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The following diagrams illustrate the method: lire Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre film6s d des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmA d partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche ^ droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. }y errata ed to int ine pelure, agon d 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 32X THE PRIVATE LI F E O F L EH^ I s xr. VOL. I. V .1 i i ^i "^ S T s^j. '* fFVKO^-f. - •\ 'if . J.r Mvv /ufKrf TroHrr jtttptt MMMiilMlHaMMa Mllll'li l: I .'. h X i » •IPK.rf,. •«• • . «. 4 *k . •■♦-••*• -* >>■• •-«■ - - fc * - ' *!«t^.t 'LI.*? .^ •'■■f. ^.-«st wWAx^ 4 •riWilMMMtMMitaMtek* THE PRIVATE LI F i: O 1? L RTF IS XV, IN WHICH ARE C O \' T A I ;; £ j) THE PRINCIPAL EVENTi, REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES, AND ANECDOTES, OF HIS REIGN. VIDEO MELIORA, I'ROBOCiUE, DETERIORA SEOyOR. Wo^. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY J. O. JUSTAMOND, F. R. S. IN FOUR VOLUMES. VOL. I, /, LONDON: PRINTED FOR CHARLES DILLY, IN THE ?OULTRV, M.DCC.LXXXr, ^%^^:xy, r\m^ ., ':AM:i^ : , ? ' ; .L .1 .. ^-' ' ». f t «.J ut .. 7 •• f WcMASTER f.'MVERSlTY LISRAWt ADVERTISEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL EDITOR. '•<' r IF in the multitude of publications, with which libraries are incefiantly burdened from the prefs, and which fatigue the fati- ated reader, there are fome that defer ve fa- vour, and can furnifh entertainment — thefe are undoubtedly books of hiftory, becaufc they continually prefent us with frefh ob- ic(fl& of curiofity and inftrudion. This is alfo, perhaps, the only branch of literature in Vo;.. I. 1^ . which Vi ADVERTISEMENT OF THE which mediocrity can be put up with, by reafon of it's utility and neceffity. Our claim to this indulgence mud increafe in proJ)ortion as the fubjevSl is more new and interefting. The work now ofTcred to the public, being upon a fubjecfl:, both in itfelf and in it's cJrcumftances, moft worthy to en- gage attention at this time, the Editor flat- ters himfelf, that his zeal in producing it will meet with approbation. Befides, this is i new career opened by the Author j he is the firft who has removed the veil cafl over the whole life of a Prince, whofe cha- rader, though dead, flattery feemcd flill to conceal. I The plain title of this work — contrary to many others more pompous, which promife more than they perform — will deceive our readers agreeably in this refpedt, for they may be aflTured that it performs much more than it promifes ; they will imagine that they ihall find nothing in it, but the charader of Lewis XV. conlidered in a philofophic view, which was the Author's firft defign ; and they will read with furprize the complete hiftory ;'.-::j , ■ pf ORIGINAL EDITOR. of his reign : there does not feem to be one important fad: omitted; but the whole is brought into a narrow compafs, and treated with proper concifenefs. The work is moreover written by a mafterly hand, and with a manly freedom j it gives a natural defcription, not only of the charadlcr of the late Monarch — of that of the Princes and Prince£cs of his houfc — of his feveral miftrefies — his Minifters — his Generals, &c. ; but it is alfo interfperfed with very curious anecdotes, not to be found elfe- where. Vii This Pliftory having become more ex- tenfivc than the Writer had at firfl ima- gined, it was his delign, after having col- le \ : ■^ /" : ■•/.* •' '-J^: ,{\^ .111 i S •^ 11.../^ M., v ^'iKiVj .iN.i<5l;3 ^^1'!;^ •'■ ' f, ■ . - r i 1 ■ ..- A D V E R, r "1 I H ■>.. <• V . ^ K ADVE RTISEMENT OF THE : T R A N S L A T O R. IX IT is necefTary to inform our Englifli Read- ers, of the omiflions that have been made in the following work. They are very few, and fuch only as it was imagined would make it more agreeable to them, and as related to mat- ters totally unimportant. The greateft part of them are in the Appendix of the firft volume. The firft is, that of the lift of the perfons taxed, with the fums they were taxed in • an article, with which the Tranflator, after he had inconliderately taken much pains to finifh it — and had reduced all the livres into Englifti money— was fo difgufted, and found it to very uninterefting to an Englifh reader, that .• r ADVERTISEMENT OF THE that he refolved to omit it. Had it been printed> it would have filled at leaft three ihcets with tedious and ufelefs calculation. * The other omifiion is that of the Poetry in the feveral Appendixes. This is alfo chiefly in the Appendix of the firft volume. In the others, there are not more than three or four pages left out. This poetry confiils, for the moft part, of burlefque ballads, which would no more bear tranflation into Englifli, than any of our moft common political ballads would into French. There is fomething fo national in the popular allufions, which al- ways conftitute the merit of this fort of pro- ductions, that they will not endure tranfplant- ing into a foreign foil. Neither, indeed, would thefe have been worth the attempt. Befide thefe fugitive pieces, there is a poem, intitled the Philippics, which takes up about two sheets of the original, and is likewifc omitted in the tranflation. It would be impoflible to give it in our language, at leaft, fo as to make it jnteretling to an Englifti reader j for, indepen- dent of it's being a fatire upon the private. cha- racter of the Duke of Orleans (in many refpeds ^ontradivflory towbat is advanced in thishiftopy) I: is fo extremely full of allvifions to obfcure 9 perfons, TRANSLATOR. perfons, that it may be doubted, whether it can afford much amufement, even to the French themfelves, at fuch a diftance of time from it's firft publication. XI It is the tnoTC requifite to acquaint the Reader with thefe omifiions, bccaufe, as they were not determined upon before the printing was far advanced, there are references found to thefe pieces in the body of the work, though there be nothing to anfwer them. The referring numbers, to prevent confufion, have been preferved as at firft. But though the Tranflator has left out the Poetry in the Appendixes, the Reader will find, that he has attempted, in Engli(h verft;, all the little Epigrams, and other fcraps of Poetry, which occurred in the body of tlie work. In thefe inflances, the original is al- ways fubjoined, to gratify the curiofity of thofe Readers who may like to compare them; and, as the only merit pretended to, is that of having endeavoured to give the fenfe of thefs paffages, it is hoped the candour of the Reader will make allowances for the reft, a ~.' ':( "- ' ' a. :'"-'a>:> oi , Ths xii ADVERTISEMENT, &c. The only thing remaining to obferve is, that the livres, throughout the work, are all reduced to Englifh money, at the rate of ten pence flerling per livre. t I A , r <"-.•• r . ; ii » . /' 7 H £ r ^ • < « ~ 4 t ^ t. ,. ■ 1 . ■. t>RIVATE LIFE O F LEWIS XV. ' t '.• ; . THERE arc tod many difficulties attending the hiftory of a reign juft finilhed, to admit of an attempt to write that of Lewis XV. Befide the neceffity there would be of obtaining an infight into the archives of the Miniftiy, which motives of po- licy would forbid, on account of the too clofe con- nection between prefent and preceding events j we Ihould ftand in need of the fame accefs to the other cabinets of Europe : where we Ihould undoubtedly meet with ftill more infurmountable obftacles. Without this affiftance, not having a complete view of our objefts, we Ihould run the rifque of compof- ing an imperfect, or at lead a partial work; and partiality is the greateft fault a work of this kind can have. It is not the fame with the private life of a Monarch; if it be toadangcrous to write it as it palTes, and un- VoL. I. B der 171^ !i 2 THE PRIVATE LI I ' E 17 1 5. der his own eye, from the fear of incurring his re- fentnient by offending his vanity ; when he is dead, we cannot be too early in colleding a multitude of fadts which conftitute the interefting part of it, and are often preferved only by oral tradition, the fugi- tive veftiges of which wear out, and arc often en- tirely loft, with their witncffcs. • ' We fliall not go out of our way to prove the uti- lity of private memoirs ; this is too philofophic an age to call it in queftion, and the multitude of fimi- lar publications that have been favourably received, iliew how much they are now preferred to large hif- torical colle<5lions. In fafb, if the intereft we take in any narrative depends upon, and is proportioned to, the fecret application we make of it to ourfelves while we are liftening to it, what fentiment can be excited at the recital of the difgraces and fuccefTes . . of a Prince, who experiences misfortunes to which the reader can never be fubjed, or beconncs re- fplendcnt with glory to which he has no right to afpire ? On the contrary, when we fet afide the dignity and grandeur of the Monarch, and Ihew no- thing more than the man j every order of citizens, and every individual, will neceffarily intereft them- felves nearly in his domeftic happinefs or mifery, will be afflidted by the one, or rejoice at the other ; fince thefe will in fome mcafure become common to themfelves, from the poflibility of their experiencing the fame. But if the merit of thefe collections of anecdotes, when made with caution and difcernment, cannot be denied, the general affertion is more par- ticularly and juftly verified with regard to Lewis XV. It is well known how fond this Prince was of a pri- vate life : it is remembered that he always quieted ic OF LEWIS XV. it with ftgret, to appear in his public character, and that as foon as the huCy fcene was over, he was impatient to retire into the interior part of his pa- lace. Which of us has not hcar'd his fervants, hii favourites, and his minifters fay, " Why was not " the King born in our rank ? he would have been ** the moft amiable private man, the bed hufband, " the beft father, and the mOft upright man in his " kingdom." Thefe exclamations, v/hich were frc- quently repeated, cannot but infpire us with the greatelt defire of feeing Lewis XV. under thefe dif- ferent points of view ; and we proceed immediately to fatisfy the impatience of our readers. Lewis XV. who afcended the throne nearly at the fame age as his great grandfather had dotie, pre- fented a ftill more interefting fight to the kingdom, and to all Europe. Being the only branch remain- ing, and that a feeble one, of his auguft family in France, his death could not have failed to excite commotions, and perhaps a fatal war, from the prc- tenfions of the King of Spain to recover the rights of his birth : fo that befide the natural affedion of the nation for their Sovereigns, a motive of policy engaged them to watch with more peculiar care over this precious child. Reports which prevailed, and were believed, con- cerning the fatal caufe of the death of fo many Princes, carried off in fo Ihort a time, could not- but increafe their alarms t impreffed with this pre- judice, the people faw their young Sovereign in- truded to the hands of the affaflin of his anceftors j and the circumftance which at prefent furnilhes the ftrongeft argument, in refuting the calumniators of the Regent, was at that time a continual fubjefl of B 2 terror. 3 1715. Stpt, I. 1715. I 4 1715. Sept. THE PRIVATE LIFE terror. Undoubtedly, had the Regent been the au-« thor of thcfe difafters in the Royal Family, of the death of three Dauphins, who expired in the palace of Lewis XIV. who were ftricken under his own eye, and fnatched as it were from his arms, when lie had thus got the power into his hands, his vafl dcfires would have known no bounds ; but, proceeding from one crime to another, he Would not have fhuddered ac the murder of a King, without which all his former crimes became ufelefs ; fince that was the only one which could afllire him impunity, and put him in pofleflion of that fceptre, which legitimates every act of violence to the eyes of ambition. But this reafoning, however conclufivc to us, could not be fo to his cotemporaries. It was not therefore without the greateft anxiety, that the day after the death of Lewis XIV. they law the Parliament annul the will of that Monarch, declare the Duke of Orleans fole Regent of the kingdom, deprive the Duke du Maine of the command of the King's houfhold troops, and even of the privilege of guarding his facred perfon, and acknowledge that thefe offices belonged folely to the former. The Heps taken by this Court, however extraor- dinary, were yet authorized by an inftance in the preceding reign. At the death of Lewis XIII. the will of that Monarch had been alfo annulled, with- out producing any rercionftrance from the people, whofe rights were violated by this a6t. If this great event was not then attended with any con- fequences, at a time when the nation, agitated by fadions and civil wars for the fpace of fourfcore years, ftill preferved all its energy ; when the gene- ral aflemblies of the ftate, holden under the pre 7 . / ^ ceding :"^ OF L. E W 1 S XV. 5 ceding reign, were not yet abolilhed; and when a 1715. requifition for the calling of liich an aflembly from ' the different orders of the (late could not have been deemed an encroachment upon authority; it is not to be wondered at, that it fhould have pafTed with no greater oppofition, at a time when all was bend- ing under the yoke of defpotifm. One circumftance, which undoubtedly contributed to make the Parliament acquiclce in the Duke of Orleans's demands, was an artful claufe introduced in his fpeech, in which, withci:': fcciningto make any terms with the Magiflrates, he granted them a pri- vilege which in fome fort made them partakers of the power with which they were going to inveft him. " But on whatever pretenri9ns," faid he, " I may found my claim to the regency, I will boldly ven- ture to alTure you, Gentlemen, that I (hall deferve it by my zeal for the fervice of the King, and for the public good, efpecially as I mean to avail *^ myfelf of your counfels and your wife remon- '* Jirances." The privilege of making remonftrances, which this infinuation feemed to convey a promife of re- ftoring to them, flattered exceedingly their pride, which had been hurt for fixty years paft, on account of their having been deprived of it by Lewis XIV *. This alluring bait determined them on this, as well as on feveral occafions afterwards, to facrificc the in- tereft of the nation to their vanity j fince their own intereft, if well underftood, ought to have prompted C( <( << C( • Or what is nearly the fame thing, Lewis XIV. only allowed the Parliament to make remonftrances, after his letters, edi£ls,^ or declarations were fairly and plainly regillcred, B 3 them t 6 THE PRIVATE LIFE 171^. them to rcfume their vigour and energy. For in faft, "" the Regent, by renewing to the Magiftrates the li- berty of addrefllng wife remonjirances to the throne, made them implicitly agree, that he had a right to take that privilege away from them, whenever he thought their remonftranccs not wife : this was de- ftroying, nay abfolutcly abolilhing the privileges they have fo loudly claimed under this reign, of being fbe reprefentaiives of the nation, the fever al ft ates of tht kingdom contra^ ed to a fmaller fcale. Who indeed would dare to conteft with the Ma- giftrates their right of complaining ? Who would venture to afTert, that the integral parts of thp focial contrafl, fhall not have the right, when aggrieved, to expofe their injuries, and demand the redrefs of them ? The precautions taken to render the Duke of Orr leans's party formidable, did not a little contribute to damp the courage of the Parliament. They knew that the Court was furrounded with troops, and the great chamber filled with armed men *. Ic is true, that many of them were on the fide of the Duke du Maine : but the Duke having, by a fhame- ful filence, acquiefced in every thing that was palTing contrary to the will of the late King, every man abandoned a Prince, who abandoned himfelf. And indeed, his Dutchefs, tranfported with fury, received him, at his return to Sceaux, with marks of the * This faft, which is atteftcd by feveral memoirs of the tlme$, as well as by oral tradition, is very probable, notwithftanding what M. de Voltaire may fay to the contrary. Have we not feen the fame thing happen on a lefs important occafion, in 1771^ >yhen M. de Maupeou came to the Court^ oa the a4th of January, to inftall the council ? O V L' E W I S XV. highcft contempr *. Thr circumftance that com- pleted Ills meannels, and Teemed to make him wor- thy of the treatment he received, was, that after having afked to be difmifled from the care of the King's perfon, he ftill kept the fupenntcndance of his Majcfty's education, accepted of a poft in the Council of Regency, and, in a word, did not difdaiii to prefer a fubaltern office at Court, to an abfolute and total retirement. Lewis XIV. had alfo appointed by his will, Mar- flial Villeroi to be governor to the young King; the Dutchefs of Ventadour to be his governefs j the Bi- Ihop of Frejus to be his preceptor ; and Father Ic Tellicr his confeflbr. The expulfion of the Jefuit was the only change made in thefe appointments. Madame de Ventadour was the only perfon who could enter immediately on the duties of her of- fice. This Princefs, of the illuftrious houfe of Ro- han, which has fince furnilhed feveral other Gover- nefles to the Royal Family of France, was qualified in the higheft degree for the truft repofed in her. She had a great deal of foftnefs, and at the fame time much dignity. She was paflionately fond of her Royal pupil, and her care was rather that of an afFcdlionate mother, than of an ambitious ftranger. All the tranfadlions that were going forward, could not but increafe her vigilance : for ihe was no^ ig- norant of the dreadful fufpicions which had raifed diftrufl: in the minds of all men. How great niuft have been her anxiety, when flie faw the care of the King's perfon intrufted to the prefumptive heir * It is faid, that the Dutchefi do Maine gave him a flap on the face, B 4 , of T715. t THE PRIVATE LIFE 17 15. of the crown. Her attention was redoubled on this account, and (he enjoyed not an inftant of tranquil-* lity, during the fpace of near eighteen months that fhe remained in the fervice of his Majefty. One fingular circumftance happened to this Go- vernefs, which was the occafion of her receiving an honour that no woman had ever enjoyed be- '%f Sept. fore her. Lewis XV. coming to the Parliament, to hold his firft Bed of Juftice in order to confirm the decree of the Court in favour of the Regent, the Dutchefs of Ventadour reprefented, at this meeting, the Queen Mother and Regent. The only difference was, that fhe took not her feat upon the throne, but that Ihe attended there, fitting at the feet of the King i flie fpoke, however, in his name. She was then about forty years of age, was ft ill beautiful, and afTumed a great air of dignity, which made her ap-? pear not unworthy of this illuftrious aft. " Gentle- " men," faid fhe, " the King has caufed you to be afTembled, in order to make his pleafure known to you : his Chancellor will explain it." Immediately after this Bed of Juftice, fix Coun- cils were eftablifhed, befide that of the Regency. The firft, which was called the Council of Con- fcience, regarded ecclefiaftical matters j the fecond, foreign affairs j the third, war; the fourth, finance; the fifth, the navy j and the laft, prefided over the internal affairs of the kingdom. In order that the Parliament fhould the more readily confent to the regiftring of this declaration, another had been joined to it, agreeable to the. infinuation above-mentioned, by which the privi- lege was reftored to them, of making reprefen- |arions or remonflrances, before the publication of the C( «c 4 |6 S^pt* O F L E W I S XV. 9 the laws that were addreffed to them ; but his Ma- 1715, jefty required that thefe remonftrances fhould be rcprefented within eight days. This form of adminiflration by Councils, taking in all the parts of government, and confining the Secretaries of State merely to the figning of their names*, which form is ufed in other kingdoms, and of which there had been examples in ours under fe- veral reigns, becomes particularly neceflary under a young or weak Monarch. If it Ihould fometimes occafion a flownefs of proceeding in affairs, the de- cifions, on the other hand, are more mature j it makes them lefs verfatile, and is particularly bene- ficial in oppofing craft, preventing favour, and guarding againfl fedudlion, which is fo frequently employed with fuccefs againft a fingle man. The Regent adopted this plan of government the more readily, as it tended to remove the ideas of defpotifm, which might have been imputed to him ; as it furnilhed him with the means of giving places to a great number of his own creatures, and acquir- ing new ones, of employing at leafV thofe who were difpofed to cabal againfl him ; in a word, as it en- abled him to fulfil the engagements he had entered into with the Marchionefs de Maintenon, the houfe of Noailles, and the mofl diflinguilhed members of the Parliament, upon condition, that they fhould aflilt him in his meafures to annul the will of Lewis XIV. It will certainly appear a matter of furprize, that the Queen Dowager, (for no man at prefent feems to difpute her that title) fliould be the foremoft to • The ofHces of Secretaries of State were even fupprefled for a time, or at leafl there was no bufmefs done by them. concur ^M-ti^mtlf M'llT'iliii-MH to THE PRIVATE LIFE fyr^. concur in the annulling of a folemn aft, the plan of which Ihe had at leaft approved, if not herfelf fug- gefted, againft a Prince whom Ihe had never liked, or rather whom ftie had always detefted, on account of his mode of thinking and his manners, which were fo repugnant to the religious views of the fa- vourite. But what will not the policy even of de- votees adapt itfelf to ? This able woman, fenfible of the averfion Lewis XIV. had for his nephew, had not dared to con- tradidl him in his laft wilhesj but at the fame time, forefeeing what would happen, fhe had deter- mined not to wait the event. She doubted not one moment but that the great talents of the Duke of Orleans would prevail over the Duke du Maine, and that the former would become mafler of the kingdom at the King's death. She therefore judged it necelTary to prevent the ilorm that would in- fallibly rife againft her, and to deferve the grati- tude of the Prince, whofe generofity flie was al- ready acquainted with, by giving him previous in- formation of the articles of the will, that he might be the better prepared to oppofe them with ad- vantage and fecurity. Madame de Maintenon was ilill more determined to behave in this manner, from her afFedion for the Duke of Noailles her nephew *. At the death of the Princes, in order to pay his court to the King, he had indulged himfelf in the moft indifcreet, or rather the moft ralh and moft culpable language. In the excefs of his zeal, and under the fuppofition that all the deaths which had • That is to fay, who had married Mademoifclle d'Aubignc, niece and fole heirefs of Madame de Maintenon. 