his wood and his greafe, and burnt it in the face of the enemy, who fired ftrongly from the ramparts, but did not attempt a fally. ^ -- ' ' y-- '■■ Several parties of favages arid Ciriaaians niave oeeri fent out in the month of June, with a view to acquire certain intelligence of the enemy, and of the move- ments they might make. Thefe parties have taken ,ti J..- '<■■* •*( b-jllfi:> ..nsjlioi'- a a 1 ! ',' rw\ APPENDIX. 373 !f^ men, mak- per- look a made Ithrufl: face of :s,but IJe^ii ;quire love- 1 taken fomei fome prifoners in difFercnt places, who all agree in laying that Fort George wa?^ defended by fifteen or eighteen hundred men, and Fort Lydius by five or fix thoufand : that their grand army, as well as Lord Loudon, were gone to the borders of the fea on an important expedition. This intelligence has deter* mined our Generals to lay ficge to the firllfort, and, according to circumftances, both forts may, perhaps, be attacked at the fame time, '"* The length and the feverity of the winter have re- tarded our navigation, and the arrival of the firft fhips from Europe j confequently the campaign has not been opened as foon as it was propofed, fo that the laft divifions of our troops have not been able to arrive at Fort Vaudreuil or Carillon till towards the end of the month of June. The artillery, and every thing necelTary for a fiege, arrived there as foon, not- withftanding the difficulty of navigating and tranf- port. M. Jacaw, who was been made Captain of artillery this year, has fignalized his zeal upon this occafion j he has invented a boat, in which three men can make ufe of a fix-pounder, which is as fer-. viceable in a retreat, as in purfuing the enemy j I be- lieve that this kind of boat will be of great fcrvicc upon the lake St. Sacrament, as it's motion iseafy, as it draws very little water, and is not bigger than a canoe fprcight men. Neverthelefs, the men arc fheltered from the muflcetry in it, and the gun only, appears when it is let off. ' The Marquis of Montcalm fet out from Montreal the 13th of July, and arrived at Carillon the iStK. The doth he detached M. de St. Ours, an officer of the colony, with lochofen Canadians, five of whom w^rc brothers called the Paul de Sorcl, in order to r*- B b 3 proceed 374 APPENDIX, proceed in .making difcoveries on the lake. Whea they arrived facing the Sugar-loaf rock, five Englilh barges, with fixty men in each, came out of a creek, which projeded into a point, and furrounded them, with 150 more Englifh who were on land: The canoe of M. dc St. Ours had the good fortune to efcape, and to gain a little ifland ; they there waited fteadily for the enemy, and, when they were within half piftol-lhot, he fired his fix pounder upon them, which threw their barges into confufion ; the fecond and third firing difconcerted them totally: they ihamefully retreated, and M, de St. Ours returned to Carillon with his little troop, after havijig killed about fifty pf the EngiiQii he was only flightly wounded i one of the Pau^s rppj^jv^d Giy^P iliotj^.i?"^ was very little hurt. . V '^ ./ • ., -„ *• This little adventure having discovered to M. de Montcalm, that the enemy's intention yvas tp infulc pur advanced pofts, to endeavour, withput doubt, to take fqme prifoners, he detached M. Marin, with 300 fayages, and 100 Canadians, to make inc^i:nqns towards the river Chicot. He fet out from CariUon the 2 1 ft, and the fame day he got to the end of the bay, where he found a patrole of ten Englilh, whom he killed} the fayages fcalped them, and 100 of the party returned to Carillon : he continued his march towards Fort Lydius j ar^d the 23d he met an ad- vanced guard pf that poft, confifting of 50 nnen, whom he likewife killed, except one man, who was taken prifoncr. From this place again, abou|: a hundred of the favages, after having fcalped the dead, returned to Carillon. There only remained 1 80 men with M, Marin. He purfued his way, and jrriyed the i^^d in view pf the enemy's caipj3, under .1', •'(■'i u.-i ^ o ■i APPENDIX. • f _ the canon of Fort Lydius : he fired his volley there at day-break, killed feveral of the enemy, and fpread the Alarm in their camp. About 2000 men took up arms in a tumultuous manner, and came out of their intrcnchments to attack our 180 brave fellows, who had retired to the fkirts of the wood j they fought for two hours and ahalf againft this numerous body, a great many of whom they killed j the circumftance that will appear the moft furprifing is, that they had the good foftuhe of not lofing one fingle man, ex- cept a Canadian, who died of fatigue two days after. M. Marin returned to camp the 25th. ] The iad, M. de Montcalm detached alfo 400 mfcn undier the command of M. de Corbiers, an officer of the colony, to wit, 300 favages, and 100 Canadians. They were ordered to beat about the lake, to try to difcovcr the Englifh barges which had attacked M, de St. Ours j it was not long before they met with the enemy. The 25 th they perceived, a little beyond the Sugar-^loafrock, 23 barges and two Ehglilh yawls. Our people gained the ifland where M. de St. Ours had fo well defended himfelf. The enemy attempted to approach, but when they were Wkhinfhot, the favages, after having fet up their famous wa!i^-hb6p, fired fo fortunately, that the Englilh put out to fea, in order to fave themfelves by flight j but it was in vain, our fwift canoes of bark, and our boats, foon came up with them, in the middle of the lake, and a moft terrible naval engagement then cnfued. This party of the enemy Was entirely defeated ; it confiftcd of a Colonel, four Captains, four Lieute- nants, four Enfigns, and 360 private. They had fet out from Fort George with an intention of car- ryteg; off fome prifoners from our advanced pofts : B b 4 twenty* 375 I >. ^^i APPENDIX. twenty-one barges and the fl^iffs were taken, i8q dead were found in them> and 146 prifoners, among whom were fix officers : the two barges which cfcaped were very roughly handled. It muft be owned, that all this has much the appearance of a romance. It is, however*, llriftly true j and the circumftance that nriufl appear mod fingular is, that upon this Occafion again we have not loft one man. li. ■ Our whole army began their march towards the; end of this expedition. Gocj fend us a happy fuccefs ! V\).- V\'. '-•v^r>tt ' Cop of a Utter written from ^ehec, the \^thofAH^ufi ' 1757* concerning the furrender and capitulation of [ Fort George. ■ ' - '-pvV^'.bio^ hloi bfiii... *' WE wereyefterday informed, by an extraordinary courier, that Fort George was in the pofleffion of the King of France; This is the capitulation. ' .. -.r . Articles of capitulation granted to Lieutenant ^^ Colonel Monro, for his Britannic Majefty's gar^ rifpn of Fort William FJenry, or George, the intrenched camp which is joined to it, and it's dependencies, by M. de Montcalm, General of the troops of his moft Chriftian Majefly in Canada, the 9th of Auguft 1757, l:'i,,.l;^^4^- • Article APPENDIX. 877 lary I the lant [the lie's of io Iclc Article I. The garrifon of Fort William Henry, and the troops which are in the intrenched camp above men- tioned, fhall march out with the baggage and arms only of the officers and foldierg. They are to re* tire to Fort Edward, efcorted by a detachment of French troops, and by fome officers attached to the favages as interpreters, and are to fet out early to- morrow morning. ' :^. {%\ r.^^mr>^ ^4* ""^^ Article II. The gate of the fort (hall be given up, after the (Igning of the capitulation, to the troops of his moft Chriftian Majefty, and the intrenched camp, at the time of the departure of his Britannic Majefty's ^roops. ^.- X -c fm ii V r-A ^ Article III. All the artillery, ammunition, and provifions, in a word, every thing except the efiedts of the officers and (b! liers, as fpeciHed in the firft article, (hail be fairly given up to his moft Chriftian Majefty's troops ; and for this purpofe an exaft inventory (hall be de- livered of the warlike ftores, and other effefts, which are the objeft of this article, obferving that it ex- tends to the fqrt, the intrenchment, and their de- pendencies. The gaitifoh of the fort, intrenched camp, and de- pendencies, ihall not ferve for eighteen months, from febmA ' ^. •, < the Sfi A p p E N b i X. the date hereof, againd his mofl Chriftian Majefty, or againft his allies ; and with the capitulation, fhaJl be delivered an accurate lift ofthofe troops, in which ore to be comprehended the names of the ftaff and other officers, engineers, officers of artillery, com- mifTaries, and other perfons in office. Article V. -tftts In the courfe of three months, all the officers, foldiers, Canadians, women, and favages, who have been taken upon land fince the beginning of the war in North America, Ihall be fent back to Carillon ; and, by producing acknowledgments from the French Commanders to whom they fliall be remitted, a like number of the garrifon 6f Fbrt Georgii !h*all be enabled to ferve again, accordirt^ to the lift which will be delivered by the Englilh officer condudiJttg the prifoners. " - ' Jiit'^ (l^ '*^fr Article VI. ' An officer (hall be left as A Rdftftge, till tlic re- turn of the detachment fent to efcdrt die troops pf ius Britannic Majefty, Article VII. All the Tick and wounded, who ihall be fbiind unable to be tranfported to Fort Edward, ftl^ re- main under the protection of the Marquis de Moot- calm, who will take the