3 happened OF LEWIS XV. II happened were the efFedls ofpoifon, he had been ac- 17 15. cufed of having imputed them to his R. H. j and ' when people were endeavouring to guefs at the au». thor of thefe execrable crimes, he had named the Duke of Orleans, and had added ; " if the laft f, who " is now at the point of death, ihould perilh, I will " be the Brutus." Such was the anecdote then cir- culated, and fince preferved in the memoirs of the times. Nothing lefs than a very eflential fervicc could wipe away the flanderous alTertion and the threat, the atrocioufnefs of which feemed however to be di- miniflied by their extravagance. And indeed the Regent's magnanimity, forgetting both the one and the other, was mindful only of the gratitude due to the Duke of Noaijies, for having difclofcd the will of Lewis XIV. and for the fervices rendered him by that houfe, which was then the moft powerful in the kingdom, both in itfelf and by its great alliances. The circumftance that muft chiefly have afFeded Madame de Maintenon, in her critical fituation, was to find, that her conduct, which was only the efFeft of ijcceffity, made her the involuntary accomplice of the outrages committed againft the memory of Lewis XIV. The French, in reality, who are always fond of novelty, availed themfelves of the little re- fpeft the Government then fhewed to the will, the principles, and memory of the deceafed King : they gave themfelves up to all the licentioufnefs which fiaves, efcaped from their chains, allow themfelves againft their mafter } his ftatues were infulted with the bittereft infcriptions, the moft acrimonious fa- fires were pMblicly circulated againft him^ and in his f Meaning the Ute King. funeral iir lii ift-ii &f;t § I II THE PRIVATE LIFE 17 1 5. funeral proceflion the prayers of the priefts were lefs ' ' hear'd than the coarfe fongs of a licentious mob. It was the triumph of the nation, rather than the fune- ral pomp of the Monarch. The firft fteps the Regent took, after the power of difpenfing favours became vefted in him, did ho- nour to his fincerity and moderation. He appointed the fore-mentioned Duke of Noailles, Prefident of the Council of Finance, whofe pardon he fealed by this favour, as he did that of Marfhal Villars, by creating him Prefident of the Council of War. The Marfhal had negotiated the treaty of Raftadt, with Prince Eugene of Savoy ; in which he had agreed to fome fecret articles, tending to the exclufion of the Duke of Orleans from the crown; and his R. H. was not unacquainted with it*. The Cardinal of J^oailies, who was the chief of the Janfenift's party, was * The following anecdote we find in an allegorical romance of the times, intitled, " The adnjeniuret ef Pomponius.** ** Salliru ** (Villars), General of the Gauls, a man well acquainted with " bufinefs, and who handled the pen and the fword with equal ** dexterity, was commilfioned by his Sovereign to enter into a *» treaty with thofe people who dwell on the fide of the Adri- " atic fea. His commifiion was a fecret one ; and he executed it ** with greater fidelity than prudence. His Sovereign died fome ** little time after, and the Prince who fuccecded, having en- «* gaged the feveral allies of the Crown to communicate to him all *' the treaties they had made with his predeceflbrs, among the reft, ** the fore-mentioned treaty was put into his hands. The Prince, *' upon examining it, was not a little furprized to find that it «* contained an article to exclude him from the crown, and that ** the General of the armies had not only ftipulated this matter ** with the people who inhabit the ihores bathed by the Adriatic, ** but had even engaged in the fame league, the Iberians, the Al- •' lobroges, and feveral other nations. The Prince fent for the ** Qenerjll of the armies, and communicated the treaties to him. " 5allira OF LEWIS XV. »3 was connected with the principal members 6f the lyiS* Parliament, and had been very ufcful in promoting """"^ the mcafures of the Regent, was placed at the head of the Council of Confcience. The preferment of this Prelate, gave new vigour to his faction, which was flill more delighted to fee Father le Tellier re- moved from Court. Every exile returned j and the Baftille reftored to open day the numerous innocent vi(5lims concealed within its walls. The Univer- fity refumed its former fplendour j and the deferted Sorbonne faw again feated among her learned mailers, thofe dodlors who had before honoured, and rendered her iiluftrious by their fcience. In a word, the Jefuits now experienced, in their turn, thofe difgraces with which they had overwhelmed their rivals : a general, and even an exafperated fury prevailed againft them, fo that the police was obliged to take them under its proteftion in the capital. So many favours conferred upon the Janfcnifts, by him who was now at the helm of the French Adminiftration, were the more va- luable, as no man was ignorant of his method of thinking : it was well known, that ibe God of Baal, or the Gcd of Jfrael, were equally objeds of ridicule with him. But befide the fentiments of gratitude, which might influence him in the difpenfation of thefe particular favours, he was dire6ted by views ** Sallira avowed the fadt, faying, he had done it only in obe- " dience to the commands of the late King, whofe original order ** for this purpofe he produced; without which, his head would " have anfwered for it. By removing himfelf afterwards from «* Court, he efcaped the vengeance and refentment of the new •* Prince, to whofe favour he was gradually reftored through his ** wife's means." of 14 THE PRIVATE LIFE I i iyi6, ofafuperior kindj he was endeavouring to bring about a calm, and to rellore public tranquillit/r difturbed by the internal didenlions excited by fa- naticifm, towards the end of the preceding reign. Aftcf this firft care, he had another, and not lefs important folicitude ; which was to avenge the un- happy nation, whofe miferies the contradlors ex- ulted over, by a new fpecies of luxury. By way of example, he began, by obliging the Comptroller General Defmarets to give an account of his ad- miniftration. According to a regulation made under Lewis XIV II. he was not accountable for any thing. Since the fupprefllon of the office of fuper intend ant of the finances, the King had always taken upon him- felf the duties of it : no payment had been made but by virtue of the eftimates and warrants figned by himfelf. The Comptrollers General were now nothing more than the executors of his orders j but yet it was neceflary to prove that thefe orders had been followed ; and a Minifter might ilill be very culpable in the mode of executing them. M. Def- marets compofed upon this fubjeft a circumftan- tial memorial, which is confidercd as a mafter- piece, and which, by difcovering the deplorable (late of the kingdom, proved, that thefe difafters could not be attributed to the Minifter, and were only the unavoidable conlequence of the feveral mif- fortunes that had ravaged the ftate towards the clofe of the laft reign. He demonftrated, that if :ht revenues of the State were abforbed to the year 1717, inclufively, by anticipated aflignments, yet II On the 5th of Sept. 1661, when Fouqset was confined. the OF LEWIS XV. the unfunded debts were nearly the fame, after feven years of an ahnoft generally unfortunate war, as they were at the beginning of 1708, when his ad- miniftration began. This memorial did a great deal of honour to the author, among the Council of Finance, but it did not reftore to him the place that had been taken from him, nor did it even procure him a feat in that Council, which he had aftonilhed by his talents and probity. He died in private life, and from him is defcended the family of Mailkbois. He left three fons, who were men of fmall ftature, and who on that account were named at Court, where every thing is an obje£l of ridicule, the Terriers. The eftablifhment of a chamber of juftice, to profecute and puniih thofe who had committed abufes in the finances, was an object which muft neceflarily become more ulcful, according to the lift of the men of bufinefs that were taxed *. This lift amounted to upwards of 160 millions f; and undoubtedly this fum, well employed, might have furniflied a great refource for diminifliing the debts of the ftatej but it was prefently known, that a fmall part only of this money entered the King's coffers J i that thefe depredators were ranfomed by others j that the favourites, the miftreflcs, and • This curious lift fliall be inferted at tlie end of the volume, with notes: it ihall be placed under No, I. f Between fix and feven n\illions fterling. X Forty millions [upwards of one million and a half fterling] of this, were dedudled perhaps from the principals of the annui- ties fixed upon the hotel de VitU, and the taxes, the polls, and other farms and revenues, which made part of the payment of the im- pofls, which were to be extinguifhed, redeemed, and taken out of the eilimates. the «5 1716. 1716. itth Maivh* i6 THE PRIVATE LIFE ii ^7'^' the judges, made a trade of reducing thefe ta5£es\ ^ It is reported, that a Contraftor, who was taxed at 1,200,000 livres f, replied to a Nobleman, who offer- ed to get him acquitted for 300,000 livres J ; Faith, my Lord, you come too late ; / have already agreed with your Lady for 150,000 y. M. de Fourquieux, Prefident of the Chamber of Juftice, was decorated with the burlefque title of Garde des Sceaux §, be- caufe he had appropriated to himfelf, from the ipoils of the famous Bourvalais, a Farmer of the revenue, buckets of filver to cool wine and other liquors, and that he had the impudence to pro- duce them at his table. The indignation of the people was excited at feeing the Marquis de I3 Fare, fon-in-law to Paparel, Paymafter of the Gendarmerie, who was condemned to death, and whofe eftates were confifcated to the King, rejoice a" the difgrace of his father-in-law, caufe his eftates to be fettled upon himfelf, difllpate them in pro- digality and debauchery, and reduce himfelf, a» well as his fon, to poverty, without even having at- tempted to mitigate the adverfities of Paparel^ whofe punifliment had been changed. A more certain, fpeedy, and efficacious expedient had before been made ufe of for the re-eftablifh- ment of the finances. Three days after the death of Lewis XIV. an edi6t had appeared, in which, not- withftanding the alarming defcription of their fitu- t Fifty thoufand pounds. X Twelve thoufand five hundred pounds. II Six thoufand two hundred and fifty pounds. % Ktepertftht Seals. In order to underftand this» it 19 ne- ceflary to acquaint the Englilh reader, that the fame word which, in French fignifies a feal, fignifies alfo a bucket* ation. OF LEWIS XV. filUation, the King gave alTurances that he was deter- mined to fatisfy the two moft prefllng demands of the Hate, the fubfiftertce of the troops j and the arrears of the annuities charged upon the Hotel de Ville of Paris. With regard to the other debts, it was ordered, that the different papers Hiould be ftatcd and liqui- dated, in order to convert them into bills of one kind, which were not to be changed till they were taken up. This operation was called the Vifay and the papers refulting from it, Billets d'etats, (Bills of ftate.) They were to be figned by Mn Bouflbt, the general Overfeer> by the Provoft of the Mer- chants, and by Mr. Charles Haran, appointed fof this purpofe by the fix companies of Merchants at Paris. The real defign of changing thefe papers, was, to reduce them to two hundred and fifty mil- lions J, by making the bearer of them lofe one, two, three, or four-fifths of the capital, according to the diflferent clalTes that were fettled* And indeed, it would have been better to have proceeded im- mediately to this extremity, as the Abbe Terrai has fince done, than to employ thefe methodical reductions, which cod immenfe fums, to no purpofe. However this may be, it is certain that more than three hundred and thirty millions § of debt were liquidated by this procefs, and the intcrell of the X Near ten millions and a half. § Upwards of thirteen rhillions and a half fterllng. This was not a very confiderable objed, in proportion to the fum total of the national debt« which amounted to two thoufand and fixty.two millions, one hundred and thirty eight thoufand livres, attwenty* eight livres the marc; which makes in prefent value, three thou- fand fix hundred and feventy-eight millions, fix hundred fifty* nine thoufand, fix hundred and ninety-three livres [between one hundred and fifty-three, and one hundred and fifty-four millions fterling] at fOrty-ninc livres fixceen Tons the marc. Vol, L C overplu: 17 1716. iS THE PRIVATE LIFE z<\ and 10th of May. 17 16. overplus was fixed at four per cent. A promife "" ' was made, as ufual, to pay it regularly, and gra- dually to replace the capital. For this purpofe, it was propofcd to employ the moft fuitable methods, and certain funds were already fet apart, befide a portion of thofe which would be faved from the reduftion of the moft burthenfome expences, the confiderable retrenchments already begun and con- tinued, in point of perfonal expence, and the pru- dent diftribution of thofe revenues. To thcfe preliminary meafures another was add- ed, in order to make money circulate and reftore trade, by increafing the reprefentation of the Ipecie. There appeared an edi6l for the eftablifhment of a general Bank throughout the kingdom, under the name of Law and Company. This Bank would in- deed have been of great utility to the public, if it had been confined to its firft infti: i:tion, which was, to tranfa6l the affairs of individuals, for the profit of a quarter of a crown * upon one thoufand crowns -f-, to receive their money, and to give them bills in exchange, payable at fight. But this fcheme foon became the foundation of that incomprehenfible lyftem, the defign of which was, or was to have been, to difcharge the national debt of France, and to en- rich rhe kingdom, and which had nearly ruined it beyond refource. While the Regent was thus employed in con- triving means to raife the nation from the de- plorable flate into which the ambition of Lewis XIV. had reduced it, he was not regardlefs of any thing that might affift his own afpiring views. The in- * Seven pence half penny. t One hundred and twenty-five pounds. different OF LEWIS XV. ilifferent health of Lewis XV. not only kept up his hope of attaining to the crown, but even con- firmed him in it. He imagined he could not form any alliance more favourable to his views, than that of England. He therefore paid his court to that power J and his favourite, the Abbe Dubois, was the perfon whom he judged moil proper to manage the negotiation. This Dubois, who was the fon of an Apothecary of Brive la Gaillarde, hacl an eafy, fupple, and in- finuating turn, was of a lively and gay difpofition, eager in his purfuit of plcafures, and a man of very loofe morals } had been a favourite of the Duke of Orleans, from that Prince's earlieft years ; from being his preceptor, he had become his confidant, had given him fome very ufeful advice, at the time of his marriage with a natural daughter of Lewis XIV. to which he had perfuaded him, and feemed ftill lefs attached to the rank than to the perfon of his R. H. He repaired to I,ondon, to execute his commifTion, and diftributed his money very freely, which is the moil perfuafive and readieft way of compafllng one's defign. The treaty was foon concluded, and was called the Treaty of the Triple Alliance, for the Dutch came into it, though their intereft was not direftly concerned ; it was even figned at the Hague. It was, indeed, a very advantageous treaty to the Regent, againft the Spanilh faiflion, in cafe the crown became vacant; but it was a fcandalous one with regard to France, becaufe it ftipulated the expulfion of the Pretender from that kingdom, and the demolition of Dunkirk and Mardyke, Unfortunately, the diigrace of it remained with us, and the perfon v/ho had planned C 2 it 1716. 1717. + Jan. 1 i ^1 I 'I ! I 1 20 T M E P R 1 V A T E L I F E 1717. it for his advantage, was never in a fituation to ~~~~~" reap the benefit of it. In the mean while, the infant Monarch was im- perceptibly growing up. At the death of his grandfather, his refidence had been fixed at the Ciiftle of Vincennes, and he had afterwards been moved to the palace of the Tuilleries, as if with a defign to place him under the guard of the whole nation, or at lead, of the mod diftinguifhed part of it. The royal pupil'^s delicate ftate of health made it nccelfary to pay particular attention to his conftitution. Without fatiguing him, however, with inflru(Stions, his Governefs negledled no opportuni- ty of forming his morals by fhort lelTons. Thus, the Prince being one day at fupper in public, and feeming to be too much taken up with admiring fome new golden girandoles, the Dutchefs of Ventadour reprehended him for it, by faying, Sir, nothing of this kind ought to have any attraSlion for your Majejly. Another time, happening to let a Louis d'or fall while he was at play, he ftoopcd to pick it up ; but his Governefs prevented him, by obfcrving, that the money once flipt out of his liands, ought no more to belong to him. From that early period, he began alfo to dif- cover a propenfity to fay difagreeable truths to thofe who were about him : a liberty which, among equals in fociety, would be deemed incivility or rudenefs, but from a fuperior is hardnefs, and bar- barity. The following anecdote might poflibly have paficd for a fimplicity of childhood, if it had not afterwards been found to be a ftroke of cha- racter. M. de Coiflin, Bidiop of Metz, a Gentleman ra- ther OF LEWIS XV. ther of a difagrecable perfon. being prefentcd to the young King, he cried out as Toon as he faw him, O Lorf ' bow ugly he is ! Upon this occafion, the Prelate himfclf gave the reprimand. He turned about, and walked away, faying, with a licence no lefs inexcufable, If^bat an ill-bred little boy ! At length, the King having attained full fevcn years of age, the Dutchefs of Ventadour faw with fatisfadlion, the time come of delivering up the pre- cious charge fhe had hitherto had the care of, in- to the hands of the Duke of Orleans. She drefTed the King, in prefence of the whole Court, and hav- ing received the thanks of his Royal Highnefs for the care fhe had taken of his Majefty's perfon, (lie took her leave of the King, and kiflcd his hand. The young Prince was moved, and embracing her, made her a prefent of jewels to the value of 30,000 crowns *. Previous to this, the Regent had pre- fented to his Majefty the Marfhal Duke of Villeroi, his Governor j the Abbe de Fleuri, formerly Bifliop of Frejus his Preceptor j and the other perfons em- ployed to fuperintend his education, and dellined for his fervice. Another Abbe de Fleuri, who was not a Bifhop, but known only by feveral works of excellence and erudition, and efpecially by his ecclefiaftical hif- tory, had been appointed, a year before, his Ma- jefty's Confeflbr. This circumftance was the more remarkable, becaufe, fince the death of Henry IV. that poft hr.i always been filled by Jefuits, and that the worthy Ecclefiaftic here mentioned was very fiir from being a favourer of that fociety. It fliould 21 1717. * Six thouf^nd two hundred and fifty pounds. C3 fcenrj f ■I ai THE PRIVATE LIFE 1717. feem however, by the words of the Regent upon ' this occafion, that his Royal Highnefs did not con- fider him as an enemy to them : 5/r, faid he to him, the only reafon I have for preferring you to any other perfottj is^ that you are neither a Janfenijii nor a Molinifiy nor an Ultramontane f . The Janfenifl: party however, already favoured by the Regent, became more prefumptuous, and proceeded to fome violent fteps. The Bifhops of Mirepoix, of Senez, of Montpellier, and of Bou- logne, by one common a6t amongft themfelves, ap- pealed to the Bull Unigenitus» They repaired to Sorbonne, where they fignified their appeal in a nu- merous aflembly of Divines, who all adhered fo- iemnly to it. The Body of Arts delivered an opi- nion, by which they declared that this appeal was t It was certainly in order to adapt himfelf to this eulogium of the Duke of Orleans, that the Abbe de Fleuri varied his anfwers, according to the different opinions of the perfons from whom he received compliments. We find the following anec- dote upon this fubjedl in the Memoirs of the Regency, ** The Jefuits fent Father Craye, one of their fociety, to pay ** their compliments to the new Confeffor ; he anfwered, that •* he imagined he was not difagreeable to the Fathers of their •* fociety, becaufe he ivas no Janfenift, Some Jacobin Friars *' came afterwards to congratulate him upon the fame occafion ; ** he told them, he flattered himfelf that he fliould be agreeable •* to them, becaufe he luas no Molinijl. The third perfon who ** came to him was the Abbs d'Orfanne j M. de Fleuri replied *' to him, that he hoped he fhould be in the graces of the Car- *< dinal de Noailles, for that he ivas by no means an Ultramontane, *' Thus he implied in his anfwers, what his Royal Highnefs had ** faid to him, when he chofe him to be Confeflbr te the King.'* The Abbe d'Orfanne, here mentioned, was Canon of Notre Dame, and Grand Vicar of the Cardinal de Noailles. He was in his fociety the chief of the rigorous Janfenifls. He is the Author of the famoas Mfmoires i/u Pert Royal, •< ncceflaryi OF LEWIS XV. neceffary j and ihe Dodlors of Law and Phyfic did the fame, the year following. Other Prelates had likewife joined the four above mentioned, and a confiderable number of Priefts, Friars, and Com- munities, followed their example, and would figna- lize their zeal. However, the Bifhops Conjiituanis, that is to fay, the maintainers of this famous Bull UnigenituSj called the Conjlitution, made remonftrances, which foon de- generated into warm and frequent complaints. A number of writings appeared, in which nothing lefs was talked of, than the deftrudion of reli- gion. The Regent, who was rather difpofed to laugh at all thefe quarrels, was obliged to inter- fere ferioufly in them, and, notwithftanding his de- termined and decifive character, to condudl himfelf with a great deal of moderation j to hear both par- ties, to manage between them, and to deceive them both. He wrote to the Conjlituants that fa- mous letter, in which he told them j I do not lofe fight of the important affair of the Constitution , and in which an interpolation was introduced, which took off all the force of that promife. In fa6t, the Regent, in faying, that he would punijh any a^s of appeal from inferiors in the future Council, that were made without reafon, determined nothing by means qf that claufe, of which advantage might be taken. The Cardinal de Biflfy, who had planned this letter, was obliged to exculpate himfelf with his focictyj and it was known, that the new Chancellor was the perfon who had fuggefted to the Prince this artifice, fo unbecoming of his dignity, but which, however, was judged necelTary, to adt up to C4 the 23 1717. I" 24 THE PRIVATE LIFE 17 17. the part of being a mere conciliator, which was all * ~" he intended. This new Chancellor was M. d'Agucflcau, a na- tive of Amiens, and of a tradefman's family. He had had the good fortune to be educated at Port Royal, under the famous le Maitre. Having attained, while ftill very young, to the poft of Solicitor General, he had diftinguiflied himfelf in it by the graces of elocution, which conftitute the elTential part of that office. He afterwards acquired a deeper know- ledge of the laws, and of jurifprudence. He then became Attorney General, and gained llill more folidity ; fo that he became neceffary to the Duke of Orleans, at the time when that Prince began to think of forming a party to himfelf in Parliament, during the illnefs of Lewis XIV. The death of the Prefident de Maifons, who, after M. Voifin, was to have been at the head of the Law, opened the way for him to that poft, which his competitor had only had in profpe6l, and which caufed the latter to cry out, penetrated with regret: Muji om die, at the eve of being invejied with the higheft em- ployments / M. d'Aguefleau had always been ftrongly at- tached to the party of the Janfenifts ; he was, after the Cardinal de Noailles, their hope and their idol. He took care not to abandon them upon this oc- cafion J and, by way of a falvo, contrived the little artifice we have juft mentioned. He even added another, and a ftill more mean one, to it, in which he gratified his ambition, at the expence of his integrity : this was, in order to make the firft ij^rtifice paf« the better, to fupprcfs the word deli- cate. OF LEWIS XV. as 1717. catc, in the circular letters addrefled to the Cardi- nals de Biffy and de Rohan, with whom the minute "^ had been fettled. The reftlefs anxiety of the Conjiituants foon difcovered the double fraud. The Regent was obliged to take it upon himfelf, and to give an explanation, which ferved only the more to inflame the minds of the parties. In vain were frequent conferences held to reconcile them, at which his Royal Highnefs affifted, notwithftanding their weari- fomenefs. New difficulties, and new propofals, arofc every day : pamphlets, writings, and epigrams, were multiplied without number; and they were forced to conclude with a declaration, which prohibited the writing or fpeaking any thing for, or againfl:, the Conjiitution Unigenitus. It was then only that the party of the Janfenifls, ofloberj, who had hitherto built much upon the attachment and gratitude of the Duke of Orleans, and who even flattered themfelves that this law was in their favour, perceived their intereft with that Prince beginning to decline. Yet what had not his R. H. done for them? Befides all we have feen, he had hazarded his credit with the Court of Rome, in making his firft ecclefiaftical appointments conformably to their wifhes, by choofing four perfons of the Cardi- nal de Noailles' faction. The bon mot which he faid on this occalion, a? he was coming out of the Coun- cil, has been often retailed j I'he Janfenijis will no longer complain of me j Ihav^given every thing to Grace, find nothing to Merit. Thefe Elpfts of Grace were the ^bbe de Lorraine, the Abbots Boffuet, de Tourouvrc, and d'Entragues, who were created Bifliops. A con- fjcjerable ferment was excited by this circumftance ; lb a6 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1717. the great number of Prelates of the fc6t of the Mo- ■""■—"* linifts in France, fupported by their chiefs, the Car- dinals de Rohan and de Biffy, cxpoftulated againft an affociation of this kind : the Nuncio complained highly i and the Pope, not daring to exclude the firft, on account of his rank, refufed his bulls to the fecond, propter niGres pravos i to the thh'dt quia fuf- pe£fus de herefta Janfeniana ; and to the laft, propter fupinam ignorantiam. The Regent perceived too late the fault which his complaifance had induced him to commit j he faw that the offended party was more powerful and more numerous than the other ; that it was not fo eafy to ftifle it as he had been affured j and that it might even degenerate into an open faftion. He did not think it, however, con- fiftent with his dignity to give way upon this oc- ca(ion j he fupported his nomination, and obliged ^he Pope to grant his bulls j but he refolved never again to put himfelf in the way of fuch difficulties : he grew cool towards thefe feftaries, whofe party he had cfpoufed, merely becaufe he could not do other- wife at the time. When his authority was fufficient- ly eftablifhed, he neglected thofe whom he no longer flood in need of, and fupported them only as much as he thought it neceflary to maintain the balance. Though the affairs of the Church were of great importance-^not on account of the diflenfions themfelves, which were frivolous, but from the fanaticifm which was blended with them, and the fatal confequences that might enfue to difturb the tranquillity of the ftate^-yet the conteft between the Princes of the blood and the legitimated Princes, which was then in agitation, was in it's very nature of much more ferious confequence. The queftion was. O r L E W I S XV. 1^ was, whether Lewis XIV. had the right to transfer 1717. to the legitimated Princes, the privilege of fucceed- ing to the Crown after the failure of the Princes of juiyi7i4. the blood. The jealoufy which the predileftion of the expiring Monarch for the Duke du Maine and the Count du Touloufe had excited at Court, was the fecret fpring of this conteft. The hunniliation of thefe Princes had undoubtedly been one of the ar- ticles which the Regent had pronnifed to the Duke of Bourbon, and to fome other Dukes who had ranged themlelves on his fide. But whatever might have been the caufe, it produced confeflions of fin- gular benefit to the nation, and which were very contrary to the ftrange maxim that has fince been put into the mouth of Lewis XV. That he held his croivn from God alone. The Princes of the blood, on the contrary, reprefented in their petition, that this Anguftit, manner of fettling the crown, deprived the na- '-''*• tion of one of it's beft rights, which was, to difpofe of itfelf, in cafe of failure of the Royal line j at the fame time that it kept for ever from the throne thofe illuftrious families, whom the nation might pitch upon to fill it. On the other hand, the memorial of the legiti- mated Princes, at the fame time that it defended this defpotic a6l of Lewis XIV. contained aflertions nearly of the fame nature. " The legitimated Princes," it was faid, " are by ** their nature of the Royal blood j and are there- ** fore included in the contrail made between the na^ tion and the reigning family , Now, the view of the people in granting the crown to a certain family, •* is to preierve their tranquillity, and to avoid the " inconveniences of cleftions. Therefore, every 9 ** thing cc 4< 2S THE PRIVATE LIFE 1717. t€ thing which protrafts the extin(Elion of the reigning family, is deemed conformable to the " wifhes of the nation, and confonant with it's in- ** terefts. And this is what Lewis XIV. has done, calling up the legitimated Princes to the cc (C in « cc cc cc ^ • ' ;.i., ■ ^quintal OF LEWIS XVi 33 quintal of fugar. The mod fingular circumftance 17 17. attending this revolt, was, that before the military man was embarked, the infurgents having required his fword of him, he furrtndered it; but the Commif- fary refufed conftantly to give up his. This gave occafion to fay, that the Intendant dcferved to be the Governor^ and the Governor nothing more than the In^ tendant. Commodore Chdmpmeflin was fent with two men of war and a frigate to reduce thefe ifland- crs to obedience, and he pacified every thing. A circumftance which proves that the Government did hot think much of this infurredlioh is, that Meff. de Feuquieres and de Sylvecane, being fubftituted in lieu of the Governor and Iritendant who had been expelled, were much blamed for having ;-c- quired the inhabitants, without orders from Court, to take a frefh oath of allegiance, and for having feparated t'le nobility from the clergy, and from the commonalty ; a diftin6ti{>n which the King does not admit in the coloniej> The behaviour of M. de Ricouaft did him how- ever great honouf, and gained him, without doubt, the approbation of phc Court, for he was afterwards appointed to th^ intendance of the navy at Rochf- fort ; a poft, in which his firmnefs and integrity fupplied tbe want of thofe acquifitions and g;cac talents which he wanted for adminiftration. Hiftory is nothing more than a continual revolu- tion of fimilar fafts, which from time to time come tound again. A great clamour was raifed at the end of the laft reign, when, during the change in the magiftrature, and the iron miniftry of the Abbe Ter- ra!, the Duke de Vrilliere, fearing the too great firnr*^ nefs of the SItates of Brittany, threatened to diflblvc! VoL,L , P thern, 34 THE PRIVATE LIFE 17 f 7. them *, if they fhewed any difpofition to oppofe the ""■"""" will of the Sovereign j and yet we find, under the regency, when thcfe fame eftatcs were aflembled on the demand of the voluntary gift, and that inilcad of granting it with (houts, as ufual, when they are fatisfied, or fubjed to authority, they anfwered the King's Commiflaries, that thev could not pay any attention to the demand, till after they had looked at and examined their funds j a precaution which every wife manager of his fortune ought to take j yet this anfwer was confidered by the Court as a refufal, a want of zeal and of refpedl, and they were therefore diflblved. We fee afterwards, that notwithftanding this puniihment, which they had not merited, upon their reprefenting that fuch a dif- folution was an infraftion of the treaty made by the province, when it gave itfelf up to the King, the Regent — far from being guided by tlie fame fpirit of defpotilm, in imputing to them as a greater crime, their appeal to that treaty upon which the ilep was taken, which had been judged criminal — fufFered himfelf to be movfed, and permitted them to aflemble the year following. They were un- doubtedly given to underftand, that this concefTion, which was rather an effed of compaflion than of juftice, was lets granted to their right than to their contrition. Under thefe circumftances, the Duke of Orleans , was feized with a diforder in his eyes, which threat- i ened him with lofs of fight. This incident ferved , ^ only to increafe the cabals of the Court, He knew • ** His Majefty will have no oppofitlon ; if the States delibe- " rate on the Parliament, they fhall be diflblved in three days." This is the fentence wc find in the /*r«/w Iniifcrtts* > ^f.^. ,s ..- iW-'t' * See the If/e of Philip of Orleans, grandfcn of Frahct, anil Re" gent of the kingdom during the 7iiinority of Letvis XV. by M. L. M« D.M. Da difpleafing, . i i ■ 36 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1717. difpleafing, and perhaps with a fecret application to '~~~~" themfelves, each of thenn not doubting but that thcJ choice, in cafe of a change, would fall upon him. The converfation was ftill continuing, when the door-keeper, previoufly inftrufted, announced M^ d'Argenfon, and at the fame time opened the two folding-doors of the clofet. The Duke of Orleana appointed him Keeper of the Seals, as he entered, and fealed his commifTion himfelf. The Duke of No- allies confounded, and judging himfelf difgraced, at the fame inftant, faid to the Prince, " I have nothing ** more to do than to withdraw alio :" and upon his difmiflion, M. d'Argenfon was likewife appointed chief of the Council of Finance. The two mem- bers of Parliament retired haftily, in order not to be obliged to pay the firft compliments to the rival whom they had wifhed to ruin. "With refped to the Cardinal of Noailles, he remained fome time longrer at the head of the Council of Confcience, but without authority. His R. H< took the firft favourable opportunity of removing him ; and the Cardinal had the mortification of feeing his places filled up by the two heads of the Molinift party, the Cardinals de Rohan and de Biffy. Thefe frequent turns of fortune, fo hard for thofe who are the vidims of them, on the other hand al- ternately excite, according to perfons or circum- ftanccs, the indignation, pity, 01* laughter of the. philofopher who contemplates them* What event,, for inftance, could more properly give rife to thefe reflexions, than this promotion of M. d'Argenfon? Though of an ancient and illuftrious family, we fee him firft obliged, by the fmallncfs of his income, ' , to be a petty Judge of a province i afterwards, . i finking ation tdf that the 3n him< ^en the ced M^ the two Orleans entered, I of No- aced, at nothing .ipon his )pointed mem- ot to be he rival fped to me time ifcience, the firft and the s places t party, or thofe hand al- circum- r of the. It event, to thcfe genfon? , we fee income, erwards, finking OF LEWIS XV. finking all his fortune to purchafe the office of Mafter of Requefts ; then pafling on to the poll of Lieutenant of the Police, an employment of little confideration *" j and from thence raifed at once to the higheft dignity of the law, and becoming, in the hierarchy of Adminiftration, the firft perfon in the ftate after the King ! One would not imagine, that a magiftracy of fo inferior a nature, effentially fur- rdunded with the vileft rabble, having the moft im- mediate and continual connexions with the loweft clafs of people, abforbed in a multitude of petty, trifling, and difgufting details, calculated rather to contraft and extinguilh genius, than to unfold ot give birth to it; one would not imagine, I fay, that fuch a magiftracy could poffibly be the fchool in which a great Minifter was formed j and that this ftriking difcovery Ihould foon have been the caufe of choofing perfons indifcriminately from the fame tituation, to place them at the head of the magiftracy, the finances, or the navy. » -.-^.p. The means by which M. d'Argenfon acquired his honours, and obtained the confidence of the Regent, were not lefs fgrprifing, both in their nature and in their contrariety. Qn the one hand, it was the infamous zeal with which the Lieutenant of the Police had ferved thjs Prince in his debaucheries. 37 1717- '.n v»*..-jJ* t .Hi ■<.. ii. • The duties of Lieutenant of the Police, in Paris, were formerly joine4 to thofe of Lieutenant civil. They were fe- par«ted in favqur of M. de la Reynie, to whom fucceeded M. d'Argenfon in 1697. I' " *° ^^^^ ^' ^^ ^* Reynie, who was coming to pay his devoirs to the Firft Prefident du Harlay, that the latter, juft opening his door, faid no more than thefe words, Sa/etf, ckanlinefs, light. A circumftance which proves how in- f^Hpr this poft was at that time, and how much defpifed. 3^ i7»7- THE PRIVATE LIFE either in procuring him the propereft objefts to contribute to his pleafures, or in taking care that thofe pleafures were not difturbed, and that his au- guft perfon ihould always be fecure, in places the moft fufpicious and the moft dangerous j or in fpreading an officious veil over his orgies and his libertinifin, that nothing of this kind might reach the ears of Lewis XIV. On the other hand, it was the hypocritical diexterity with which he had feconded the rage of the Jefuits againft their adver- faries, by encouraging that dreadfuj inquifition which took place towards thp end of the reign of Lewis XIV *. by fetting up a fcrupulpus attention to the reformation of manners, an indefatigable vigi- lance in difcovering crimes, and an inflexible feverity in punifhing them j and by being guilty of num- berlefs cruelties againfl the Janfenitts, with which they reproached him. This, in a word, was the fame man againft whom his numerous enemies had nearly prevailed at the death of Lewis XIV; who was accufed of malver- fation and peculation j whom the Chamber of Juf- tice was going to profecute -f j and whom their Atto/ney General had proclaimed and clafied among the moft criminal and moft contemptible cpntradors. • This inquifition was fucb, that no one dared eat meat upon fifh-days ; and, in order to deceive the fpies of the Police, who were continually roaming about, as it were, to fmell the kitchens, with intention to mark the fcandalizing perfons, thofe who tranf- greffed the precepts, caufed herrings to be broiled under thq required a greater Ihare of confidence than ufual. Never had man perhaps been pofTef- fed of a genius more comprehenfive and more dif- fufe : to penetration he joined folidity, and to ac- tivity a facility of labour. Befide this, his judg- ment was exquifite, and his wit lively j he knew every thing he would give himfelf the trouble to learn. The Regent had the greateft reafon to be fatisfied with having employed fuch a Minifterj he got more ground in a few hours conference with him, than he had hitherto done with all the reft. As he was particularly to take charge of the finan- ces, M. d'Argenfon confecrated whole days, and a great part of the night, to the care of this depart- ti: « ill • The gallows people of the Court. D4 ment. 4Q I7l8. II Feb. THE PRIVATE LIFE ment. He gave audience as early as three o'clock in the morning; but the more he iludied his de-f partment, the more was he fenfible of the impof- fibilitjr of diminifhing the taxes and paying tha debts. Confequently, the four fous f per livre J, that had been taken off at the beginning of the Regency, were renewed j all pofts and offices, created fince 1689, were reduced to four per cent, as much with regard to the original taxes, as to the fuc- ceeding impofitions. At length, to raife the in- come of the fait, one pf the mod certain revenuesi of the kingdom, a number of privileges granted on this objed were retrenched, and the others were reduced. The French, who were not yet accuftom- ed to thefe vexations of the Miniftry, foon curfed the; government they had at firft admired and blefled. But this was only the prelude to greater evils which they were to experience. The firft operation of the Chief of the Council of Finance, had been a treaty with fome rnerchants of St. Malo^ obliging them to furnifh the King with two millions of filver in bars, for which they were p be paid in coin at 33 livres the marc. This fil- ver was deftined to ftrike fome new coin, with which the old coin was to be taken up j and the rate to which the firft coin was raifed, was fo cal- culated, that by receiving four-fifths in filver of the new coin, and one-fifth in paper, the King re- turned only what he had received in fpecific va- lue*: So that this revolution would have been very ufeful^ .-. t,A-i '. M- -») li'-rt '. ■ May. which ordained a general melting down and a con- liderable augmentation of the fpecie. Elated with the right of remonftrating, tl\at had been reftored May 1 71 6, and Auguft 1717. *t An individual brings to the Mint one hundred and twenty- ** five marcs of filver, which make 5000 livres, at the rate of " 40 livres the marc, and zooo livres in bills of date ; he re* •* ceives 7000 livres in new fpecie, which weigh no more than ♦* \i6 marcs of filver : of courfe, he lofes nine marcs upon the ** hundred and twenty-five he has brought, and the whole of his f )>^lsofftatc^i $0 4« THE PRIVATE LIFE 17 1 8. to them, and with the kind of vidtory they had ~^ obtained over the Council of Regency, whofe de- cree, which was unfavourable to the honorary rights of that court *, the Duke of Orleans had. torn; they perfuaded themfelves, that their remonft ranee would be efFeftual, and proceeded accordingly. The public would certainly have given them credit for their zeal, if the ill-temper of the Company, on ac- count of M. d'Agueffcau's exile, had not greatly contributed to excite iti for almoll all the fteps taken by Parliament, even the moft patriotic to ap- pearance, are ever diredled by fome private fpring, which fooner or later manifefts itfelf. However this may be, they began by renewing thofe cele- brated decrees of union, which are employed in times of commotion. They invited the Chamber of Accounts, the Court of Excife, and of the Mint, to fend deputies to concur in the moft efFeftual mea- fures for the public good; and while they were waiting the efFe(5b of thefe invitations, they order- ed, that the body of Bankers and Merchants fhould inceflantly be heard. The Regent, enraged at the oppofition that was preparing, had recourfe to the expedient fo often reforted to fincej he fenc letters de cachet forbidding the courts to hold any deliberation upon the requifitions made, or to be made, by the Parliament. The Parliament, however, was not difcouraged ; and having made fome fruitlefs reprefentations, fet J 8 June, down fome remonftrances in writing, and iflued a provifionary decree, which fqfpended the execution * We (hall fee hereafter wl^tt this decree was> which |>afled in favour of the Dukes. of .-i~ OF LEWIS XV. 43 aoth Junt. of the edid, till it Ihould be the King's pleafure to 1718, judge of it. This decree was annulled by another of the Council of State, to which the Parliament paid no attention : they even refufed to read it, as well as a letter de cachet which the King's Council had left at the office, and gave (till ftronger orders that their own decree Ihould be executed. It be- came neceflary to furround the Court of the Mint with guards, and force prevented the law from tak- ing place. The Regent did not the lefs hear their reiterated complaints. He was alfo obliged to liften to thofe of the other Courts ; and it is upon one of thefe occafions that a remarkable anecdote is re- ported, which proves how much prefence of mind in a man in office is fometimes neceflary to check the infults of authority. One day, the Duke of Orleans, tired with fo many obftacles, gave the Magiftrate who had been fpeaking to him, a bru- tal anfwer, and in a tone of vulgarity, which he fometirnes gave way to in the height of his paf- fipn f. The reprefentative of his Company without f Go and be d — . This is the purport of what we find in the fetitioH of fhe Nobility ^ found among the papers of the Prince of Cellamare. " The Parliament, the only Company in the kingdom that has .** the liberty of fpeaking; this Company, which has been ac- f* knowliedged to have the power of bellowing the Regency, to *' which public pi-pmifess have been given, that the intention was ** only to have the difpenfation of favours, and that all deter- ** minations on affairs (hould be taken by majority of votes ; ** this Company I fay, is not only refufed to be hear'd but de" ** cency forbids us to repeat to your Majejh the terms, equally Jhame" ** ful and injurious, in nvhicl an an/ft1iat King fomc ith in- ationy OF LEWIS XV. dignation, that it belongs to the Peers to decide upon the differences refpeding the fucceffiort to the Crown, and the Regencies j that it is their province to regulate the important affairs of the State*, that they are the natural judges, and chiefs of the No- bility, to whom they are very much fiiperiorj that they form a diftindl and feparate body from themi and that the right of reprcfenting the i;ntient Peers* at the King's coronation, is a prer':j;ati/e only due, after the Princes of the blood, to tlie Peers of France. The Nobility, juftly fhocked at thcA; affei-tlorts, equally injurious and deftitute of foundation, were preparing to expoftulate. Already had fome of .! - ir moft antient, and moft diftinguilhed meml .