neceftary care of them^i and will fend them b&ck to their garrifcin as fooi} a3 they src cured, (TV* Article A ? P E N D I X, Sf|f Article VIII. J.T ;i'H>No ^^^^ provifions fhall be taken for the Tub- Aftence of his Britannic Majefty's troops, than what uc fufficient for to-day and to-morrow» ST» Article IX. The Marquis de Montcalm, defirous of Ihewing to Lieutenant Colonel Monro, and his garrifon, marks of his efteem, on account of their honourable de- fence, grants them a fix-pounder, , */.... Pone in the trenches under Fort William HjriirtitJi Henry, the 9th of Auguft 1757, at noon, ■ I Granted in the nanie of his mod Chriftian Ma- je^> according to the powers veiled in me by the Marquis of Vaudreuil, Governor and Lieutenant General for the King in New France. t The Englifh did not defend themfelves quite fo well at this place as at Ofwegoj we opened the trenches. the 4th of this month, and, as you fee, they furrendered on the 9th at noon. Their lofs con- fifted of 150 m^n, fix of which were ofiicers of dif- tinftion. Their garrifpn confifted of 2000 men, and they were in want neither of artillery nor provifions of any kinds. Neverthelefs, this conqueft has only coft us 25 nieTi ; to wit, fourteen favages, fix Cana- dians, and five foldiersj and we had about as man^ wounded; I believe we fhall undertake no other enterprife this campaign. cl^ aji'tA fTe n^ A ]f P E N I X, liti We fuhjoin here an account ^ for the explanation of the beginning of the war, which ought to have hen in- ferted before, but which we have but lately found. Account of Fort Duqucfnc, fituatcd in 40 degrees 30 minutes latitude, upon the confluence of. the rivers Malanque and Ohio. About the year 1750, the ]£nglilh built a kind of fort near the river Malanque, at 400 nniles diftance from Quebec, where that rivf.r then difcharged it- fclf in the Ohio. Some viftuallers came, to the 1^- mentioned river, and built huts upon th,e borders of it, for the convenience of iheir trade. Information was received of this at Quebec, and, as it is necelTary to go down the Ohio to reach the Mifliflippi, it was feared that this eftabliihment might hereafter be-, come conftderable enough to intercept the commu- nication between thefe two colonies \ to prevent which, it was refolved alfo to eftablifli a fortification there. In 1752, a detachment of Canadians and favages was fefit our, Who having found the vie-, tuallers upon the Ohio, brought them away prifon- ers to Quebec. Some militia and other troops were immediately raifed, W^hb went in the fprlng of the, year 1753 to that ftme river. They built there a fortj upon- the confluence<)f the rivers Ohio and Ma- lahquc, compofed of four baftions, one of which. bears upon the angle of the rivers. That part of it which is towards the water is only paliladed j biit^ that towards land is made into a kind of terrace^ fupported upon a frame of wood. The whole, of ij^ confifts of twenty-fix toifes, from one fide to the other, and this is what is called fort Duquefne, a naihe •APPENDIX. tmrne which it derives from the Captain of the Hiip who commanded then in that colony. When this fcttlement was completed, an Officer with a detachment of fifteen men was fent to fum- mon the Englifh to abandon the fort which they had built upon our territory ; this claim was founded upon our being in poflcfllon of all that country, as far as the mountains which fcparatc us from New England. The only anfwer given to this Officer, was a difcharge of mulketry, by which he, ^ith fomc of his men, was killed, and the reft taken prifoners. A detachment of 150 men, confiding of militia and favages, was immediately fent, who furrounded the fort, and obliged it to capitulate. The garrrifon confided of 400 men. The Englidi obliged them- felves, by the capitulation, to quit that edablilhmenc ; and acknowledged, that the only reafon of their be- ing attacked, wss to revenge the death of the French they had aflUlTmated at the gates of their fort the preceding year. It was agreed, that two Captain* ihould remain as hoftages 'till the return of the pri- foners, whom the Englilh had fent to Virginia, and whom they promifcd to return within two months : in confequence of this promife, they were fufFcred to depart without molefl;ation, and the two ho(lage» were fent to Quebec, where they ftill remain. '' Pviring the winter of 1754, information was re- ceived, that the Englilh were making great prepara^ tions, in order to dcftroy Fort Duquelhe. Upon this intelligence, the militia of the ftrait, and the fort of Michilimakinac, as well as the favages of t!ic envi* rons, were ordered to march ; fome troops were alfo detached from Quebec : this made all together 1,200 men, a^ wJ^, favages