*rs | , prefented a very flrong petition, wherein they com- plained, that the Peers affedled in feme fort to affimilate themfelves to the Princes of the blood; and intreated the King to order that they fliould henceforward be reftrained to the enjoyment of thofe rights, which the edift of 171 1 acknowledges to belong to them. But this league was diffolved by a decree of council, wherein it vfp". declared, that without any intention to violate the ights, privi- leges, and prerogatives of the Nobility, which Ihould be preferved to them, as b ing that body in which the principal force of t\c ftate confifted, yec an affociation contrary to public order could not be fiiffered J that the Nobility ought neither to ^form themfelves into a body, nor to fign petitions H-^%K^'eoun"t"de Chatillon, Knight of the Order cf the Holy •Gboft; the Marquis of Liflenai, Knight of the Golden Fleece ; ih^.MiUKiois of Conflans; the Counts of LaVal, Mailly, Haute* £u;t, Montmorency, &c. ' Vql. I. . E in 49 1718. 1 ^^^1 • 1 I^^H 1 E! 50 ^i THE PRIVATE LIFE in common, without the exprefs p'lrmifllon of th« King, whole affeflion for them was a ftrongcr claim than all their remonftrances. Thefe ftrangc maxims, which have been fince confidered by the fupporters of Royal authority, as incontcftible, might then have fufFered much contradiftion j but the compliments with which they were accompanied, made them pafs, and the Nobility feemed, by their filence and tranquillity, to approve them. The Parliament had carried matters ftill further : they had publilhed a memorial f, in which, after having ftated their pretenfions, they examined into the origin of moft of the Dukes and Peers, and made . it appear, that their families were modern, and thai they had grafted themfelves upon the antient fa- inilies, whofe names they had aflumed. The perfons moft roughly handled in this memorial, were the Dukes of Luynes, of Noailles, of Gefvres, and of Villeroi. The firft of thefe, according to this pub- lication, is defcended from a haberdalher of Pro- „ vence ; the fecond, from a fteward of the real houfc of Noailles, which gave birth to le Capial de Budes, the famous rival of Bertrand du Guefclin. The two others, among their anceftors, not very remote, reckon two notaries. This laft circumftance was in hd: already known by an anecdote of the Courc of Parliament. At the reception of Marfhal Luxem- bourg in Parliament, there was a difpute upon the fubjefl of precedency between him and the Dukes of Gefvres and Villeroi. The Lawyer, who plcad- t We fliall infert hereafter, among the pieces ferving to illof- trate this hiilory, the Memorial of the Parliament againft the Dukes : It is a very fcarce piece ; never before printed, and which tko Dukes would be glad to deftro/. It will be found under N" IL OF LEWIS XV. cd his caufe, faid merely, *Tis very furprijngy Gen- tlemefij that the defccndants of two notarieSf who have formerly figned the contrail of marriage of Marfhal Luxembourg's great grandfathery fhoiild at this day difpute with him the point of precedency ! He juftified the affertion by producing the contra6t, figned Neuville and Potier. Under fo tempeftuous a Regency, when all par- ties were almoft equally difcontented, and inclined to unite againft the Duke of Orleans, it would have b:?en furprifing if fome confpiracy had not been formed to change the Adminillration, and fupplanc the Chief. But the fingular circumftance is, that the plot came from a Monarch, who was himfelf fcarce feated on a foreign throne, of which his com- petitor confidered him as the ufurper, and who was fo far from attending to the means of fixing him- felf in it, that he was endeavouring to pave the way for his acceffion to another, which he had re- nounced. Such was the fituation of the King of Spain, when the confpiracy of the Prince of Cella- mare, his Ambafiador at the Court of France, was difcovered, and by a fortunate cafualty, prevented. His R. H. had indeed received the firft infor- mations of this from London; but thefe were fo vague, that they only ferved to raife his alarms ; nor was it poflible for M. d'Argenfon, his faithful confidant, notwithftanding all his penetration, to detect a plot carried on with fo much fecrecy. ^very thing was ready for the execution of the projed, which waited only for the laft orders from the Court of Madrid. ,,, Thefe, the Abbe Porto- Carrero, agent of the Prince of Cellamare, was going in queft of: he was riding poft in a chaife, which was overturned near E 2 Poitiers 1718. wm ?i 52 , , T H E P R I V A T E L I F E 17 1 8. Poitiers in pafling a ford : the fear he betrayed, when lie was in danger of lofing his trunk, was fo great, that he expofed his life in attempting to recover it : upon which a fufpicion arofe of it's containing papers of importance. His perfon was immediate- ly lecured, and his trunk difpatched to the Re- gent. It contained all the papers relative to the enrcrprizc. The Prince fliiiddered at the fight of the danger to which he had been expofed. The \ Ambaflador of his Catholic Majcfty, the Duke and Dutchefs Du Maine, the Prince of Dombes, and the Count d'Eu, with their children and principal attendants, were taken up. Several other confpira- tors lied. There were found in the lift, Bifhops, Magiftrates, Lords, and perfons of every ftation ; v. lio have never all been known ; becaufe the Abbe Dubois, in a Council of Regency, having begun to read the names of the confpirators, his R. H. Hop- ped him. He contented himfelf with faying, that one would have been very much furprifed to fee in this lift, the names of thofe perfons whom he had loaded with favours. He carried his magnanimity ib far as to add, that he would fpare them the hu- miliation of facing for pardon, being perfuaded, rliat by this condu6t:, he iliould bring them back their obedience. The Regent gave moreover to fach precilc orders, and took fuch proper meafures, that every thing remained quiet, and that the con- fpiracy was only known^ by what he thought proper to publifii for his own juftification. All the or- ders of the itate haitened to congratulate him, up- on this happy difcovery. llie Cardinal of Noailles was not the laft ; Sir, faid he, / come to offer to your R. H. two fivordsj my family y and my clergy. Upon this, fome facetious perfoa obferved, that one was as ?ed, when fo great, recover ontaining imediate- the Re- e to the the fight fed. The Duke and nbes, and principal confpira- Bifhops, J ftation: the Abbe begun to H. Hop- ing, that to fee in n he had nanimity \ the hu- >erfuaded, em back moreover meafures, the con- ht proper , the or- him, up- ' Noailles >r to your W. Upon one was as OF LEWIS XV. as good as the other. With regard to the troops, the officers were hear'd publicly to declare: As long as the Duke of Orleans Jhall fpeak i-i ihe King's name, we will obey him; if he ffoould fpeak only in his own, we fhould fee what we had to do. It feems, that the principal objeft was to feize upon the perfon of the young King, and that of the Duke of Orleans, under a pretence, that his Ma- jcfty's life was not in fafety, while he was at the difpofal of a Prince, interefted in fliortening his days, and capable of doing it j after this, the feve- Val ftates of the kingdom were to be convoked in his Majefty's name, in order that they might re- peal all that had been done fince the death of Lewis XIV. efpecially the annulling of his will, and the treaties of the triple and quadruple alliances *, which were too repugnant to the interefts of Spain \. But there was another article (till more myfterious, which would not have been difclofed *till after the event : this was, in cafe of the death of Lewis XV, or of the extinction of his line, that the houfe of Orleans fhould be excluded from the fuccefllon to the Crown, which fhould devolve to one of the chil- dren of his Catholic Majefty ; and, to render, in Ibme fort, the whole nation an accomplice of this great revolution, their complaints were to be attendf^d to, and a promife was made to re-eflablifh the coin • Yet Holland did not accede to this treaty between France, the Emperor, and England, 'till the ifth of February 1719. fBy this treaty, however, the Emperor confented to renounce, as well for himfelf as his fucceflbrs, all his titles and rights over S in ; but, on the other hand, other renunciations were llipu- '-''•d on the part of Spain, which were not fuitable to that king- ,v* , E 3 upon -< ^ -; w xoPec. 54 THE PRIVATE LIFE 17 1 S, upon it's antient footing j to deftroy the Bank, or to circumfcribe it within it's firft limits j and, in a word, to redrefs every grievance. ..r.-itOM The confinement of a foreigner, invefted with a charafter fo facred as that of an Ambaffador, was too great an encroachment upon political order, not to require from the Court of France an explanation with all other Powers. The Regent, in order to wipe off every idea of mifcondud:, publilhed two letters of the Prince of Cellamare : he alfo printed two plans of letters from the King of Spain to the King i a manifefbo to be addreffed to the States of the kingdom, capable of exciting an infurrcftion among them ; a petition, fuppofed to be prefented by them to his Catholic Majefty ; and fome other papers of equal importance. Befides, though the Regent affected much contempt for thefe writings, conceived in darknefs, and bearing no ftamp of authenticity, yet he difdained not to anfwer them, in an apology he wrote of his condudt, under the title of Letters of Filtz - Moritz, in which hi* rights were explained. Thefe letters were foon followed by a n^anifefto, and a declaration of war. This declaration feemed unavoidable j for nearly at the fame time that the Prince of Cella- mare was taken into cuftody in France, the Court of Spain, without knowing this circumftance, and from a different motive, had fignified to the Duke of Saint Aignan, Ambaflador from his Moft Chriftian Majefly, to quit Madrid in four- and- twenty hours. A prognoflic which this Minifter made, concerning a will jufl fettled by his Catholic Majefty in his ill- nefs, was reported to be the caufe of his difgrace. He faid in jeft, that this will might pofiibly be no better 1719. * January :i: )■ ink, or to ind> in a d with a ■, was too r, not to planation order to fhed two > printed n to the States of "urreftion prefented me other Dugh the writings, lamp of ^er them, nder the hich hi* ere foon ation of ble i for )f Cella- le Court nee, and Duke of I^hriftian y hours. Iicerning his ill- difgrace. be no better O F L E W I S XV. better executed than that of Lewis XIV. inafmuch as it left the Regency to the Queen, and to Cardinal Alberoni. We Ihall not enter into a detail of this war, which lafted a year*, and the refult of which was, to affemble a Congrefs at Cambray to terminate all the differences. We Ihall only obferve, that this Con- grefs did not take place till four years after j that it lafted fifteen months, and that the fole refult of the conferences of fo many great politicians afTem- bled, was the regulation of the ceremonial fettled between the Minifters, in conformity to the plan fixed at the Congrefs of Utrecht. The difgrace of Cardinal Alberoni was the con- firmation of peace. This ambitious prieft, raifed from the fituation of a very obfcure private man, to that of a Minifter, and from a fimple redor, become a Prince of the church, of an extenfive, rcftkfs, and ardent genius, had formed the incredible defign of raifing Spain all at once from the exhaufted ftate • The accefiion of the Xing of Spain to the treaty of the qua- druple alliance, was figned at the Hague, by the Marquis of Beretti-Landii his Minifter, on the 17th of February i-jze. He feemed to yield to the folicitations of Holland, which had herfelf eluded the fulfilling of the conditions of the treaty, by not joining her troops to thofe of the other contrafting powers. It was on oc- cafion of this prudent and adroit temporizing of their High'Migh^ tinefles, that this Ambafladorcaufed a medal to be flruck, which was thought very ingenious. On one fide, there was a car with three wheels, in which were feen the heralds of Auftria, of Orleans, and of England, all three ftretching forth their hands to Holland, who was feated on her lion, and held in one hand the fymbol of liberty, and in another the fourth wheel, which (he conftantly re* fufed joining to the other three. The following words were obT /erved upon it : Sijiit ad hoc quarta deficiente rota. On the re- verfe were thefe words : Feedus quadruplex imperfeilum, Repuhlica J^fttavafurtiter frudenterque cutt£iante, E 4 to 55 1719. 1719. s6 March, 1740. I THE PRIVATE LIFE to which it had been reduced by the war for the fucceffion i to give a new fpring to the degenerated nation j to render Philip V. a conqueror, and to make him fignalize himlclf as the firft Prince in Europe. His defigns were no lefs than to re-unite the ftates of Italy to thofe of his mafter i by this, to lower the Emperor and to circumfcribe his power ; and further, to prevent France and England from furnifhingthe Emperorwiththe afliftanceftipulatedby the treaty of the quadruple alliance, he had conceived the idea of caufing a diverfion in the firft of thcfe kingdoms, by the confpiracy above-mentioned, and in the fccond, by fending the Pretender Tnrott, Undoubtedly, had he fucceeded in kis projeft, the world would not have failed to l^ave ••anked him among the ableft politicians j he Would have been the Richelieu of Spain : but he failed, and there- fore was confidered only as a rafh, blundering, fu- perficial contriver of a faflion, without any talents of combination. He fell a facrifice, and was him- felf ajmoft the only vidtim of tke numerous in- trigues, plots, and commotions, with which he intended to difturb the tranquillity of Europe. It was only in Brittany, that four gentlemen forfeited their lives for having too lightly entered into the views of the Cardinal. In one of thefe, named = Poncalec, was obferved, that fatality, which feems to • impel us againft oi^r wills to our deftiny. Thirty- ' three of the confpirators, all men of falhion, had : made their efcape : this one, already on board the Spanifti vefiTel, was terrified at the fea, made the failors bring him back to fhore, was taken, and ^ meanly betrayed his accomplices.,, ^^,,,,,.,,x i ,! .. OF LEWIS XV. 57 for the neratcd and to ■ince in re-unite this, to power i id from lated by inceived of thefe ed, and imo it, eft, the :ed him ;^e been 1 therc- fng> fu- talents as him* ous in- lich he DC. It orfeited tito the named ems to rhirty- n, had rd the de the Bn« and , • » Vmon^ Among a different people, and in another age, 17^9* Rich a confpiracy would have produced much blood- fhed, and would particularly have been the caufe of many tortures, to difcover even the fmalleft traces of it. The philofophic mind of the Regent infpired him with the idea, that clemency would be more advantageous to him than rigour *. This principle, which was very prudent upon this occafion, but which is often weaknefs in other inftances, became the fole maxim of the reign of Lewis XV. in which, by an aftonilhing contrail, the moft abfolute defpo- tifm was combined with the moft difgufting im- punity. Befides, the epidemic delirium which had then feized upon the minds of all perfons, prevented this event from exciting even the fenfations that it ought to have done j for it was no more the topic of converiiition than any ordinary piece of news. War and peace were then fubjedls equally unin- terefting. The people were in the height of that fyftem, which it is time to explain, as furnifhing an epocha of a ri»^ular nature, and of which the annals of the monarchy do not furnifh one fimilar inftance. Let us examine fucceffively who was the author, and what was the defign of it j the means that were em- ployed in it, and the reTult of them. * An anecdote is related of the Regent upon this occafion, which prefents us with the piftwre of his mind : — " The Chevalier -' de Meniiles, who had been involved in the confpiracy of ** Spain, was thrown into prifon : but the only crime alledged '* againfl: him was, the not having betrayed thofe who had in- f trufted him with the fecrqt. A Marquis of Menilles, of an- f' other family^ went to the Duke of Orleans, to aflure him that ?' the Chevalier was neither a relation nor a friend of his. So f* much the nuorft for yout replied the Regent, the Chevalier dt V Mtinilles is a very galhnt Gen(/eman,^' John |i ?j i S% THE PRIVATE LIFE 1719. John Law was a Scotchman, the fon of a gold- fmith of Edinburgh. Never did man pofTefs, in fo perfedt a degree, the power of calculating and combining; and he cultivated thefe talents, by fol- lowing the bent of his inclination. He applied himfelf to every thing that related to Banks, lot- teries, and to the trading companies of London ; he ftudied the means of fupporting them, of ani- mating the hopes and confidence of the public, by keeping up their expcftations, or by increafing their zeal. He penetrated into the inmoft fecrets of thefe matters j and increafed his ftock of knowledge ftill more, from the new Company, eftablilhed by Har- ley Earl of Oxford, for paying off the national debt, Having afterwards obtained the employment of Secretary to fome Agent of the Refident's in Holland, he made himlclf acquainted upon the fpot with the famous Bank of Amflerdam j with it's capital, it's produce, it's refources; with the demands in- dividuals had upon it j with it's variations, it's in- tereftj with the mode of lowering or raifing it*s ilock, in order to withdraw the capital, that it might be diftributed and circulated ; with the order that Bank obferved in it's accounts and in it's offices ; and even with it's expenditures and it's form of admini- ftration, By dint of refleding upon the information he had acquired, and of combining fo many different ideas, he formed a fyftem which was admirable for it's order, and the concatenation of the various operations which conftituted it : a fyftem founded . at leaft as much upon the knowledge of the human heart, as upon the fcience of numbers j but from which good faith, equity, and humanity were totally banilhed, to make way for perfidy, injuftice, viplence. ■'r e for rious mded iiman from )tally ence, an4 OF LEWIS XV. and cruelty. And indeed the author of it was himfeif an unprincipled wretch, bound by no ties of morality or religion. Having flain or murdered a man, he was obliged to fly from Great Britain ; he brought away with him another man's wife, with whom he lived many years as if fhe had been his own. His avidity was infatiable, and it was to gra- tify this paflion, that all his extenfive combinations were made to concur. In that exhaufted ftate towhich the war had reduced all the European powers, lie forefaw that they would neceflarily endeavour to re- eltablifh their finances, and he conceived greater hopes of fucceeding than ever, by the allurement of his fyftem, which was calculated to feduce any power that would not fcruple to prefer the fpeedieft method of exonerating itfelf, to that which was moft honeft. The objedl of his plan, therefore, was neither trade nor the facility of levying taxes with^ out diminilhing them, nor the retrenchment of ex- pences, nor the cultivation of the foil, nor the con-* fumption of provifions, nor even the circulation of the fpecie. He had built up his fyftem with a view that a Sovereign fhould pay his debts, not only without encroaching upon his profufion or his lux- ury, but alfo by attradbing to himfeif all the gold and filver of his fubjeds j and fuch was to be the illufion, that the fubjeds fhould give it up volun** tarily j nay more, fhould be eager to bring it in, (hould infift upon it's being received, fhould con* fider it as a favour to be preferred ; and that when they were rouzed from this dream, if they fhould iind themfelves bereft of their property, they fhould not be able to lay the blame on any thing but their own avidity, A projedl of a moft alarming nature to 5^ 17 1 9. i|i t *■ 6o THE PRIVATE LIFE 1719. to the human mind, and which every other man, ' except this daring genius, would have rejeded as a chimera, if it had fuggefted itfelf to him ! * "• This fyftem confided of a Bank, the real capital of which was to be the revenues of the ftate, and the accruing capital, fome unknown kind of commerce. This benefit being calculated to keep pace with the imagination in it's increafc, was to be a wonderful fpur to thofe gamefl:ers who wifiied to partake of it, by means of fhares which were to be made out fuc- ceflivcly, in proportion to the eagernefs of the par- ties, !':i'/iu-,'. ■;.;;' ; v.^au ■■■.;? s «■'•?..'::>■* Thefe fhares, in fa6l:, which were at firft: few in number, could not fail of rifing to an enormous price, on account of their fcarcity, and the rapidity of the circulation ; this would not only facilitate, but even neceflitate the making of other Ihares, and at an advanced premium. v .• ♦: !:- • »?f/r r . ?> This new paper, bringing the old into difcredit, would furnifli an excellent mode of diftributing it ; becaufe the old paper would be received at par, but always with a certain proportion of money. 52./^?' In order to engage perfons to get rid of this old paper, the value of it was to be made uncertain by frequent fluftuations j thus the poflTeflxDrs of it would be apprchenfive that it might become of no value in their hands : when it fliould be raifed, one would readily convert it into fhares, to fecure the advantage i and when it fhould be lowered, one would fear that it fhould become lower ftill. »^.* The Bank, on the contrary, were to make all their payments in bills, whofe value being invariable, would keep up the confidence in them, and would • '■:> vv ^ "- • r;. V ti ■ il i'j\ny^ij'ii, „. render I OF LEWIS XV. 4% old by ould alue one the one render them more negotiable, and preferable to fpecie. The difcredit brought upon money would lower the intereft of it, and the Prince was to avail him- felf of this reduftion to make his loans, and thus difcharge part of his debts, without any difburfc- ment ; for the individuals, not knowing what to do with it, would bring it back to him. If the individuals wifhed to lay out their money in more folid acquifitions, lands, provifions, and merchandize would increafe, and confequently fo would the receipt of the taxes and the cuftoms. This phantom of fortune dazzling the eyes of every one, the feveral clafles of citizens, in their ea- gernefsfor partaking of if, would intereft themfelves in the keeping up of the Bank fo much the more; as a number of individuals either more fortunate or more dexterous* neceflTarily making enormous pro- fits, would excite the general cupidity, nearly in the fame manner as the higheft prize in a lottery, keeps up the hopes of the adventurers, of whom the greater part muft nevcrthelefs be lofers. Now, what fort of competition would there not be in this inftance, where every one would be certain of win- ning, by increafing the dividends a propos ? ;v n;; Let this illufion be kept up only for a few years, and the Sovereign will have paid off all his debts, and will have drawn into his coffers, the greateft part of the fpecie of his own, and even of other kingdoms. Such were the axioms and the corollaries of Law's fyftem : an infernil theory, deduced certainly from fafls, and which he had never ventured to con- fider coolly in all it's horror : let us lay more, a theory 17 1 9. i Bf THE PRIVATE LIFE 17 1 9. theory that was not even to be conceived j but the """""^ Regent and he, hurried away, in fpite of themfclves, by the rapid motion of this political machine, were obliged to yield to it's impiilfe, 'till it broke to pieces by it's own efforts. ' ••*• ^ - '• J However this may be, the author of this plan, whether more or lefs digefted with refpeft to it's confequences, perceiving that it could not be car- ried into execution in any (late, except where the Sovereign enjoyed abfolutc authority, confidered France as the kingdom moft fit for his defign. Bc- fides, he knew the people ; that they were fond of novelty, that they adopted it without confideration, and gave themfclves up to it with a kind of frenzy. It has been aflerted, that he firft propofed his fyf- tem to Lewis XIV. who, notwithftanding his being in want of fuch a fcheme, upon the bare expofition of it, reje6led it with a kind of abhorrence. The author was not difconcerted, but produced it again to the Duke of Orleans. That Prince, more deter- mined, more enterprizing, and certainly lefs fcru- pulous, confidered it as very ufeful to his views j he was moreover prefled by circumft:ances j he wifhed to avail himfelf of the fiiort time he had to govern, to remedy the evils of the fl:ate, which required a neceflary crifis. He therefore adopted this fyftemj he would not allow himfelf to think of the violent y convulfion into which he was going to throw the .; Itate, and flattered himfelf, that his genius would j--; be able to put a Hop to it's efi^eds, whenever they w Ihould become too fatal. Neverthelefs, as he was li> not the abfolute mafter, and that he was obliged to it acl with a great deal of caution, he adopted it only I' fiowly, and by degrees. , „ • : ! , 1 •- Alt OF LEWIS XV. 17 1 9. At firft he contented himfelf with permitting Law to cftablifli a Bank, in order to accuftom the people by degrees to fuch a title, and to fuch an eilablifh- nient. It was prefented under an appearance of public utility, and it would really have been attend- ed with very great advantages, if it had been con- fined to the fundlions fpecified in the edict which fet it on foot. The year following, in order to give this Bank a credit, which was to be anfwerable to the more ex- tenfive undertakings it was to embrace, a decree of Council was iflued, which ordered all thofe who 10 April, had the management of the Royal treafure, to re- *'^*'* ceive and even to dilcharge the bills without dif- count. By this decree, full of artifice, under the appearance of fimplicity, the Bank was made the repofitary of all the revenues of the King. This was the firft ftcp towards that ideal fortune it was to make: it immediately fixed the intereft at kvcn and an half per cent. Some time after, a trading Company was created, under the title of the Wejierji or MiJJiJfipi Company. It's objeft was the planting and culture of the French colonies of Nortli America. The King gave to this Company all the lands of Louifiana, and permitted French, as well as foreigners, to be concerned it, by taking fhares of it, part of the value of which might be furnifhed in bills offtate, which loft from fifty to fixty per cent upon the fpot. How was it poftible to refift fuch a bait, more cfpecially as the country was reprefented as a Peru, more fertile in gold than that of the Spaniards ! Even the Parliament was taken in, and made no g icruplc I Anguft and De- cember, 1717. «4 1719. 4 Decem- ber. n THE PRIVATE LIFE fcruple of regiftering. They yet faw nothing in this, but what might be ufeful to the ftate. In 17 1 8, the Bank made further advances. It was announced under the title of Bank Royal, by a de- claration of his Majefty, which fignified, that the King had reimburfed in money the capitals of thofe perfons who had fhares in the Bank, which they had jnly paid in bills of ftate, and that thefe ca- pitals had been converted into fliarer of the Weftern Company j and in a word, that the King was be- come fole proprietor of all the Ihares of the Bank. Mr. Law was appointed Director to it, under the authority of his Majefty and the orders of the Re- gent. Three things were the refult of this declaration: one, that the Monarch, being thus transformed in- to an univerfal Banker of his kingdom, the whole French nation, the firft Lords and Princes, who are ever the apes of their mafter, were not afhamed to ex- ercife the fame trade, fo that they all became Finan- ciers, Brokers, and Ufurers. The fecond refult was, that the public, aftoniflied that the King fliould buy up thefe ftiares of the Bank at 500 livres * in fpecie, when they had originally coft no more than 500 livres in bills of the ftate — that is to fay, reck- oning the difcredit of thefe bills, about 170 livres f, in real value — conceived a very high opinion of them, and contended zealoufly to obtain them. The laft refult was, that the (hares of the Wef- tern Company, be'ng preferred by the Clerks of the Bank to the reimburfement of them in fpecie, * Upwards of twenty pounds, t About fcvcn pounds. ' '. were JCV^lCj were OF LEWIS XV* Were reckoned an excellent acquifition, (o that the rife of them, kept pace with that of the fhares of the fiank. ' The Parliannent, lince the laft Bed of Juflice, had opened their eyes, and interfered no more in mat- ters of finance. At another time, the want of the legal form of regiftering in this Court, would have alarmed the Parifians ; but fuch was now the de- lirium, that they faw nothing but the phantom of fortune which deluded them, and which was rea- lized to their eyes. This enthufiafm foon reached the provinces, and, to gratify the eagernefs of the people, private offices of the Bank were eftablifli- ed by decree of Council in the cities of Lyons, la Rochelle, Tours, Orleans, and Amiens. The Mi- niftry did not dare to eftablifh any in the cities that had Parliaments, becaufe they forefaw that thofe companies would oppofe them. Other cities were fufpedled of oppofition, and as thofe cities did not feem to care about the matter, the Miniftry were fearful of dilTatisfying them, and of occafioning on their part, an expoftulauon which might diffipate the general illufion. Lifle, Marfell]«^s, Nantz, Saint Malo, and Bayonne, were diftinguifhed by this pru- dent exclufion. The fame decree of Council forbad the making of any payment in money above the fum of 600 livres J, and by a claufe which reftrained commerce even in its detail, and charafterifed the littlenefs of the views and means of the legiflature, the bafe coin and copper money were not to be given or received in the markets above fix livres §, unlefs t Twenty-five pounds. § Five fhillings. Vol. L F it 6s 1719. Dee. 1718. 47 66 171$. 12 April. J719. a I Dec. Decree of •S3 Sep- tember. THE PRIVATE LIFE It was to make up odd money. The evident defign of this arrangement was to render the Bank bills more necefTary, and thus to inforce the circulation and multiplication of them. In efFeft, an order was foon iflued to make but one hundred million of Bank bills. The/e, faid the decree of Council, cannot be fubje£i to any diminution, as the fpecie is j inafmuch as the circulation of the Bank bills is more ufeful to the fubjeSls of his Majefiy, than that of the fpecie of gold andftlver, and that they de- ferve a particular proteSiion, in preference to the coin made of materials brought from foreign countries. A few months after, there appeared prohibi- tions to make payments above ten livres * in filver, and three hundred livres f in gold. Thus gold and filver being debafed by thefe fuccefllve and de- clared diminutions, were in fome fort profcribed and thrown out of commerce by this decree. People were therefore obliged to carry their l^^eclc- to the Bank, and to exchange it for paper. They ran there in crowds, conjuring and imploring the Clerks to receive their fpecie, and thinking themfelves happy when they fucceeded. Upon which, a merry fellow wittily called out to thofe who were the mod forward j Don't be afraid. Gentlemen, that your money fhould remain on your hands, iC fhall all be taken from you. Some individuals then let up this trade, they were fubllitutes to the Bank, and as every body would abfolutely have bills, and that there was an apprehenfion of their failing, they pre- ferred, for expedition fake, lofing three or four per * Between eight and nine flilllings, t Twelve pounds ten (hillings. cent. OF LEWIS XV. 67 1719. cent, of their money. In a word, the fame method was praftifed with regard to money, as with a bi.U of Exchange : it was difcounted. So many treafures poured into this public depot, fhould have rendered it inexhauftible. Neverthelcfs, the Bank was drained: there were, as the Regent call- ed them, fome obftinatesy that is to fay, perfons who could not perfuade themfelves, that paper was of greater value than money, and who were continually realizing the former. In order to deceive thefe peo- ple, the intereft of money was reduced to three and a half, two and a half, and two per cent i the coin was kept in continual vari^*tion, fometimes diminilhing fometimes increafing it, by a multitude of decrees, ' which contradicted themfelves, as well in their de- tail, as in the caufes exprefled in their preambles. And this delirium of the legiflation produced the defired efFeft, for it fo effedually overturned every principle, fo darkened the underftanding^ and fo changed all the notions of things, that the people, not knowing what to adhere to, gave way to the impulfes of the government. It was in the height of this general anxiety, that the Regent completed the abufe of his authority by a monftrous violence, which will undoubtedly place him among the principal tyrp.nts who have been moft expert in political tortures. The frenzy was carried fo far, that a decree of Council was iiTued, 47 Feb, forbiding every perfon, and even every community, cither Secular or religious, to keep by them, more than 5Q0 livres * in fpecie. The motive adduced for this barbarity, was a fuppofition, that there w£rc ill' 1720, cent. * Near tweaty-one pounds. twelve 68 THEPRIVATELIFE T72C)« twelve hundred millions f of fpecie in ' ° king- dom, in ftagnation, from the avidity ui perfons who having made great fortunes, accumulated and hoarded up without intermiffion. The punifh- ment was not death, as Law would have had ir, but, befide a heavy fine, the fums found were con- fifcated : — informers were encouraged by being pro- mii'ed a third of the confifcation, and the mofl odious refearches were authorized, by injoining the feveral officers of juftice to fearch wherever the Directors of the Bank fliould require them. At length, the ufe ^f money was flill more reftrained, by forbidding that any payment fliould be made, above a hundred livres J, except in paper. It muft be acknowledged, however, that the Duke of Orleans was not cruel 5 his intention was to frighten, rather than to torment. In order to fuc- ceed the better, the farce was played, according to his orders, by fome trufly perfons, who were to let themfelves be furprized in delinquency againft the decree. They were proceeded againft, im- prifoned, and rewarded in fecret for their conni- vance. Thefe examples did indeed intimidate. The DupeSj for fo they were called at the palace, where the graved: matters are treated with bons ' motSy haftened to obey ; all the money in depofit with the notaries, in trufts, or in other public places, was converted into paper. The Courtiers, ever flaves to the will of their mafter, gave way to that of their Sovereign without murmuring, and thofe who were not well with the Regent, dread- ing his refentment, conformed to it alfo. The f Fifty ir.illions fterling. I Above four pounds. Chancellor OF LEWIS XV. Chancellor Pontchartrain, who was then retired from public employment, fent 57>ooo louis d'or to the Bank, valued then at 72 livres * each. This capture diverted as much his R. H. as the condudl of another magiftrate muft have chagrined him. The Prefident Lambert de Vernon, went to the Duke of Orleans, and told him that he came to name a man to him who had 500,000 livres f in gold. His R. H. ftarted back with furprize and horror, crying out with his ufual ftrength of ex- prefTion : Oh I Mr. 'Prefident, what a r y fort of a trade have you taken upon you there? the Prefident re- plied; Sir, I do nothing more than obey the law, and it is that which you indire5lly treat with fuch an appel- lation. As for the reft, your R. II. need 7iot he alarmed, and may do me moreju/iice : It is myfelf I come to inform agaitijly in the hope of having the liberty to keep at leaji a part of this fuvti , which I prefer to all the bills of the Bank. The more noble and firm condud of the Firft Prefident of the Chamber of Accounts, will certainly be much more admired. He anfwered, to thofe who came to fearch him : " I declare to you that 1 have *^ 500,000 livres |1 in gold ; they are for the fervice of " the King, and I have no account to give of them " but to his Majefty, when he fhall be of age." Neverthelefs thefe vexations and this tyranny would not have produced the defired efi^ed, if a vent had not been found for this paper, with which France was deluged, by converting it into another of a more fpecious nature ; this v/as, the fhaFes in the Weftern Company, the profits of which were to increafe d^ily, by the affiftances that were given to it. This Company had acquvpJ in 17 18 the charter • About three pounds. f Near twenty^one thoufand pound*. ii Near twenty-one thoufand pounda* F 3 and 69 1720, ^ ,: it «, i f ■I. !,. ' r 70 1720 THE PRIVATE LIFE and the effefts of the Senegal Company, together with their Negro trade j the charter of the Chinefe and Eaft-India Companies were afterwards annexed to it, and all the territories, iflands, forts, magazines, dwel- lings, ammunition, and fliips, that had belonged to the Eaft-India Company, were transferred to it. It had been appointed and entitled the India Company, The revenues of the tobacco had been farmed out to it . the King had ceded to it the profits upon the coin ; the leafe of the Farmers-general had been an- i>ui'ed in it's favour, and the offices of Receivers- ^^infai of the finance had been fupprefled. In a •'vord, at the laft meeting *, the Company had been ih^'wn a mafs of 120 millions f of profit, allotting 40 vtx cent, as the dividend of each fhare for the following year. Then it was that no fcruple was made cf difcovering that the origin of this Company v/as in common with that of the Bank, by blending together thefe two monftrous productions of the fame father; ' of that fame Mr. Law, who had juft been appointed Jan. Comptroller-General of Finance. He had firft re- nounced his religion, at the perfuafion of TAbbe Tencin ; a circumftance which gave occaiion to the. following epigram : Tencin, a curfe or thy feraphic zeal, Which by perfuafi /i hath contriv'd the means. To make the Scot iman at ou' aiars kneel. Since which, we al' re por as Capucines J. • This meeting was held on the 30th of December, 1719. The manufcript account of tl is feffion is a curious piece, which, by reafon of it's length, we are obliged to put at the end. It; will be found under No. III. f Five millions fterling. X Foin de ton zele Seraphique, Malheureux Abbe de Tencin ; • Depuis que Law eft Catholique, Tout le Royaame eft Capucin \ This. ■ + i':- OF LEWIS XV. This jeft, which was but too true, did not prevent the general frenzy of brokerage from rifing to fuch a pitch, that at the time of the union of the two Companies, the India Company had produced fix hundred thauiandfhares, amounting to 1,677,500,000 livres * of original capital, the gaming in which raifed the prices fo exceflively high, that the mafs of them is confidercd by an able calculator f , as repre- fenting as much as fix thoufand millions :{: in Ipecu- lation. In thefe times of crifis, there are always people dexterous enough to profit by the folly of others, and thefe are the perfons who contribute wonder- fully to excite the general emulation. Little atten- tion is paid to the numbers that are ruined, and at whofe expence thefe prodigious fortunes are made ; or w* attribute their loflfes to themfelves j tofoolifh- nefs, ignorance, or mifcondud. We Ihall fay nothing of Law's profits : being at the head of the Bank, that is, dcpoiitary of all the money^in the kingdom, he was capable J* enriching himfelf by the fhorteft and fureft method. At his firft fetting out, he had bought of the Count d'Evrcux, the county of Tan- carville, in Normandy, for 8co,ooo livres §. He had offjnd the Prince of Carignan, 1,400,000 livres i for the Hotel de SoiflTonsi to the Marchionefs dcBeuvron, 500,000 livres ** for her eftate at Lill^- • Near fc ^nty millions fterling. f M. Necker, in his J^fiuer to VAbhe Mcrellet.m lyS"^, con- cer'.irg the Abbe's Memorial againjl the India Company, % Two hundred and fifty millions fterling. § Between thirty and forty thoufand poun ' t, li Between fifty-eight and fifty- nine thoufand pounds. ♦• Near ;wenty-Qn$ thoufand pounds. ' F 4 toanc i It 1720. i! «■ ll i ' i . i:l t ¥\ 72 THEPRIVATELIFE 1720. bonne } and to the Duke of Sully, 1,700,000 livres*, for his Marquifate of Rofny. The height of impu- dence was, that he wanted to afcribe the rapidity of this enormous opulence to the goodnefs of his fyftem j and the height of flupidity, is, that people fhould believe, and attempt to imitate him. The Regent endeavoured to confirm the truth of this by immenfe liberalities, which he afcrlbed to the fame caufe. He gave one million f to the Hotel- Dieu, as much to the Hofpital-general, and as much to the Foundlings. He employed 1,500,000 livres J to pay the debts of feveral prifoners: the Marquis of Noce, the Count de la Mothe, and the Count de Roie, received each a gratification of 1 00,000 livres § in fhares. A ftroke of politics, which had not lefs it's effect, and reflored one hundred fold to the Sank. Among the Princes of the blood, the Duke of Bourbon profited the moft fortunately by the fhares that Law had given them for their fupport. That Prince bought up all the land he could find fuitable to him : he caufed Chantilly to be rebuilt with royal magnificence j he eftablifhed a menagerie there, which was incomparably better flocked than the King's : he imported from England, at one time, 150 race-horfes, each of which, at the rate money was then at in France, cofl from 15 to 1800 livres I|. At lafl, to pay his court to the Regent, who was paffionately fond of his daughter, the Dutchefs of Berry, he gave that Hrincefs, who was eager after pleafure, a fuperb feflival, which lafted • Between feventy and eighty thoufand pounds. •f Above forty thoufand pounds. X Sixty-two thoufand five hundred pounds. § Above four thoufand pounds. II From fixty to eighty pounds on an average* foi m( four OF LEWIS XV. n four or five days, and coll an immenfe fum of 1720. money. Amongft individuals, it feems as if chance had been particularly favourable to obfcure perfons. A certain widow of Namur, named Caumont, was much the topic of converfation, who had fupplied the army with tents and other merchandife of the fame kind. By fome lucky revolutions of fortune, fhe got into her hands to the amount of 70 millions* of Bank bills. The Memoirs of the Regency make men- tion of a hump-backed man f, who acquired in the courfe of a few days 1 50,000 livres J, for having lent his hump by way of a writing defk for the brokers. Footmen were frequently obferved in their mafters carriages, who had been feen behind them the day before. Thefe fame Memoirs fpeak of a perfon, whofe change of condition was fo rapid, that he was going to refume his former poft, if he had not been apprized of the miftake j of another, who having had a quarrel in his carriage, and being obliged to get out of it to fight, cried out : Gentlemen of the livery y come to my ajftjiance ! and of a third, who having ordered an equipage for himfelf, and being alked what arms he would have put upon it : an- fwered, thefineji. . ■ It was in the ftreet called Quincampoix, that the negotiation of the fhares was carried on, there being • Near three millions fterllng. ' • •f- The fame thing happened to a certain M. de Nanthia, who was not deformed, but ufed to lend his back for a writing-deOc. This is a faft well known in the family of M, Amelot, at prefent minifter, whofe Welch uncle this M. de Nanthia was. It is from the family itfelf that we have the anecdote. X Six thoufand two hundred ^nd fifty pounds, yet 1 "% 4 74 THEPRIVATELIFE 1720. yet no exchange. Fortunate were thofe who ha4 ' houfes in this ftreet ! A room was let as high as ten livres * per day. But the great croud had no oc- cafion for a dwelling there. By break of day the pafTage of this narrow ftreet was chos^ked up with gamefters : whofe luadnefs continued increafing the whole day. In the evening a bell was rung, and they were obliged to be driven away by force. There was at the time a caricature print engraved, which, under a grofs, but juft allegory, gives a very natural pifture of the ravages occafioned by this epidemical frenzy. It is ftill preferved by the connoifleurs as a precious monument of hiftory. It is entitled : A true portrait of the Lord ^incampoix. Accordingly we fee in the center of the print the reprefentation of that Lord's head, with this device : Aut dtfar, aut Nihil. Over it is placed a crown of peacock's fea^- thers and thillles, which is offered to him by Folhy with this other infcription : / am the laughing-Jiock of the wife and tbefoolifh. Under the portrait a kettle is feen fmoking, which a devil is heating with paper. A, broker is throwing by handfuls into the cauldron his gold and filver, which melting, produces nothing but new paper. A figure of Defpair, placed behind this unfortunate man, fecms waiting to lay hold of him at the conclufion of this operation f , Such was the fituation of almoft the whole king- dom of France, where the contagion had quickly fpread from one to another, in fuch a manner as to ^ Eight fhillings and four pence. f We refer our readers to the colleftion of pieces fcrving ta illnftrate this hiftory, for a fatire in verfe, containing the ex- planation of and commentary upon this allegorical pidture, aa4 all its accompaniments^ It is placed under N"^ IV* : afF^cl: OF LEWIS XV. 75 affeft pcrfons of the beft underftandings : this is 1720. evidently proved by the anecdote of De la Mothe, and of the Abbe Terraflbn. Thcfe two wife nnen, (for the firfl, though a poet, was ftill more a philo- fopher) fo famous for their exquifite fenfe, for their logical accuracy, and for the depth of their reafoning, were converfing one evening upon thefoUy of the day, and laughing at it. Some time after, they met face to face in the Quincampoix-ftreet. Being at firfl: afhamed, they were defirous of avoiding each other : but at length, having nothing to reproach themfelvcs with, they agreed, that a man ought never to fwear againft his doing any one thing j and that there was no fort of extravagance of which man was not capable ; after which, they each of them went their v/ay to make the beft bargain they could for themfclves. The moft dreadful event of this infernal