as Canadians > there ftill te-* . '.'''" mained 3«» 3ti A P P is N D i *. itiained fbme at the pafTage of the river Jux hcntfii v who have not been able to take any part in this ac- >i tion. According to people ^o have fome knowledge of k the coiintiy,it is pretended, thar^ to preferve this poflr, a more confiderable eftablifhment (hould be made there, and be put in a condition to be able to wait for fuccours, which muft ncceflarily be a long while- before they can arrive, either from the ftrait or from Niagara, which are the neareil pofls* .. '"3 Engagement of the ^tb of July i IT ^1^, Information was received at Fort Duquefnej that the Englifh were fet out to come and take it by fur- prize ; the Commandant immediately formed a de- tachment of 250 French and 650 favages, to go and meet the enemy, *,, uo^i c^i 5?*^-^ This party began their march the ^ih^ at eight o'clock in the morning, and at noon they found themfelves within fight ^-thc Englifbi who were likewife at no greater diftance than three leagued from the fort. The engagement began immediately : the fire of the; enemy's artillery obliged our people to retreat twice. M. de Beaupreau, Commandant, was killed at the third firing. M. Dumas fucceeded him^ and did his duty perfectly well. Our Frenchmen, fupported by the favages, obliged the Englifh to give ivay, though we had no artillery j the enemy began a retreating fight^ but finding that the ardour of our people, far from diminifhing^ was, on the contrary ,- increafing, being emboldened by fucccfs^ they werd obliged to give way, after four hours of very flrong firing. M. Dumas, who had only a few FrenchmeiK left with him, would not engage in the purfuit of thd a cnemyi A:^P P E N D I X. enemy, he thought it more prudent to return to the i fort i but the next day he intruded this expedition to the ravages of the ilrait, and thofe of Michilima- kinac. We therefore remained mafters of the field of battle. le is computed that the enemy's lofs amounts to 1,500 men, a hundred oxen, about 400 horfes, their ftandards, military cheft, artillery. Sec, On our part, we have only loft three officers*, five foldiers, and fifteen favages : and we have about ' twenty wounded. The 13th of Auguft we heard that M. Dielkau, Brigadier of the army, fent to command the troops which came over in the fquadroft of M. Dubois de ■ la Motte, was upon his march at the head of thsS battalions of la Reine and Beam, in order to relieve Fort Frederic, upon the river St. Laurence. The zeal was fo great among the inhabitants of Montreal, that neither age, nor condition, nor any reafon whatfoever, has appeared fufficient to difpenf^ ' them from following the Commandant; • ' trtJ ^{q05 |«| 50 ,H' ! YEW I N'lX. ku A p 1? E N ry r X. NMX. '■ ! "Afitmmary of whatpajfed during the appearance ana iftay of the EngUfb fieety commakded by Admiral ". Hawke, on the coafts of Aunix and Saintonge; ^ from the 20$b of September to the 2d of October i ON Tucfday the aoth of September 1757, thtf drums beat the General at Rochefort, at nine o'clock in the evening, on the appearance of thd Engliih fleet in the Channel. The Prudent and the Capricieux, commanded by Meflrs. Defgoutte and la Filliere the elder. Captains of fhips, were at thaif time in the harbour j they tried to get into the nver« ftnd-fucceeded. On Wednefday the 2ifl:, at fix o'clock in lh4 evening, the drums beat another General, to give notice that the fquadron was advancing } that tt confifted of eighteen * large fhips, three frigates,' fifty-eight vcffcls, two bomb-ketches, and two fire- ihips. , On Thuriday the aadj this forrrlidable fleet w^ feen coming in, towards half-an-hour after fix in the evening, near Fouras; The ifland of Aix concealed it, fo that the firft fiiip was only ten toifes diftanc from the landing-place. M. du Piri de BelOgard,'^ Captain of a (hip, who commanded in the fort of Fouras, was at that time employed in making the platforms, four or five of which were ncft yet finilhed r * There were 18'ihips, 4 frigates, 3 bomlnketches, 3fire>&ipr^ ftlid So Oanfports. 