ftreet, was the melancholy cataftrophe of Count Hoorn. This young Flemifli Nobleman, only twenty-two or twenty- three years of age, excited by the Demon of cu- pidity, was urged on to murder a merchant, whom he drew into a public-houfc, in order to rob him of his pocket-book. It was in open day : he was fooa taken up, and broken alive upon the wheel, though allied to feveral fovereign houfes, and related even to the Regent himfelf. That Prince, who knew the rigorous duties of juftice, would not fuffer himfelf to be moved by this confideration. He anfwered in energetic terms : JVhen I have got bad bloody I have it let out *. * It is added, that the neareft relations of Count Hoorn, hav- ing folicited that the nature of his puniihment might at leaft be changed, that the infamy of it might not fall upon them, the Regent replied : It luiJl not he his punijbment, but the crime Vihich brought him to iff thst ivill iijhonour your family. Tbt I 3> It' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. ^ >*4 1.0 1.1 ■25 ■ 2.2 lU 140 I 2.0 IL25 on 1.4 I 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) •72-4503 v •s? \ :\ 4^°Vl *^ '^<^ '\%<^ ^^' ^ 76 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. The balance between this paper and the fpecie of France being once deftroyed, by the too great pro- fufion of the former, which fome perfons eftimate as high as fix thoufand millions *, not only the funds of the Company became infufficient to keep up fo enor- Rious a credit, but the fum likewifc exceeded by more than two-thirds the whole fpecie and mafs of gold and filver that might then be in the kingdom. In vain were all forts of ftratagems devifed to fupport this Bank, fo far as even to publifli a declaration for- ji March, bidding all the King's fubjeds, or foreigners refiding in the kingdom, all communities and other bodies, to keep, after the firft of May, any fpecie and ma- terials of gold, and after the firit of December any fpecie or materials in filver, upon pain of confif- cation and fine : the officers of the mint were like- wife forbidden to coin any ; but nothing fucceeded: the people laughed at an abfurd legiflation, which was contradidling itfelf from morning to night, which made a crime of the mod neceffary oecono- mical virtues, and which loft itfelf in the labyrinth of its own regulations, that have filled twelve volumes in quarto. The vertigo was difllpating, and people were beginning to realize as faft as pofllble, when the fatal day arrived, which was the celebrated epocha of the downfal of the fyftem. M. d'Argenfon, who had long been jealous that a foreigner fhould fupplant him in the confidence of the Regent, not only favoured the fyftem no longer, but was alfo endeavouring to open the eyes of the , ' Prince refpedling it. It was with much difficulty that he prevailed, and he was obliged to call in the affiftance of the other intimate confidants of his R. H, g t'» Two hundred and fifty millions fterling. the Tpecie of eat pro- imate as funds of (o enor- ded by mafs of ngdom. fupport ion for- refiding bodies, fid ma- 3er any confif- re like- eedcd: which night, Bcono- •yrinth •lumcs and ffibJe, >rated > hat a :e of rjger, fthe :ulty the "v the OF LEWIS XV. the Abbe Dubois, Minifter of Foreign Affairs, and M. le Blanc, Secretary at War *, to concur with him feparately \n this patriotic work. Sometimes the Uegent leemcd inclined to expel the author of a revolution fo extraordinary and fo fatal. One day he even told the Keeper of the Seals, who was fpcak- ing to him in a (tronger manner than ufual, that he might fecure Law's perfon i but when the chief ma- giftrate required an order in writing for this purpofe, he could not obtain it. He was therefore obliged to have recourfe to artifice, and to make the new Comp- troller-general himfelf, the accomplice of his own deftruftion, and of that of his fyftem. In a com- mittee holden between the Regent, himfelf, the Abbe Dubois, M. le Blanc, and the Minifter of the Fi- nances, heobferved that a violent crifis muft necef- farily have a (hort termination; that the prefent crifis, which was now arrived at it's acme, muft: confequently decline -, that its objedb being now fulfilled — which was to make all the fpecie, and even all the materials of gold and filver in the kingdom, return by extraordinary means into the hands of go- vernment—it was now neceflary to prevent the pub- lic from colledting the precious harvefti that the moft certain method of eflfeding this, would be to begin, by reducing the mafs of paper j the confe- quence of this would be, that the people, either not O F L EW I S XV. 79 Conti, and Marfhal Villeroi, who had not been fum- 1720, moned to the committee in which the decree had """"— been iffued, protefted againft it, and pretended that it was furreptitious, fmce it had not been fubmitted to the examination of the Council of Regency. The Parliament, which had not hitherto interfered in the affairs of the Bank, and had always been in oppofition to it, by one of thofe contradidtions too frequent in their conduft, now exerted themfelves to fupport it. The Firft Prefident, whom they fent to the Royal Palace, was very well received. The Regent, in his prefent embarraffment, was not difpleafed at this ftep. He did not conceal his fatisfaftion from the Head of their Company, and anfwered him : " Sir, I am very ** glad that this circumftance gives me an oppor- ** tunity of being reconciled to the Parliament, " whofe advice I will follow in every thing." Six days after the publication of the decree of reduftion, that decree was revoked by another, which *7 May reftored the paper to it's value, but did not reftore the confidence df the public, more efpecially as pay- ment Was at the very fame time flopped at the Bank. This was done upon the pretence of examining the knaveries. Commiffaries were fent to feal up the thefts, and make up the accounts. Some of the Clerks^ and efpecially thofe whofe bufincfs it was to make the fignatures, were difmiffed for a fortnight, •"With the prohibition of quitting Paris. So that this ."fccond decree did more harm than the firft, by ^>tkrowing again into the channel of commerce things i ** this ia to give you notice, that a St. Bartholomew* s day will •* be enaftodagiirt ©n Saturday or iSunday, if affairs do not alter. * «• You are defired not to ftir out, you nor your fervants. God '^ ** preferve you from the* ftames. Give notice to your neighbours, f"* Dated Saturday 25 May, 1720." that So THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. that had been difcredited j and with which fraudulent debtors paid and ruined their lawful creditors. , Among thefe (harpers tricks, that of the Prefident de Novion deferves an exception, as being very laughable at leajl, if not more honeft than the reft. He had fold to Law one of his eftates, and, notwith- ftanding the prohibitions, ftipulated the payment of it in gold, to which the Scotchman readily confented. The fum was from eight to nine hundred thoufand livres *. The magiftrate's eldeft fon availed him- felf of the right of redemption, and repaid the pur- chafer in bills. To put a ftop to this confufion, after having ex- haufted every refource of finance that was thought capable of reftoring the illufion, it was at laft found neceflary to put an end to the matter, by ftopping the courfe of the Bank-bills, and bringing back thoney into trade. Thus was Law's fyftem diffolved, the refult of which was the doubling of the national debt, inftead of diminifhing it, as he had given reafon to expeft. Independent of the debts contrafted under the reign of Lewis XIV. which ftill fub- fifted, there remained to pay off to the amount of "eighteen hundred millions j- of this paper, of which two thoufand fix hundred millions^ had beendii^ri- buted among tiie public. - ''J The author of this deteftable fyfteni foon ex- perienced the kind of treatment that perfons of his ftamp ufually do : he was hooted by the populace^ who wanted to pull him to pieces j his coach was broken; and he himfelf efcaped only by the aftivity o: c- • Between thirty and forty' thoufand pounds. *- ''*^ -f' t Seventy-five millions fterling. . ji LlH vVi liyiitwio t Above one hundred million fterling. of ofM imml his not uIcik: dent very OF LEWIS XV. t^ his horfes and the boldnefg of his coachman. He immediately refigned, into the hands of the Regent, his appointment of Comptroller-general. He was not lefs the direftor of all the operations of the fame year 1720. He had not yet loft the confidence of his R. H. who had always a fecret inclination for the fyftem, which Law flattered him might be reftored again j and the Prince did not give it up, 'till Law had in vain exhaufted all the refources of his imagi- nation. He was difmifled filently, and every one knows that he died of poverty at Venice. The fyftem having failed, it became necefTary to put matters into the fame ftate they were in before 17191 to withdraw from the India Company the adminiftration of the revenues of the ftate ; to re- ftore to the King the profits of the coin; to re- eftablilii the offices of Receivers General of Finance, of Payers and Comptrollers of annuities, and even of Farmers General. lAt^tiA A kind of, fecond Chamber of Jufticc was imme- diately inftituted, to examine into the condud of all, the principal and fubordinate officers in the admini- ftration of the Bank j in which thofe of the India Company were likewife included. Thele inquiries after ftiarpers, ftock-jobbers, and perfons who had acquired immenfe riches, ferved only to difcover fome dreadful malverfations ; but did not relieve the people, any more than the examination of the Financiers had done at the beginning of the Re- gency. They received at leaft fome little comfort in their miferies, from the public fale that was made of Law's goods, and the confifcation of his eftates, of which he had fourteen that had titles annexed to them. T Vol. I. G Afterwards, Si 1720. fi ti s I7il ¥ 82 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. Afcirwards, in order to be able to reduce tti€ " public debt in proportion to the ftrcngth of the ftate, it was ordered that a general review fhould bd frfan °^ "i2<^e of all the new property that eiiftcd, and that the proprietors Ihoiild be obliged to give declara- tions of it's origin, and of the price they had ac- quired it at, in order that this property might be reduced in proportions. There were 800 Clerks employed at this bufinefs, which produced difco- vecics no lels ftriking than the fornner. If we credit the memoirs of the times, the fortune cf M. \c Blanc amounted to feventecn millions *} that of M. de la Faye, to as much j that of M^ de Farges, to twenty millions f j that of M. de Vernie, to twerity-eight millions J j and that of Madame de Chaumont to due hundred and twenty-feyeii milli- ons §. From the ruins of how many thouiand pri- vate fortunes muft not thefe have been accumy!-' lated ? • .^ •\'^- :.u^^; ;...■!.. ,v*-- _' -y- -- _ '* By this review it appeared, that the accotintj of all the demands, of whatever kind, then extant, either upon the King or the Compatiy, amounted to three thoufand two hundred millions |, and thaC almoft one third a( this fum confifted in fhitts on the Company, whofe capital was nine hundred mil- lions f . We may obferve, that this CJipltal wa» already much diminilhed fince the beginni'fig, whitrh Ivc have calculated a; nearly double that fum; as • Above feven hundred thoufand pounds.' .t^'^i-:,,-'^.'^ 1^ f Upwards of eight hundred thoufaod poundi* .Cjfijti^^li ixt.^ % Upwards of one million fterling. ,^^ ^^^^.^ <:^^t ^! $ Upwards of five millions fterling. - ^ tt inri' II Upwards of one hundred and thirty-three millions. ^^^^^ . f[ Thirty-fcven millions fire hundred thoufand pounds.- ^^-^ . *^:J^:hr)L ^ • much t ♦ .' / ce tH€ of ther uld bcf that eclara- ad ac- ght be CJcrkj difco- crcdic M. Je hat of ^arges, ne, to Tie de milli-i ^ d pri- 0(int5 ictanty \xntedi thae ?S Oft mil- was hielt J as Licfl OF LEWIS tVi iYiiich from the voluntary facrificcs of the Lords of the Mifliflipi, at the head of which were the Duke bf Bonrbon, the Duke d'Antin, and Law himfelfj to by reducing the number of Ihares from fix hun- dred thoufand to fifty thoufand, at the time of their being liquidated; The laft fingular circilmftance of fo many mon- ftrous and defpotic operations, was the neceffity of fcftablifliing another tribunal, dcfigned under the title of Cbatnlfre de I'Arfenal, which took cognizance bf all the malverfations that had been committed there ; and it wis found that a Mafter of Requefts^ nanried Talhotict, together With an Abbe Clement and their agentSj Were conviftcd of having conveyed away for their own benefit, to the amount of at lead' thirty millions * ih (hares. The two firft had been tonderhiied to be beheaded, and the others to be hanged r but at that time, as now> juftice was with- but vigour againfi: notorious rafcals ; they Were par- (ionedi or at lead their puniihments were com- muted. ' The fame thing happened Ijvith regard ?r two bther culprits, perfons of real confequence j or rfeihcr they got off infinitely better j though thcr6 was great realbn to think them culpable, arid to make exam- ples of them, which Would have been fo much the more ufeful as their conditions were more exalted. The firft, a l^eer of France^ a member of the Council of Regency, arid at the head of the Council of Finance, was the Duke de la Force. Indepen- dent of his dignities, which ovJght to hare prevented him from fubjedting himfelf to an sccufation, lefs * One miiUoBjt tyro bvit^red and fifty thoufand pounds. ti?!'^- Q 3 criminal 1720. 47 Aug. I w 34 6 Feb. i'll THE PRIVATE LI t l' criminal perhaps than it was mean and odious, h innocence. !■ OF LEWIS XV. innocence, was the violence he ufed to prevent juf- tice from obtaining the proofs it might have got of his crime in the neighbourhood of his houfe. He was ordered to appear perfonally, on account of this new offence. This was of little confequence to him, if he fucceeded in the effential point i which was to delay, to excite divifions between the Peers and the Magiftrates, and even to occafion a feparation be- tween the former. The fuccefs went beyond his expeftations, and there was a decree of appeal to the Council. This occafioned vigorous remonftrances from the Parliament, the model of many others that have fince been made upon the fame fubjed. In thefe firft of the kind, they had the advantage of fpeaking in the name of three Princes of the blood *, and in than of the great number of Dukes who had not feparated themfelves from this Company. ^^ The Court yielded to thefe prefling remonftrances j but, preferving ftill the arbitrary power, which gra- dually became the fole principle of government, they fent back the caufe of the Duke de la Force to be tried before the Parliament, as by permiflionj a fnare which the latter avoided, by regiftring the caufe with certain reftriiftions. This caufe laftcd feveral months longer, and the illuftrious perfon accufed had all the leifure to form intrigues and to clear himfelf. A flight ftain was however fixed up- on him, inafmuch as the intervening decree figni- fied, that the Duke de la Force would be expelled to a5t with more circumfpeSfiorii and to behave himfelf in fu- (ure in an irreproachable manner, fo as became his birth , and his rank of Duke and Peer, His agents were lA ,-,W 85 1720. • The Duke of Boarbon, the pount of Cl^arplois, and th^i ]PrincpofCoQti. Q 3 more I ii W '.5i MM—— 86 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. more fevercly punilhcd, Icfs, undoubtedly, on aci count of their fuppofcd monopoly, which was part of their trade, than for having brought in quellion the honour of a great Nobleman -, whom, as men, the Ma- gidrates could not avoid finding culpable, but whom^ as Judges, they could not condemn : at lead fo we ought to think for their credit. The Duke's accom- plices were a Mr. Orient, who had been received a , freeman of the Grocer's company, and who was the pretended purchafer of the merchandize faid to be- long to the Chevalier de Landais, who was the real reprefentative of the French Peer. The firft wai cenfured and deprived of his freedom, and the fecond was admonilhcd and condemned to pay fix hundred • livres * damages and intered, and to fatisfy all the cofts ; as alfo was Bernard, Secretary to the Duke dc la Force, and du Pare, his brother. The fecond illuftrious culprit, whofe caufe was brought before the Cliamber of the Arfenal, was M. te Blanc, Secretary for the war department. Towards the end of the reign of Lewis XV. when the depreda- tions of Minifters were multipjied to excefs, it was much wifhed that one of them, after the example of Engtierrand\j fiiould fufTer, in order to deter the reft. A Court has been hear'd to fay to a King in it's rcmon-» ftrances, 5/r, // would be of very great ufe^ if Minijiers "jobo betray their trujl were to he punifhed J. And per- haps the chadifement of this one ipight h<^yc favecl France from many cyil;?. ^ . . > c. w . r i v f Twenty-five pounds. t Miniller of Finances, who, according to Hutin, was hange4 in 1315, under Lewis X. All the hiftorians iyftk of him af b(« ing innocent. X Seethe rem on ftrances of the ParJiamept of frovence, of tho 19th of February 1771, p. 22. 1. 2. .v •»> > ' "M. Ic OQ acf was part itlion the thcMa* t whom| ift To wc accom- :eived a was the to bc- thc real irft wa? ' Tccond lundrcd all the >ukc dc lie was wasM. owards tprcda- it was iple of ic reft, cmo/io d per- faved !i«nge4 oftho ^. Ic . OF LEWIS XV* M. le Blanc, already called to account by the Chamber of Jullicc before he became Minifter, was removed in the month of July, was arreted in No- vember, and confined in the Baflillc j and from an evident and (hameful c^llufton he was not brought to trial, till after fome Paymaftcrs of Provinces, Town Majors, and M. de la Jonchere, Paymaftcr General of the army, who were all accufcd of frauds and malverfations, had been made prilbners. With rcfpecl to M. le Blanc, fome confiderable fums were in queftion, of which an account was demanded from him, and which he pretended to have difpofed of ofllyac cording to tiie Regent's orders. The fortunate circumlUnces that attended the accufation, contributed not a little to exculpate him ; and the length of time was efpecially of great fcrvice to him, for his trial laftcd near two years. He was fet at liberty with the Count and the Chevalier de Belleide, and M. Morcau de Sechelles, wlio were Jointly accufed with him. Some memoirs of the times affure us that hejuftified himfelf fully. An author *, who is rather inclined to fatire than to in- dulgence, fpeaks of him in the following manner. " M. le Blanc had juftly acquired a great repu- ** tation } and his merit, his experience, his ufla- " bility to military men, and above all, bis mhfortuueSf " made him long regretted." , ■ < In a word, the circumftance that ought to have filenced all his enemies, and to have proved his in- nocence to the public inconteftibly, was his rellora- tion to that polt in the Miniftry, which he occupied at the time of his difgrace, a .«v , «7 1710. I7fts. f May 17JS. C il t? fan. jJ M • The author oi AnecJotet ofPtrJia, G4 The 81 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. 7 June 17x0* 1 I IH The fall of the fyftetn had occafioned other finifter events, fuch as the difmifiion of M. d'Argcilfon, and the banifhmcnt of the Parliannent to Pontoifc. It fcenns that the difgrace of one was merely an affair of humour and convenience, and that of the other a piece of revenge of the Regent's, for having been taken for a dupe. He loved the Keeper of the Seals ; but that head of the law was not agreeable to the public. In the crifis his R. H. now experienced, it was neceffary he fbould be reconciled to the people ; and he imagined he had found out the means of efFe6ling this, by recalling M. d'Agueffeau, a Magiftrate infinitely more popular. Befides, he flattered himfelf he fhould thus gain the favour of the Parliament, by obtaining their approbation of the meafures he was taking to raife the bills. But this Company, which had oppofed fo ftrongly the fatal blow given to the Bank, by a new contrariety, would not concur in it's re-eftablifliment, whether it were that they had found out their error, or that they conceived the remedy to be worfe than the difeafe. The tranflation of the Parliament to Pgntoife, by virtue of letters de Cachet of the aift July, was ex- ecuted with a great deal of parade. The Firft Pre- fident was guarded in his room by an officer, and two centinels were placed at his door to prevent any one from fpeaking to him. The troops of the Houfhold were ordered to keep themfelves in readi- nefs to march in cafe of neceffity. Patrolcs bpth on horfeback and on foot, were fcattered in the different quarters of Paris. The King's regiment, with thpfe pf Champagne and Navarre, were on their march^ , -..:.^ . -' ; . witH ot wi ini te| P» P« OF LEWIS XV. 89 with feveral others, to form a camp in the environs 1720, of Paris of twenty- five thoufand men. Precautions :^ which were rather ufelefs, for every man was engaged in thinking of his own fituation, and payed little at- tention to that of the Parliament ; who were even re- proached with not having prevented the evil, by op- pofing it in it's origin. ^iiThe pleaders were thofe who fuffered moft from this exile; in vain did they flock to Pontoife, nothing was done there : the Counfellors, availing ' themfelves of the liberty given them by their pro- feffion, would not leave Paris. In vain did they threaten to expunge from their lift all thofe who did not come there : the lawyers looked upon fome of their brethren, who were intimidated by thefe mena- ces, with an evil eye. The Parliament in this city conftdered themfelves as in the country j a good table was kept, high gaming went forwards, balls were given to the ladies j and this city, by the ex- pences thefe Gentlemen made there, and by the fuite they drew after them, regained what it had loft in Bank bills. ^.By a fingularity which will not fail to ftrike the philofophic reader who reflects upon events, it hap- pened that this fame Chancellor, who was recalled to footh the Parliament, marked his reftoration, on the contrary, merely by ijgniqg thefe monuments of their difgrace and profcription. It is true he refifted at firft ; he reprefcnted that it would be calling in queftion his attachment to the laws and the magif- trature j and he threatened to retire : a week was allowed him to confider of it. Frcne, his country feat, was rather a fine fpot j but he preferred the capital, ^t the expiration of tjie fatal term, he fignei what- ever i I 90 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. ever was required of him j and fome ludicrous perfon ' ' of Paris wrote upon the gate of his hotel thefe holy words, Et homo faSfus \ rhc application of which was very huoiiliating. Bcfides, the Parliament foon put themfelves in a fituation not to have any reproach to make to him ; they relaxed in a ftill more Ihameful manner, and, fearing that they fliould be exiled to Blois, where they were threatened to be transferred, they regif-r tered many things they had before rcfufed, rcfpefting the Bank bills, under the fecret convention that they Ihould be reimburfed in fpecie for all the bills which they held. An arrangement of fuch a kind was not, without doubt, the open aft of the whole Company, It is well known that in public aflemblies, though the moft depraved, though even fuch as where a Car^ touche or a Mandrin prefides, honour, probity, and difintereftednefs are conftantly fpoken of i but all bodies are moved by fome chiefs or by certain mem^ bers, whofe geniys gives them an afcendant over the reft. Thefe are firft brought over, and the Court becomes miftrefs of the fuffrages which their elo- quence attrads, oftentimes by making a boaft of the good of the ftate, and of their patriotifm. The Parliament was reftored on the 20th of December It was then that M. d'Aguefleau found hiniielf firmly leated in his dignity, and M. d'Argenfon, who Jiad flattered himfelf with the hope of regaining the *" fcals, loft fight of them entirely. Although his dif- . cr^ce was accompanied with many marks of diftinc- '•^'jtipn; that he kept the title of Keeper of the Seals; ■ |h^,t l^e was at liberty to attend the Councils when- ,,/cyer he pleafed; and that the Regent, though he removed OF LEWIS XV. 9* perfon choly which 8 April 1711* fen^oved him from his poft* 4id not withdraw his 1710. cftecm and confidence from him, but continued ftill " • %o confult him in all matters of importance, yet he was not able to bear the change. That man, whofe mind was fo firm, who had expefted this revolution, who had often faid that the honours of thofe times were merely tranfient honours, experien- ced the fame fate as mod perfons of the fame kind. His philofophy abandoned him j he could not bear up againft chagrin; but fell into a languifhing difeafe, an4 died at the end of a year. The hatred of the populace of Paris was rouzed at the fight of his corpfe, which was conveying to the church of i^/, Nicholas du Cbardonneret^ where the burying- piace of his family was. The tumult was great ; his corpfe was very near being pulled to pieces, und his two^ fons, who were following the funeral pro- f:efnon in their coaches, were obliged to make their efcape. This fury proves, that, notwithltand- Jng the zeal of fome apologifts in defending M. d'Argenfon, for having ever been concerned 'u\ the fyftem, yet he was confidered as one of the authors of it, and that if he did oppofe it, it was too Ute, ^nd when the evil was irremediable. We muft however do him the juftice to fay, that he favoured the fyftem merely as a politician, and not as a vile mercenary ; and that he did not only avoid in- jcreafing his own riches by this infamous method. but alfo prevented his children from enriching them- fclves by it. He faid with the Pfalmift, Oleum pec* mprh non impinguet caput meum. , ^ ^ . ; a uv . .} All thefe private cataftrophes, the confcquenccs i}f.>th« fyitem, were nothing in comparifon with the general cataftrophe of the kingdom, almoft 92 THE PRIVATE LIFE ruined, and at the brink of defb-uftion. It was lieceffary to relieve, as much as polTible, millions of unhappy perfons, dying with mifery, with this paper in their hands. We have calculated, that all the property brought in at the general vifay ex- clufiveof the (hares of the India Coinpany, amount- ed to two thoufand two hnn-lred millions *. We lay, brought in, becaufr nia'i v perfons obftinately re- fufed to undergo this review, and that madmen were ftill found giving a value to the paper though it was cancelled, notwith (landing the repeated pro- hibitions iflTued to negotiate it in this ftate, even. under penalty of a fine f . Thefe two thoufand two hundred millions, by the operations of the ^t/Jz, had more than 500 mil- lions J taken o(F from them, of which the State was difcharged : therefore, there were feventeen hundred millions § of this property remaining to be paid ofi^, certificates for the liquidation of which were delivered, which were to be difcharged to their value in fpecie. . , .^. ;. ... Monfieur le Pelletier de la Hou(raye, appointed Comptroller General after Mr. Law, that is to fay. ; '-'•• : -l 1 n iri. !->■.« : * Upwards of ninety-one millions and a half (lerling. Ac- cording to the verbal procefs of the nth of September i7zS« they amounted to twenty-two millions [ntar one million JitrhHg\ more. tOfthree thoufand livres [one hundred and twenty-five pounds.] There were fiock-jobbers in 1722, who ilill gave iixty livres [two pounds ten (billings] in money, for a bill of one thoufand livres [above forty pounds] and from fixty, to fixty-iive livres [between two and three pounds] for a fliare in the India Company.- . ' J Five hundred and twenty-two millions of livres [near tvrcnty- one millions ilerling.] ^ . ' § Upwards of feventy millions fterling. ' -^-^1^ rr t,v< was lions this t all ex- unt- We re- men OF LEW I S XV. ' at the moft troublefome and moft critical pei-ioil France had ever experienced, made a report to the Council of Regency, in which he demonftrated.the impoflibility of anfwering the engagements made with the King's new creditors. He made a propofal to create to the amount of forty millions |1 of an- nuities, charged upon the Hotel de Ville at Paris, and upon the taxes -, or to receive the liquidations of offices created or to be created; or to proceed in any other manner, that ihould prevent much n^ip- ney from being drawn out of the King's coffers. Such was the form of this bankruptcy; more pro- trafted, more coftly, and more burdenfome, without doubti than that propofed at the beginning of the Regency. ~ Thus it was, that Lewis XV. approaching. ?o majority, was beginning, under finifter aufpices, a reign which was to terminate in ^ no lefs fatal man- ner. The difference indeed is, that at that tinae the misfortunes of the State could not be imputed to him. The Frihce feemed rather to promife fome happy difpofitions, for his time of life. Though the delicacy of bis, conftitution: prevented his par- ticular application to ftudies that require a certain degree of atteniionj yet in 171 8 there appear- t«d a book, entitled, Courfe of the principal rivers 'in Europe, printed under his name, as if com- vpofed by him, of which fifty copies were worked •off, and which the Courtiers eagerly difputed 'with each other. It is faid, that M. De Lifle, hi^ 'inftruftor in this branch, had given him a grc^t .deal of affiftance. The pupil, however, muft h^yjc 93 1720. 1 $# 'f II Above one million and ahalffterllngV*''**'*^* " s» THE PRIVATE LIFE ,17 ^^- hftd fome ftiare in io, to have given reafon to aduii- tors to flatter him upon this fubjed. In realityy M. d^ Voltaire obferves, in his panegyric of him *,• thM this taile led thie King to fonnne knowledge iii AftroAOftiy, and Natural Hiftory. His external graces began i\(6 to unfold themfelres, and wk«n h^ was no more thin ten years of age, he danced upon the theatre of the TuiUeries, with feveral young Nobkrftfen of his Goof ty in the comedy of the IneanHUf where he was nrtuch admired, ^o vhk He aUo ihone in an exercift^ more worthy of him- iclf. Itt order to reduce to praftice the military leflfons tftfat were gifteh to him, a camrp was formed at two leagues from Verfailles, where a foft Was be- iieged, and a fliam fight inftituted* The Prince Was infinitdy deliglked With it j he was not a mcer fpeftat6r, but ptit hinifelf at the head of the be- fiegers, and by the ardour he fliewed, one woukf havt imagined that he one day would have become a Wairlike nr^rterch. '-'"?-*• ■^-'^J^ '"^^ ^i-jaim^ni.iTu'^i/iar;: At length he b«gan to dj^lay an exterior of Migefty, in his jiudience of Mehemet EffendiyAnl- bafTador from the Fotte^ which, at the fame timey afforded a fpeflsaefe p^'oper w amufe his infancy y and this w«s cet^aiAly the ofege^s of ie* rather than that given out to the publie y which was to aifufe the King, that, at his confidcrition, his Highnefo would take unde^ his protedkm, the Friars of " JeMtfal€m> and that he had given orders for the re^ pairifig of t\it monaftery, and the chwrcH of the Hdly Sepulchre. His Majefty Wai lefs ftricken With thc^ afluram^s^ than wi$h the pesu-U. and jewels^ * Elogiam of Lewis XV. pronouflced at a meeting of the Aca< dtfliy, on th^ sth of May 1774. which whi drej to fori OF LEWIS XV. I which fparkied on every part of the MuiTuknan's It is well known, that his judgment was always (bund. He had entered into the Council of Re« gency fince the year 1720, and had the prudence eo ke«p filenc* The year following, he fpoke there for the firft time. M. d'Armenonville had juft been reading to him, a letter from the King of' Spain, in which that Monarch acquiefced inthemar-^ riage of the Infanta his daughter with Lewis Xy« The Regent then told his Majefty, that it was neceCary he fhotald explain himfelf. The King anfwered, that he gave his confent with pleafuce^ dnd that he was fatisHed with the alliance pto- pojfed* f"--' -i^ ■?''-^) •' >i fi..'' h*''i*-f'''-h !;■"-■• ;! • :': But without opening his lips, his filence was even then expreflive. When his R. H. brought to eheKing the news of M. d'Aguefieau's fbcond dif-r miOion, ^nd prefenied his fucceffor to the Seals, liis Mitjeily looking at them with a melancholy coun* Cdnance^ made them plainly perceive^ that he was notpieafed with the change. : ' c^ His.anfw^ tio the Regent, on the day of his ma- jofityi did not krfs.furniih a. proof of his averiion fdr fevericy^ and could not but excite favourable jfBprefllons, of the goodncfs of his heart. His^ R. H* in tefi^ning to him the reins of the govern- ment of hist kingdom,, which was in good order, and delivered from a contagious malady *, afkcd .tff- f^A mdi:ohattt>lhi^ at-ffivdd from Sydon to Marfeilles, had brought the plague. with it« in 1720. It occaiioned great ravages during ne^arfy two years. Lines had been eitablilKed in diiFerent pfbvinces to pirevent the communication. Thefe had juft been teiiiovtifintlU^iiid'tff t73«. ; -^ , ^ • -'^ what lJ20k lA 96 THEPRIVATELIFE 1720. what orders it would pleafe his Majcfty to give rc- fpe^ing fcveral particulars, and efpecially with re- gard to his fubjeAs banifhed on account of £c- defiaftic affairs. His Majefty faid, that be had ba^ fiijhed nobody, Mn Liiia r^vj.^^ "J*'^** "sv,! '. ■]\ Neverthclcis, the continuance of the' fame letters de Cachet i which proceeded with greater violence than ever, and lafted to the end of this reign, might induce us to think, that this was nothing more than iimplicity. . i,>io,\»,i) stfi sjfusuu :nij .c :•»?;- ii He alfo difcovered a \ great deal of fenfibility upon occafion of the difgrace of the Marfhal Duke dc Villeroi, his Governor. 3Vt;) ?n l'sisi. ,.;f;:5.7?ni' Six months before the majority of the King, the Regent had declared publicly, that it was time to inform his Majefty of the affiiirs, and fecrets of State, and that he would take that ,care upon himfelf. He had even explained himfelf in pri- vate with the Governor, telling him, that he meant to ftudy every morning with the young King. On the tenth of Auguft, having defired his Majefty to go along with him into his dofet, Marfhal Villeroi endeavoured to accompany his Royal Pupil, faying, that he could not lofe fight of fo facred a depot. The Prince was fo much offended at this miftruft, that he punilhed the Governor with exile, and fub- ftituted in his room the Duke de Charoft, who was demanded by his Majefty, on the abfence of the former. i «t/< s This proceeding was the more bold, as Marftial Villeroi*s condudl: was authorized, by what had .happened to his father. That Nobleman, in his time, had been Governor to Lewis XIV. Ann of Auftrja, then Regent of the kingdom, .had one •i«: "^ O F L E W I S XV. i day fomething particular to communicate to the King, the old Marihal was going to withdraw, out of rcfpeft J when her Majefty faid to him j Stay, Sir^Jince I have intrujied you with the education of the King my foHt there is no fecret for yoUy and you ought never to lofeftght of his perfon. This affair was fully fufficient to give occafion to the renewal of thofe atrocious fufpicions, fo often rumoured in public, againft his R. H. The precipitate, and voluntary retreat, of the former Bilhop of Frejus, on the fame day, feemed to involve him in thefe re- ports. The King cried, and was fo much vexed, that he broke the windows : he would neither eat nor fleep, when he found himfelf deprived of two per- ' fons to whom he was accuftomed. This determin- ed the Duke of Orleans not to give way to his re- fentment againft the latter, whofe flight, as it feem- ed to be, produced a ftill worfe effed. He there- fore ordered him, to return inftantly, and refumc his functions. The Bifhop complied, and by that means, according to appearances, fecured to him- felf the great fituation, to which he was aftervyards failed. - •....-. . ,? .^^-, .J' Since that time, the young Prince did not dif- clofe any part of his charatfter till at the ceremony of his coronation, the vain pomp of which, we fhall not defcribe. We Ihall only obferve, as a circum- ftance till that time unknown in our hiftory, that the fix lay Peers of France, were reprefented by fix Princes of the blood. ^ sj'HWhcn the yowng King went to Rheims to be crowned, on the d*y of the ceremony, which is very Jong, they g^e him in the mprning, according to vfciyoi«I. H an 97 17010. 98 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. an antient cuftom, founded no doubt upon a per- " miflion from the Pope, feme broth to take, though he was to receive the facrament, and that the dif- cipline of the church requires, one (hould be fad- ing for this purpofe. He refufed to take any, not- withftanding the intreaties that were made, and thie example of his prtdecefTors, which was mentioned to him. He faid, he chofe rather one Ihould read in his hiftory, that, he had refufed to take any thing, before his approaching to the Holy Table. This llroke fhewed how much he was, even then, more attached to the letter, than to the fpirit of religion. At the fame coronation, when the crown had been placed on the head of his Majefty, he took it off, and laid it on the altar. It was reprefented to him, that he ought to wear it during the cere- mony i he anfwered, that he had rather pay the homage of it to Him, from whom he had received it. He was doubtlefs already impreficd with that maxim, which he has fince difclofed with fo much feverity, at the meeting of Parliament, on the third of March 1766 : that he held his crown only from Cod, The King, at his return from Rheims, made fome ft ay at Villers-Coterets, where the Duke of Orleans gave him a fuperb entertainment. All his Ma- jefty's train was treated in a fplendid manner, as well as the multitude of curious people who flocked there, in great numbers. His R. H. carried his magnificence fo far, as to caufe thofc whom the caftle could not contain, to be lodged and treated at his own expence in the inns. The Duke of Bourbon enjoyed afwrwards the 5 fjime O F L E W I S XV. fame honour at Chantilly, where the feftival, on ac- count of the beauty of the fituation had ftill a greater eclat. This gave occafion to fome arch fel- low to fay, that the river of MiJ/tJftpi muft necejfarily have pajfed by there. It was at thefc feftivals that I^wis XV. for the firft time, partook of the diverfion of hunting, for which he conceived fo great a liking, that it after- wards became a paflion, a fury, which age could not even abate. The King having entered on his fourteenth year, the Duke of Orleans went in the morning to his levee, to pay his refpefts to him, and to a(k him his orders, refpeding the government of the State This ceremony was followed by another of great- er eclat, the meeting of a Bed of Juftice, in which his Majcfty announced his majority, and faid, he was come to his Parliament to declare, according to the law of the State, that he would henceforward take upon himfelf the government. Afterwards, the Duke of Orleans being prefent, he thanked him for his care; intreated him to continue it, and to aflift him in the important adminiftration of his kingdom. At the fame time, his Majefty confirmed the Cardinal Dubois in the office of Prime Minifter. We have feen the beginning of this fortunate man's rife, which proceeded flowly, fince it was only in 1716, that is, at fixty years of age, that he was made Counfellor of State. But when once be was got into the track of preferment, he loft not a fingle inftant. In 17 17* after having figned at the Hague, in quality of Ambaflador Plenipotentiary, the treaty of the triple alliaiKe> he was made pablic 99 1720. 16 Feb. t% Feb* lOO THE PRIVATE LIFE I 1720. and private Secretary. In 1718, he concluded at " London^ the famous treaty for a general peace throughout Europe. At his return, he was in- truded with the department for foreign affairs. He was created Archbilhop of Cambray in 1720. It was upon this occafion, as he was defiring the pcrfon who confccratcd him, to make him pre- vioufly pafs through the orders of Prieft, Deacon, Sub-Deacon, the four Minor Orders, and the Ton- fure, the officiating Clergyman, tired out, exclaim- ed : Muft not you go through the ceremony of baptifm likewife ? It is faid, at lead, that this was the Jirft time he ever received the Sacrament. MaflTillon was the perfon who was mean enough to confecrate him. When the latter came to afk his licet of the Cardinal de Noailles, his Eminence exprefled his furprize, that a facred orator, who had faid fuch fine things, fhould fubmit to fo infamous an a(5l. Pope Innocent XIII. placed the new Archbifhop in the rank of Cardinals the year following ; and he fignified, that he had honoured that Prelate with the purple, not fo much on account of his per- fonal merit, however eminent that might be, as for the fervices he had rendered the Church, to the peace of which, he was one of thofe who had moft contributed. We fliall now give an account of what this pretended peace was. • -. Since the ambiguous letter of the Regent, upon the affairs of the times, which the Janfenifts had at iirft confidered as favourable to their party, though it appeared upon explanation, that the author had no defign but to deceive them, they continued lofing pnore and more of their credit with his R. H. That t- r . - ' Prince, OF LEWIS XV. 101 Prince, in order to r<*llorc' Hk equilibrium, thought it nccefTary to favour tfjt* ;idvcrfe {):irty, and at lad to bring about union and peace brtwcen the two. He charged the Archbifli(jji of Cimbray with this ne- gotiation. The Archbifliop's firO care was to make himfelf thoroughly acquainted with the matter, which had before occupied the leaR of his thoughts. In confequence of this he held frequent conferences with the Chiefs of both parties. The Cardinals de Biflfy and de Rohan were the principal fupports of the Conjiitution. One of tliem, a man of wit and learning, intimately conneded with i:hejeruits,was,as well as the Bilhopof Chartrcs, the moft zealous pro- moter of the perfecutions carried on by thefe Fathers againll their adverfaries. The other, of a moft illuf- trious family, Great Almoner of France and Bifhopi of Strasbourg, was pofleflcd of that kind of genius, which penetrates the moft abftra(5l truths, almoft without ftudy and without application. He fpoke moreover with a precifion, a clearnefs, and with graces which the Cardinal de Polignac could only have contefted with him. The Cardinal de Noailles, of a very powerful family, and perfonally much beloved by the Parifians, was the only Prelate from whom the opponents really derived any conftderation. It was reckoned that by drawing him from them they would be fo much weakened, that they might be af- terwards treated at pleafure, without apprehending any difagreeable confcquences. But the difficulty was to detach him from them. He entertained a deep refentment of the injuries committed by the Jefuits. He was befides very irrefolxjte. In a word, as appellant and re-appellant, how could he get over fqch cmbarraffments ? Nevcrthelefs, the dexterity of H 3 the 1720, 101 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. tlie negotiator found out a falvo, in order not to '■ fhock the pride of his Eminence. He agreed to ac- cede to the Conjiitution j but almoll two years elapfed before he kept his word. The Pope, was the perfon mofl difficult, and yet moft neceffary to be managed. Author of the famous Bull UnigenituSi he was attached to his own work. He was forry to fee that it was not regiftered ; his indignation was raifed at the obftacles it experienced s he required a pure and fnnple acceptance of it, and would hear nothing about explanations. The Car^ dinal de la Tremoille was charged with the trouble- fome commiflion of negotiating with his Holinefs, of which he acquitted himfelf as an able man, alter- nately encouraging and intimidating him. By this ipeans he gained time, and prevented any great ftrokc^ from being given. Unfortunately he had a very bad ftate of health, which made it neceffary to grant him fome afliftance. One would fcarce imagine that a Jefuit was fixed upon for this purpofe. Father Lafi- teau had been fent to Rome to complete his ftudies in divinity, begun at Paris i or rather, this was only a pretext for his removal. His fuperiors had dif- covered in him that kind of underftanding that is fit for intrigues, and they wilhed he Ihould improve it in the center of politics. He made himfelf agreeable to the Holy Father ; and this being known in France, it was thought proper to apply to this young favourite of his Holinefs. He was flattered with the choice of the Court, and, his ambition furnifliing him with greater profpe(5ls of favour through this channel than by means of his Order, he confented to betray the interefts of his fociety to pleafe the Regent, at leaft to anly a I dif- is fit >ve it eable ance, uritc loicc with than the eaft hi^ OF LEWIS XV. gown ; which excited the difpleafure of the fociety againft him, and obliged him to quit it for a Prelacy, He was made bifhop of Sifteron. > Lafiteau came into France with fchemes of pacification from Clement XI. and commillioned to make feveral demands. In order to foften the Pope, regard was paid to fome of them. Pofitive orders were given to the univerfity to keep quiet, and to hold no more deliberations contrary to the Conjiitution. Some records of the Body of Divinity, containing certain conclufions which condemned the opinion of the infallibility of the Pope as heretical and erroneous, were erafed ; and the matter was concluded by compofing, in concert with the principal appellants, a code of dodrine as a commentary to the Bull. The work was long, and it was not till after feveral examinations, changes, foftenings, and correftions, that it was completed j and ftill it was neceffary to gain over the Jefuits, who ruled the Bilhops. Luckily thefe Fathers were then divided into two faftions, diftinguilhed by the names of ^^^ and good intention. Father L'Allemant, chief of the well-intentioned, declared himfelf for the code of doftrine, and was followed by all his adhe- rents. Among the Prelates, M. Languet, Bilhop of SoifTons, fince Archbifliop of Sens, known by feveral writings which he had publifhed upon the fubjeft of the Conjiitution, under the title of Inftruftions, had made himfelf a great reputation among the Con- fiituents, and