7 there r*» \ftj APPENDIX. there were only there, at that time, 1 50 men detached from the regiment of Beam, with as many from the regiment of Bigorre, and 700 men to guard the - coafts. Lieutenant Colonel Rouergue commanded the troops which were without the fort. On Friday the 23d, M. de Langeron, Lieutenant General, arrived at the fort at fix o'clock in the morning. He coUefted the few troops of marines, and Swifs, which compofed a battalion of 800 men, commanded by M. du Poyet, Captain of a (hip, who was encamped at Vergeroux. In the morning, a lit- tle wood, fituated between Fort Fouras and the re- doubt of Vergeroux, was reconnoitred. It was in- trenched on the fame day with extraordinary expe- dition. In the morning, eleven of the largeft (hips were in the road, at the place where our (hips ufually anchor. At half an hour pail twelve o'clock ac noon, xht Magnanimey one of their, fhips, ran aground upon a rock which faces the battery of the !fle of Aix; two other fhips alfo drew as near as they could, and the firing from the Magnanime was fo fierce, that the battery of 16 guns, commanded by M. de la Boucherie Fromenteau, Lieutenant of ar- tillery, was entirely deftroyed, and the gunners, who could not (land the langrage-fhot, fell fiat upon the ground, and M. de la Boucherie could not make them get up again. In the afkion there was one gunner killed, and feven or eight wounded. M* de Puibernier, Sub Lieutenant of a fhip, was wounded in the thigh by a mufket-fhot, and bruifed in the face. An Officer of militia, who commanded in the fort, flruck the flag ; others affirm, that it was knocked down by a canon-fhot, which carried away the Vol. III. C c faltening* S»S 3»6 APPENDIX. faftenlng. However that may be, the attack and the reduilion of the fort laded only three quarters ; of an hour *. At feyen o'clock in the evening, the , Royal regiment of dragoons went to Four^s. Qur ; fears were great, and with reafon, that tl^ey would ,^ not attack Fouras j but that they >yould enter the ^ river, where th^ defence was not yet prepared. If ^ they had dpne thjs, we Ihould have beer) ruined withoyt refpurcc, and the gort q^^^ ijavc be^n no morp. .";"*. ^■. ^'::j"-';'^\ '.- '- rr They were not rnpre enterpri^ipg op Saturday the , 24,th, and our fears Hill increafed, whjch were car-, .r ricd to th? utmoft pn Sunday th? 2cth, l^capfe the. a flee* altered th^ir pofition ; the largeft Ihipsi, to thc:.,,^ nuQiber of nine, remained at anchqr at the ifland ofi^^-^ 4.ix, and the remainder of the fleet ranged phem-. ,^y fclves upon a linp before the Platin (i'^^g-i?*//^ ; .it i^as faid, that ip this pofition the largeft fhip^ v^Quld „^ attack the fort of tourw, and of the ifland M^^ipe^ ,,. that th^ Q^hers ,Would feize upon the entrance of ^hp^ ,, ^ river, atjd that thofe whp were before the -P/t APPENDIX., The 26th, ayth, and 28th, on ^vhich were the higheft tides, the weather being favourable, feveral of their floops were employed in founding the coaft 5 but our forts obliged them to retire, when they got within canon -fliot ; at that time we had about eight thoufand men upon our coafts ; namely, three thou- fand at Angoulin, commanded by M. de Rouf- fiac J two thoufand at Fouras, by M. de Langeron ; and three thoufand in the Saintonge, from the extent of the Ifle Madame to Soubife ; without reckoning what troops there might be at Oleron, and towards Brouage and Marenes : thefc laft were commanded by M. de Surgeres. We were then in tolerable good order at Rochefort ; there v/ere upon our ramparts fixty-two pieces of canon, from eight to thirty- fix pounders. ... .^ . On Thurfday the 29th, a bomb-ketch drew as near as it could to P'ouras, and flung five bombs in it, which fell at more than 100 toifes from the fort. Our two armed floops, which were in a little creek of Fouras, cjommanded by MefTrs. Beaumanoir and Feron, Sub-lieutenants of fhips of the port of Breft, advanced, and fired feveral of their 24 pounders, three of which peached the bomb-ketch. Upon a fignal fhc made, a frigate and feveral floops were de- tached, which took her in towj (he was already got neat the coaft. Others fay that they only accom- panied her. On Friday the 30th, every thing remained quiet and in the fame pofition, except the Ihips of war, which quitted the road of the ifland of Aix, and joined kll thofe which had ftill continued in a line be- fore the Pktin d^AngouUm and it was perceived, that . , C c 2 they 3^7 • V LI 'a til . !o I 388 APPENDIX. they fufifered thcmfelves to be driven by the ebb-tide into the road of Chef de Baye : feveral fmall vef- fels, which had remained in the road of the ide of Aix> executed the fame manoeuvre, fo that the road was cleared of every (hip. Towards the evening it was perceived that a frigate was returning in full fail ; (he remained (bme time acrofs the ifle of Aix. The ill of Odober, they fet fail with a fair wind ' at N. E. at a time when there was the lefs reafon to believe they would $ and in the courfe of the morn- ing difappeared entirely. On Sunday the 2 2d of the fame month, in the * mornings the camp was partly raifed, and our ma- rines, as well as the Swifs, returned to Rochefort. It is not known what route the fquadrpn has taken, it is however very certain that it has difap- peared. It is probable that the King's hpufehold troops, who had begun their march on the 29th, will receive orders on their way, not to return^ but to halt. ^ . ' ■ .olfJoJIi*" Treaimeftt of the garrifon, and the inhabitants of the ifland of Aix i by the Englifi Generals. '^^^-, The garrifon was made prifoners of war ; the regi- ment of militia, the gunners, and failors, were put on board the Englifh fleet, as well as the 50 mafons which were in the idand for the King's works ; which amount in all to 500 men. The Officers qf artillery, and Bombardiers, were fet at fiberty upon their parole, and cannot fcrve any more during this war. The IIJ APPENDIX. ^ The fortifications have been razed by the mines that were fprung for that purpofe, in which they loft five of their men. Two culverines, and feveral ir.ortars, as well as the clock of the fort, and that of the church, have been embarked in their Ihips ; and they broke ofl^ the truiinions of the canon that they left behind them. The provifions which were found in the ifland be- longing to the King, were given to the inhabitants by the enemy, to indemnify them for their lofles, tipon condition that they fhould not be taken from them after their departure. ^* They have alfo given aooo livres * to be diftri- buted amorig the faid inhabitants, in confideration of the damages they may have fuftained. *^'' A failor who attempted to ravifli a woman of the Iflind, was prevented by feveral Engl ifli Ofiicersj they had him puniftied on board their Ihip, and made tip a purfe between them of 50 crowns f , which they fent to the woman^ to indemnify her for the riot, the brutality of the failor had occcafioned in her houfe. The following is the ftate of the port when the Englifh came there, by which one may judge of the JoiTes our navy would have fuftained. >. A r1 T J-'t" 5uq 319V? . • Xbove foorfcore pounds fterjwg. ::nolBnrt OV j- Near fix guineas, :hi>li:oi^ ao iitisv .ffslhif^mr^ font ;Tt^Hr^ir' h^ -it-?tO-^T '"^ C C 3 SJotJ>S 3^ siiT 399 APPENDIX. ^hips fitted 9Ut at the fort of Rochfort, it the end ofiJS^ ^ndin 1757. * - - •- -jt- ^- Ifamt of Ships ' Gumi, Common Jert. Dtfthathu, Lt Due 40 BwrgogM 80 M, Aubigny, Com- At Loiiifbourg. •jiy, %ipi,[, . -5v »t modore, ttCiorienx ^ "^ 74* ^' ^^ Chavagne, At liOuilboarg, Captain of ai ftiip. UFhriJant «^ 74 M* v' . ,,^;tft'.. ^f» *WB join M. de Con- . ;. . . \ . .i^.x\t^.,M^^ .-M gii- fl4««'4iJe»t: ^^ «7ij^^ ^ — 70 The Chtfvalier de At Breft, and is ^ Macnamara, pare of M* de ,,«H^. Conflaas'sftiua, dron. Le Dauphin Royal 70 M. Durtiibie, At Lo)ii(houfg». L* Harii — 64 M> dc la I'ovche le At Martinico« jp Vancr, Captain, at St. Domingo. Vlnfiexiht* — 64 M. de Tilly, 4itto, At Lopiibourg. ^ead, belonging to t^e •,:n,£kr;sr-n-' J:t** ^b i«?foe ' - iquadron of W. ..!] . Beanfremont. le Cafricteti:e — 64 M. de la Filure, ditto la the {U>ad. fo Breil,.., ,.-. l,\S^$illi np *— ^4 ^* ^^ ^^ Merville« At Louiibourg. Z« Rai/on^hlt -r- 64 The Chevalier de Not yet launch. Rohan, ed, bu( equip. ii--:]^.v.:i :': • ped. -..;v.O .i i/Mgh -w — 1 JO — — -.- At Broil. ^*' . f/Aiuim — — 50 * Jffff'^rmfif — 50 M.DuchafFaut, Cap. Jreft, •^-4^- '-i faip, -'i APPENDIX. UPON THE STOCKS. t Karnes of Ships, Guns. Vlmpetutux — 90 The frame and the keel maite, iiif ni^ yet mounted. Lm Bellon* — 30 Three quarters made, tyut ititl on tbil ftocks, and without workmen VOrion •— --74 Thefe are not yet blgun, tbcy sre VAflronomt — — • 70 only ordered, and the plans of them XJn'kno'wn —• »— 64 Bade. u Tht Frigate la Rt- » *'*^* r V4cht — — 30 - ' 39« t i » t * «j hmi FRIGATE S. :■ -. w \ • t ' Miwffr ^ ^i(/^/. CuHS, Commmisdert, J^i/tiniuitUm ^ ^ VHermiont — — 26 M. du Bos, Lieute* . >* nant of a (hip, VAthakmti — 34 M. de Lizardais, At Cayenne, »i Isi. 39nff Ja aii ' Optain, L and ^erwar^ >9b IvI la ntjq ;; ac Martinico. "itrZefhir — — 30 M. de Beaachefne, ditto, Lal>tiM •— — ^o — — Not yet fitted V ^t;^ii»ir.?-I4 'i "^ 4/ ••- out. bat intettd- .ognicj- '1 :£ J' • edtobefo. laFi^teU* -^ -: i6 M. d6 Vaudreuil t ■ -; i Lientenant, ■tm FripMou "^ — ^4 M. Bofcal de Real, Uponacruize. ditcd, LmVmUur — — ' 20 •«iS:,-i,«i»t--\ .-•■'^1.^*4^ La HjaeiMtiis — — M. Garnar, Captain Fitted out fair v.——- 1 itfiifire*ftip, an unknown dkftination. .f^ ■ . - ■ ;• ^} ■msi^?^: . ■ % ■ , . PINKS. X^Outarde '-' — 16 M. Pingneft, At St. J^omingo. La Ftrtlmt -^ — —. M. Rionffe, Port- At Cape Breton. lieutenant, Li Rhiatetn . — — ^ •« — On an «Bknowii expedition. ^i*Mifaj^er i— — .— ..Jo England, a parliamenur/ fl»ip. C c 4 FLAT. 39t APPENDIX. PLAT-BOTTOMED BOATS o» COASTING VESSEI4; ^^ VT > La Cbtvrt, ' LaCailU, , ' ha Ptrdrin* La Pit. \ ,.f.,K. FISHING BOATS. \j ^ Lt CmimaMi, Commanded by M. Soalard, Officer ia il^l V, India ftrvice. ^siAioa £f St. Jtan, ,'*T f CARCASS SLOO? 9, » t^^t^w VAmiuiHt, M. Feron, Sub-lieutenant* , aj-j j- VAiiMiuu. M. Beaumanoir. ditto, ^^^»^ '^SIO -rf^iW^ . ; « !i;nonjbb£ ncrftimcii Btate of the troops that are to go into the eomtry Htpmmt. Battaliont. Plaftfvohtrt Depaf" Arrival at Im 4., . ....■f.l4i-v.-.i, iis, /Ac^.«rr. tnrt' ■ %M^ii French Guards, 2 ,,,>,^ Paris 29 Sept. i2 0£U>bef Ditto, a ..^. Paris i 0£t. 14 Swifs Guards, 2 ^ ' Paris :) oa. 16 Limoufin, . 2 Caen 27 Sept. 13 KoyalVaifleaux, 2 . /tswo: Valogne 29 Sept. 15 5|i} *. Languedoc, 4 fquadrons St. I.0 2 OA. j/ ,i\\^ Bouillon, 2 '''•ttalions Mczieres 28 Sept. 19 ,.^jfh '^ Body Guards, Verfailles 30 Sept. 22 . .-x Moufquetaires, — — r Parif. 2&40a. 23 &2^^. Light and Hcfvy tj^os hm-. . va'o} ;V Horfe,:,«,')y/r — — Verfailles 5 Oft. 26 . . ,^ Horfe Grenadiers, Troyes 5 Oift. 27 <^j-jj* fi^vij 5^hri9f rp9 r-i .iiobuTt jidiftA iiii>Ji3 Jiw hrn* won^i <^ , -y6t<|friS fe*^' :;i'j!B iiK vSi jB xilfii/pa tUfim sajje! .id .s^il^!^^!^"" ■ * ■ . • ^ • *N»XI. til APPENDIX. J93 ■A^'^r V\i *t ' • I '- ♦ -, »..% .L N° XI. tetter from an Jntendant to a Mafier of Requefis, ,3' A ALL is loft» my dear friend ; the Tntendants are difgraced, the Mafters of Requefts are Icfs than nothing } all ennulation to get forward by money is at ^n end : a nurfery of great men is extinguifhed. In a word, the Secretaries of State are taken from every lituation where able men are expedted to be met with : high birth, and great dignities, will now only furni(h an additional claim for afpiringto thefe offices. How will the State be able to fubfift ? A noviciate, and gradual rife, will be required in every condition. Formerly, a man bought a place of Matter of Re- quefts ; he attended the bufinefs, and made his report to the Council ; if he difplayed any talents for elo- C[uence, he was made an Intendant, and in that pott the Statefman began. A Prime Minifter, or rather a Monarch in his province, he accuttomed himfelf to the charms of arbitrary power, he hardened him- ielf to refufals : by degrees, a man ufed to raife himfelf above the prejudices of a citizen, and, after having ettabliflied roads, raifed and pulled down gates of towns, and gone through fome provinces, he returned a complete Statefman, of univerfal knowledge ; fuf- ficiently (killed in war to hazard the proje6t of a campaign, and difclaim a General ;^in naval affairs, to contradict an Officer, and trutt to a Clerk ; — in finances, to exadt new impotts ; — in foreign affairs, to know and entertain AmbaiTadors. Frequently, even the fame mao> equally fit for all thefe feveral employ- ments. 39* A P P E N D 1 Xf. ments, was fecn to pafs rapidly from one to the other» and to fill them with the fame eafe^ and fimiUr fucccfs. * ■ * "^^ ■ ■ Every thing is changed, my dear friend j the af- fairs of war i^ill be intruded to the management of ', a man grown old in the fcrvice; he will be im- powcred to reward in others, the fame kind of fer- tices he has rendered in his time ; if it were only froni motives of vanity, he will not fail to eftccm theiTi. f As for foreign affairs, with rank and merit, and without any other appfenticefhip than an embaffy to the neighbouring Courts — after having been 4 fcW years acquainted with the fccrets of the State, ahd#itH negotiations— a man will be enabled to 'Maeritt tHe deftiny of Etirope. The only thing ncceflkry #iff hdi to take from the navy fomc orfe oif thoffe oltf ^afriors^ that he may declare iri the Council^ withr an ^if i^f authority, that fleet which y6u fend out is liot li^lf equipped — thofe colonies yoti talk of, I hate fteh-^ that Officer who is accufed, or rieglcfted; has fotil^hg by my fide — that Commrffary is an litfblcrit fetibit -^this Clerk is a rafcal. You carinrot btic be ccrh^ vincccl, my dear friend, of aTI the fcohfufiohi which' fuch an arrangement will produce: Evefy AlifiKtcr* promoted, through the means of hri pfcfefl2bn^ i^lk bring into his department the fpirit of hisf ctfrpsj staH* his attachment to it ; — whereas we,- who ate tot^Sif unconnedbed, ever unbiaflTed ind ever in3ilRr6fft,' cannot be fufpefted of partiality. »i'o7?s .jbn^nVii^ov If all great aftions are to be rewarded, ihqrwilf become ruinous j and the Kingj wh6 wasferved fotti nothing; will not be rich enbugh to pay for all tte* limbs that are loft in his fervice. The fuppreflidh of fyrvivorfhips wiU alfo be the cflb^ of the cghtihuatibn • *» 1 »♦ APPENDIX. of this fyftein. The cares and abilities of^achers will €h«n become ufelefs to their children ; they will be obliged to follow the fame fleps, pafs through the fame gradations, and acquire the fame talents. What a lofs of time ! — It is evident, that the brilliancy of the Court can only be maintained by traffic i—>if every thing is to be done by judicci who will paf for influence ? The Dutchefs of — — will lofe a hundred thoufand crowns * per annum, and her friends in proportion. Add to all thefe evils, the pride and haughtinefs of that Nobility which we took care to mortify, and did not want for opportunities. Who for the future will waftc their time in our anti- chambers, or cringe to our Clerks ? If the Inten** daDt;9 wife will vifit Ladies, (he muft be extremely iDonaplatfaDt } if fhe be but pretty, fhe will have none tjiyt admirers. As for us, what profpeft have wc ? To what purpofe Ihould we fifh out the ftrength or wcakncfs of a province ? to what end give the moft flattering account of it ; report the country populous —the landa fertile — trade flour ifhing : increafe taxes, youwiU increafe itiduftry ? All this care will lead to 'iy>thing but to continue Intendants of Juflice, Police, and Finance, till we grow old. To be called Mdnfeigntur in our province, and fcarcely Moh"- fiewr at Court; and yet, notwithftanding this high ftile, make but the leafl: innovation, even for the pleafanteft of your companions, or the moft ufeful of your friends, an outcry is made i you imprifon,— 'the • Commandant interferes; yorj /rite, — he gets the better ; you ilTue an ordinance, — the Parliament can« eels it i you apply (cffleitfrs de facbet^ — ^your|>*rty ii lXV>> T»0 '* Twelve thoiiikiid five hundred ponndt* %9% 35^ A IP P E N D r X. ' no longer }n place— no body attends to you. My friend, you arc happy, believe me $ you have learned to ride and to fence, inftead of ftudying law. You are young, and we are at war. As for me, who never fuppofed 1 (hould have more occaOon for law than for fencing, I have ftudied neither the one nor the other j for which reafon I am going, like a wife man, a phi- lofopher, or, if you pleafe, a difappointed man, to re- tire to my caftle ; luckily, while my reign lafted, I made a handfome road to it. The bridge was not in a line with the avenue j I built another in a much finer ftile : my profpeft was confined by a private houfe; I pulled it downj I cut through a hill, and blew up a rock : ten or a dozen men were killed in this mine at the bottom of my garden ; I had com- pafiion on their wives and children, and put them in the hofpital. I am ftill in want of fome ground to make my park circular : this I fliall have credit enough to get adjudged in my favour; it is the leaft they can do for an Intendant, who is on the point of retiring. I advife you to fell your place immediately, if ypu can find any fool to buy it. Get your camp equipage, and be one of the firft in ^he field j course and patience will one day or another bring you to that honour and glory you thirft after, if honour ^ ' and glory arc worth thirfting after, when they can* not be got without dcferving thenfj. v^^^^^^*'^ /'^-^ •i.^... v:- ^j iniit^^- •■:'.'jI^»- •/"i.o- t i i, 1., 'M-'-f a 1^ 1 ^ «i: *? t%^ >^fJA??|fi'>Ch^Ofi!»^|^ a'^ i,.>0.„'Q:^ X^^ . T EN T S , fthcr: 'SAY#'^<^ • OF THE -1 '. "5 A FP E N D IX TO VOL. III. aji^i^.Sk 3'/iiii ikili <■>..!- -.,...-^,.,, ii-uj.t,.-{-'i '^''• lo inioq "*«iJ 5\> i^t o:| • .id, at "ol olv ,,>;.: ;^\ %&, M *>iv^3, ^he moft humble and moft refpeSlful remonjlrances pre^ fented to our much-honoured Sovereign Lord tbe^ King, by the perfons belonging to the Court of .4id^i\c ' N* VII. ^ journal of what happened to us at Louijhourg, from the 20th of June, 17 s7 — — 3^3 Tu-d N" VIII. Copy of a letter written from ^ehec the lOth of Au-^ g^fli ^7S7» ^^^^ Tfg^rd to the affairs which have pajfed in Canada — — 36^1 Copy of a letter written from ^ehec the I'jtb of Au- gufii 1 7 57 1 concerning thefurrender and capitulation of Foft George — — 376 An account to explain the beginning of the war 380 Engagement of tbf 9tb of Jufy, 1755 — SH N" IX. CONTENTS.") tv ■t -^: ^^ '.^ IC^W^sJ N' IX. «i- I- -• • > m/T ". '^Jummary of what pajfed during the appearance and fiay of the Englijh fleet, commanded by Admiral Hawkey on the coafts of Aunix and Saintonge, from the Q.Qtb of September to the Q.d of OSobery 1757 Page 384 Treatment of the garrifon and inhabitants of the IJland of Aix, by the Englifh Generals — 388 Ships fitted out at the port of Rochefort, at the end of 17 ^6, and in fj ^y — — 390 N» XI. (X. being omitted *.) Letter of an Intendant to a Mafler of Requefis 39 j ' -\.*'^'^a t^'^wsi'tVAvQtvv.vA Jii» yv.j>>^ ' ; • ,.. — , . * N. B. N^ X. frofefles, at page i^ of the third volume of the original, to give a manufcript relating to Admiral Byng ; bift this is not to be found in the original. •^'i i rTT'/ f-k ' END OP THE THIRD VOLUME. %.. ^.^JS 'v-«.6. 4^s4«? w^^ *-^" ^^ '^^'^V- ^''- *vt^V>%^ :/•■>, i«ti"i Si V»'»^*'><\ "^SitK ^01 C^^^