was become, as the Regent ufed to fay, a dog with a great collar. It was a matter of confe- quence to gain him over. He was called up to Court, which he had never feen fince he had taken the oath* of allegiance j he could not refift the H 4 C^rcffesj lOJ 1720, i i 1C4 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. carefles, and particularly the praifes, ofhis R. H.; he g^vc himfclf up entirely to Court favour, and became the principal promoter and mod zealous defender of the accommodation j moft of the Prelates that were at Paris followed his example. The Abbe de la Fare Lopits was difpatched to get the fignature of feveral abfentecs, at the recommendation of Father L'Allemant. It was then faid, pleafantly enough, that this Abbe was gone to teach the Bijhops to draw. Somerefufed, fuchas Meflieurs De Montpellier, de Boulogne, de Nimes, de Saintes, who were banifhed to their diocefes. The Redtors of Paris made re- monllrances againft this accommodation, to their Archbifhop, and ufed the fame terms which he him- felf had formerly employed. The Sorbonne, not- withftanding the prohibition to deliberate, protefted againft all that might be done. Thefe obftacles contributed not a little to retard the mandate of ac- ceptance from the Cardinal de Noailles, which was promifed, and did not appear. He required the previous acquiefcence of the Magiftrature. In order to fatisfy him, a declaration from the King was made our, which ordered the performance and ob- {cj^v^LUon of the con^itinion Unigenitus ; and forbad ipeaking, writing, fupporting, or divulging any thing againft it, and even appealing to a future Council ; and commanded befides, the execution of the ordi- nances of the kingdom, relative to ecclefiaftical policy, and particularly of the edi6l concerning the fignature of the formulary : it declared, that the cognizance and judging of the dodrine belonged to the Biftiops, and enjoined the Parliaments, and other Judges, to maintain them in this privilege, and give them all the affiftance they might ftand in need of. The OF LEWIS XV. 105 The Parliament of Paris refufing to regifter the 1720. declaration, and apprehenfions arifing left others fhoLild follow their example ; it was direfted to the Parliament of Douay ; whofe concurrence had al- ready been fecured : that Court made no hefitation. The Cardinal was fummoncd to make his decree, y/ho ilill avoided it, under pretence that a regifter folicited in fuch a manner, was in itfelf not valid, and could not but produce a bad efFeft on the minds of the people. They were determ.ined to pufh his Eminence to extremities. They again tampered with the Parliament of Paris, at that time in exile at Pontoife, who, far from being more tradable on that account, were, on the contrary, not contented with again rejefling the declaration, but admitted the petitions of the appellants in oppofition. His R. H. and the Cardinal Dubois, enraged at this refinance, had recourfe to the Great Council, with whom they were forced to ufe a great deal of manage- ' ment, infinuation, and threats. The Regent was obliged to attend there in perfon^ to require the at- tendance of the Princes of the blood, the Dukes, the Peers, and Noblemen, and to ftrike an awe into the Afiembly, by the form of a ceremonial to which it was not accuftomed. The declaration was re- giftered on the a3d of September, 1720 j and that Court was rewarded, by having the right conferred upon them of judging all the difputes refpeding the Conftitutioriy that might fall within the jurifdiftion of the Parliament of Paris. The Cardinal de Noailles was not fatisfied with this manoeuvre, and declared that his mandate fhould certainly not appear, till after the regiftering of the Bull in the Parliament of Paris. A rcfolutior^ wa$ io6 THE PRIVATE LIFE s* 1720. was then taken to make ufe of fome means, if not rigorous, at leaft mortifying to the Prelate and the Parliament, who feemed to ad in concert, for the purpofe of thwarting the defigns of Government. A new Council of Confcience was formed, in which tJie Cardinal did not prefide, and had not even a feat j and, to fupply the place of the Parliament, they created at Paris a Chamber of Vacation, compofed of the Members of the Council j and, as if this ftep was not fufficiently humiliating, they were threatened with a more fevere blow, the removal to Blois, which we have mentioned before. This expedient fuc- ceeded, they agreed to whatever was required of them, and, for form fake, were allowed to apply fome modifications, under pretence of preventing the de- claration from afFeding the liberties of the Galilean chvrch, and the fundamental laws of the kingdom. The Archbifhop of Paris, on his fide, in fome man- ner to make a merit of his complaifance to the Court, publiihed his mandate as foon as he was affured of therefolutions of the Company, by whofe concurrence he was to be determined. Though this ftep of the Ch-ef of the Oppofants was not very efficacious towards uniting them, yet the Court was partly fatisfied, in being thus authorifed to profecute them as a Ipecies of heretics, at leaft difturbers of the peace of the church j and above all, to give them to underftand, that the time of accom- modation was paffed, that they were no longer of any confideration, and that they might return into the common rank of fubjeds, from whom paflive obedience is required. Here the Abbe Dubois dif- played his activity and addrefs. He caufed the ap- pe^ of the four Bifbops to be condeinnedji and der ^lare4 O F L E W I S XV. clared fcandaious, by a decree of Council. He caul'ed a circular letter from the King, to be written to all the Chapters, to annul their afts of appeal. He charged the Superiors of the Ecclefiaftic Com- munities, to watch over their inferiors, to keep them within proper bounds, and to prevent their giving fcandal to the public, under the penalty of anfwering for them in their own names. He himfelf narrowly watched the Benediftines, and the Priefts of the Ora- tory. He recalled the members that were perfecuted on account of their attachment to the Bull, and on the contrary, made ufe of Letters de Cachet againft thofe who were moft refraftory. He made no lefs free with the body of Divines of Paris, and of the Univerfityi and, the Profeflbr RoUin having, in qua- lity of Reftor, made an oration, not very confiftent with the views of the Miniftry, he removed him from his dignity. This was, without doubt, more than fufficient to procure the purple for the Archbifhop of Cambray. He obtained at the fame time the abbey of Cercamp, and the fuperintendance of the ports, to fupport hi^ new dignity, and was foon after admitted into the Council. The Cardinals have always claimed a right of fitting next to the Princes of the Blood, before all the other members, and even before the Chancellor. Tli€ Cardinal of Rohan had lately fet the example, which gave rife to much ftronger reprefentations ^nd complaints, on the pretenfions of Cardinal Du- bois, which were not equally authorifed by his birth. The protcftors went fo far, as to abfent themfelves from Council that day ; and the Cardinal de Noailles, who did not love his new aflfociate, for having led (lino into (hat fal& itep, which he regretted^ pai4 107 1720. i « 108 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1720. him this compliment as they were going out: This " — '. iiay, Siry will be famous in hijiory j people will not for- get to mention that your entrance in Council has made all the great perfons of the kingdom defert it. The Duke of Orleans and his favourite would not have been forry for the retreat of Ibme of thefe Gentlemen, but their unanimity on this occafion chagrined them. It was in vain that they propofed fome arrangements j no body would liften to them. The dreadful point of etiquette mull furely be of an importance that is not to be comprehended by the common fort, fince the gravefl men, and thofe who are moft formed to aft upon principles, bow down before it, and facrifice every thing to it. Hence it was that the Marfhal Duke de Villeroi, who foon after got himfelf exiled, and his poft of Governor to the King taken from him, becaufe he would not leave his Majefty alone with the Regent, who came to talk with him about affairs of State, did not fcruplc on this occafion to negleft his duty, and abandon that facred charge in the Council, rather than fit below the Cardinals. ... Hence it was, that the Chancellor — after having figned every thing that was required of him, againft the Parliament, to whom he owed his fortune, and againft his confcience, which dictated the contrary to him, for fearof returning again to Frefne— -chofe,'not-» withftanding, to go there upon this occafion, fooncr than degrade himfelf by giving up the pretended rights of his dignity. The Parifians, and more especially the Janfenifts, did not look upon this ftep in the fame light -, they thought it very patriotic. This difgrace appeared to theia a glorious one ; and Miniftry did not (hew lefs regard I \' OF LEWIS XV. regard for the Head of the Magiftracy. The Cardi- nal de Bifly, when he went to pafs the Eafter holi- days at his Bifhopric of Meaux, thought it right to afk Cardinal Dubois, whether his R. H. would be offended, if he paid the Chancellor a vifit. Very far from it J replied the latter j his R. H, will he very well pleafed with it -, and if I were Icfs engaged in bufinefs myfelfi IJhculd be happy to accompany you to Frefne. They did not talk fo ferioufly at the Palais Royal-, —they made a jell of it. At one of thofe choice fuppers, where the Prince's favourites were admitted, and were allowed to fay all the lively things that came into their heads, even upon the moft ferious matters, when they were talking about this event, one Lord, after having lamented the viciffitude of human greatnefs, on account of thefe Seals, fo much envied, pafling fo often from the Chancellor to the loweft Lawyer, and returning to him foon after, ex- claimed, that the office of ^ipfiaffwas a thoufand times better-, that Meffrs. Pontchartrain, Voifin, d'Aguef- feau, and d'Argenfon, had all of them had the fame pcrfon fcrving them in that office, who was ftill con- tinued to M. d'Argenfon's fucceffor j and that, for his part, if he were to run through the courfe of Magiftracy, he would ftop at that poft. The Re- gent laughed, and did not fail to enlarge upon this criticifm. The Seals were given to M. d'Armenonville, a man of a gentle and complying character, from whom they had no apprchenfions of any trouble on • this fubjeft. He made no difficulty of taking his feat in Council below the Cardinals. As to tUe Dukes, Peers, and Marflials of France, their prefenee could be difpenfed with ; they were all forbidden to appear 109 1720. ' I THE PRIVATE LIFE appear there, and were at the fame time ftricken off the lift of penfions. The old Marfhal Villeroi, who was harfh in his dif- pofition, and but little of a Courtier, expreflcd him- felf in a very indifcrect manner, on the expulfion of the Chancellor, and faid, that if he fhould be ftill alive, at the King's majority, he would take the li- berty of rcprefenting this injuftice to his Majefty. When the new Keeper of the Seals came to pay his refpefts to him, he anfwered him publicly, / do not congratulate you ; for I am perfuaded that you muji be forry to take the place offucb a man as M. d 'y^guejfeau. This did not contribute a little to fharpen the Re- gent againft him, who embraced this opportunity to get rid of this fevere and troublefome cenfor. The people in general were not very well pleafed with the choice of M. d'Armenonville : they had no gicat idea of his capacity ; but this was what the Duke of Orleans and his favourite had the leaft oc- ca(ion for. They only required perfons who were tradable; and were both of them fufficiently fenfible and enlightened, to fupply the defeds of thofe who did bufinefs under them. Befides, it was his R. H.*s projed, to appoint Cardinal Dubois Prime Mi- nifter, of which poft he already had all the power ; but he wifhed firft to make him popular abroad, as well as at home. For inftance, the propofed mar- riage of the Infanta with the King, had obtained him the good- will and approbation of his Catholic Ma- jefty i who, in return, aflced Mademoifelle de Mon- pcnfier, daughter to the Regent, for the Prince of Afturias. . ^^ ,.-., • ..,i-. The negotiation of this double marriage, had been managed by the Jefuit d'Aiibcnton, Confcflbr to the , King of OF LEWIS XV. King of Spain ; who, by way ofrecompencc, had re- quired, that his fociety fhould be reftored at Court to the fundions of Confeflbr to the King. Ac- cordingly, when the Abbe de Fleury defired to be difcharged from that employments he was replaced by Father de Linieres. This Linieres had been for fome years Confeflbr to Madame^ to whom he had been recommended by Father la Chaife. His quiet character, and confined genius, were, in all probabi- lity, the motives which determined this choice. By this means, both the Courts of Madrid, and of Rome, were gratified, without any rifque of confequence, from fuch an appointment j and the Janfenift party, ever reftlefs, notwithftanding all the conciliating meafures employed to pacify them, were mortified srt the fame time. They looked upon this ftroke, as the moft oppreflive that could be given to themj and the Cardinal de Noailles, in particular, vented his fpleen upon the occafion, in the moft extrava- gant manner. Father Linieres came, as it was his duty, to pay his refpefts to his Eminence, and to afk him for bis licence : " Tou come for your licence^ FatheVi* cried the Cardinal, the moment he came in his fight j " I cannot give you one j and I am very glad to no- tify to you, in perfon, that I forbid you to confels the King. 1 could aflign many reafons for my re- ** fufal, but I have at prefent got too bad a cold." Madame la Marcchalle de Noailles, his fifter^in- !aw, who had not got n cold, then took up the conver- fadon, and faid to the poor Jefuit all the harih things an engaged woman is capable of faying. The Prelate perfifted in his refufal, even to the Regent, and the King, and explained his motives in a letter, in III 1720. y particular dio- cefe. As foon as his Eminence faw that he was no longer of any importance, he agreed to every thing that was required of him. It muft be owned, that the placing of this Jefuit at Court difpleafed a great number of people, even thofe who were not Janfenifts. The Princefs of Conti, the firft Dowager, received him very ill. The Abbefs of Chelles, after having liftened to his te- dious compliment, anfwered him, " Father, fince ** it was neceflary that the King Ihould have a Con- ** feflbr of your order, I like you as well as any other in that poft j but I cannot avoid telling you, that I am forry to fee a Jefuit there ; for you can- not but know, that I have no prediledion for your ** fociety; though I confefs myfclf to be a little ** afraid of them : fa that you fee I am a true French- «- ^H ■ Viv? 1 The cc c( «( " woman." ■ V ■ OF LEWIS XV. The Jefuits, thus triumphant, could not hbwcvcf carry one point, of which they were at Icatt as jea- lous, as of the place of King's Confeflbr. This was the nomination to benefices; Without which, that poft was merely honorary, like that of a Chancellor without the Seals. In vain did they enter into pri- vate negotiations for this purpofe with the Spanifh Monarch, under pretence that the party of the Ap- pbllantSi notwithflanding every thing that had been done to humble them> was ftill extremely powerful ; that the principal method of deilroying them, was to prevent turbulent, or fufpefted Ecclefiaftics, front being promoted to livings; that this attention re- quired as much knowledge of the perfonsj as 2eal in the caufe ; that no man whatfoever poifefTed the for- mer, equally with a Jefuit, by his correfpondence Ivith the difitrent branches of his order, difFufed all bvcr the kingdom ; and as for the latter, the fociety hud given fo many, and fuch flriking proofs of it> that it would not be called in queflion. The fecret practices of the Jefuits wcrfe poWer'fully Seconded by the Nuncio ; but the Regent and Car-* dinal Dubois had no reafon to acquiefce in fuch ex- orbitant pretcnfions ; their objeft was, to dfepriVe the Janfenifts of the power of being troubkforhe, but hot to crufh thcm^ or to deftroy the equilibrium, by giving too much weight to their enemies; It was in thefe circumftances, that his R. H. to give more force to his refolution^, thought proper to declare Cardinal Dubois: Prime Minifter. Among the compliments his Eminence received tpon this occaiion, that of the Abb€ Dubois, hii brother. Canon of St. IfonofS, was nluch taken no* tice of. He ^wte to him, '* that the new dignitf Yot*l* i ^ « to 1711. ax Augttil^ €t €( <( (t 114 tHE PRIVATE LIFE 1722. "to which he was raifcd, obliged him to redouble ' " his prayers to God, that he might give him the grace to make no ufe of the power the King had juft intriifted him with, but for the good of the State, and of Religion." uw The moft curious anecdote refpedling this promo- tion, the moft proper to furnifh refledlions to a philo- fophic reader, and to give an infight into the cha- rafters of the favourite, and of his mafter, was acir- cumftance pafled at another fupper of the Regent's. The company were indulging themfelves in jefts upon the new Prime Minifter ; one of the moft bitter kind fell from the Count d^ Noce : Tour R. H. faid he to him, may make wbai you pleafe of bim, but you will ne^ ver make him an honejl man. He was banifhed the Ijj next day. In vain did the Countefs du Tort re- proach the Regent with his weaknefs j the letter de cachet was not recalled ; and it was not till after the death of the Cardinal, that the Duke of Orleans wrote to the Count to return. His note was no lefs fingular than the reft of this bufinefs j JVith the haft, dies the venom. I expert you to-night to fupper at ths Palais-Royal. c— 's. - ,; ..a; ... ^j.i. :W3 »fn Peace being eftabliftied by Iblid treaties and ad- vantageous alliances, the Parliament overcome and humbled, the Nobles reduced to fubmiffion, and thofe who were capable of giving difturbance re- moved, the new Prime Minifter was left at liberty to apply himfelf entirely to the fettlement of the fi- nances, and to the affairs of religion. , -.tMnukim He began by re-eftabliftiing the annual tax, ori- ginally known by the name o( Paulette, the author of it } by that of the comptroll and regiftering of the ads of notaries, Thefe duties have been found fo i. ■' : '" ■ uleful. edoubltf lim the \c King rood of promo- a philo- the cha- as a cir- Legent's. :fts upon ;ter kind id he to t will ne- (hed the fort re- letter de after the Orleans ,s no lefa 'he beafii \er at tht land ad« )me and m, and ^nce re- ;rty to the fi* IX, ori- author of the lund lb ufefulj OF LEWIS XV. ijfcful, and of fo much producej that they have been continued ever fince. The Parliament attempted to make feme oppofition to tlie rcgiftering of the ediift, but .hey found themfelves attacked in a more fcn- fible part than they had ever been before. There was no talk of banifhing, or transferring them to another fituation. They were threatened with the diminution of their powers j they felt that this ftroke of authorityj which was favourable to the people, could not but be approved of and durable : they entered therefore into a negotiation with the Court ; a Ihameful accommodation was the confequence on both fides, and the public good was facrificed. In the fame manner this plari, after having been carried into execution by M. de Maupeou, the only good perhaps that he did during his adminiftration, haS fince been deftroyed by a collufion no lefs difgrace- ful, upon the re-eftablifhment of the magillraicy. . Cardinal Dubois brouorht alfo a confiderable fum of mopey into the King's coffers, by more ingenious and lefs odious means. He laid a tax on thofe perfons who had made fortunes at the time of the fyftem,- under the name of poll-tax extraordinary ; and at the fame time paid a compliment to their vanity; by leaving them in feme rcfpcdt the honour bf this contribution, as voluntary and patriotic, par- ticularly in exempting them from thofe tremendous forms which were in ufe with the ChaKthres arrlcnies, and which were more calculated ro enrich the Com- raiffioners than the King. In a word, he caufed i rnultitude .»f decrees to be made, all tending to con- folidate the operations of the vifay to annihilate the paper currency, and, if pofTible, to root on:: even the remembrance of it. This lafl: flroke of defpotifrti i:-. .' . -.. I 2 was "5 1722. 1x6 THE PRIVATE LIFE \ 5." ■i I Hi 1722. was one of thofc violent remedies which ate not to —""^ be reconciled with diftributive juftice, but arc often produdlive of political good. , -f* .4^ /f, .. j W' With regard to religion, his Entiinence continued to declare ftrongly againft Appeals and Appellants, and to make ufe of Letters de Cachet againft the bo- dies and communities that were inclined to give dif- turbance 5 he difmiffed from their offices thofe who did not .conduft themfelves in them fo fubmifllvely as was required; and, in order to eftablifh the greater influence over all the members of the Cle- rical body, fecular as well as regular, he again put in force the formulary invented in the reign of Lewis XIV. the figning of which had been neglected fince his death. Even all the candidates for orders, for degrees in the univerfities, or who meant to enter into religious houfes, were obliged to take this kind 'ofoath. .rr'v'- -r^ ■'■>' iv -.!.;•!* :.^;,^ ,,..* .XT'f:t-::\i''- In adhermg to this formulary, it was declared that the five propolitions of Janfenius were to be condemned; and as this vague condemnation had given rife to refinements without end, invented by thofe who wiflied to accommodate their confcience to ' their ambition, all opening for equivocation or re- ftri^tion was taken away, by condemnation both ^ jure 2iTid de fa£fo, and by adding to the formulary, that the five propofitions were condemned with re- gard to the fenfe in which Janfenius confidered them. . The Jefuits only were difpenfed from figning an aft, of which they were the authors. The Regenc ' had it fo much at heart, that he ftrongly preff^d r^ the Abbefs of Chelles to fign it, and upon her re- > fufal, might perhaps have employed rigorous meam r^ainft her^ though ihe was his own daughter, if the J' - . % Dutchefii ^ O F LEWIS XV. Dutchefs of Orleans had not interpofcd. His R. H. and his favourite neverthelefs continued firm in op- poAng all the folicitations of his Catholic Majeily^ and of the Pope, and in refufing conftantly to re- ftore to the Jefuits the lift of benefices fo much de- fired ; that talifman, by which the Fathers la Chaife and le TclTier had fo confiderably incrcafcd the power of their order. -- The Prinje Minifter did not neglefk, in the mean time, to reftore harmony between the Princes, and the feveral focieties, with refpeft to the contefted points which remained undecided till the King's majority. It was not long fince the Duke of Or- leans appeared to have renewed his friendfhip^ for the Duke du Maine j the Dutchefs was not in the fame difpofition. That Princefs, after ihe was fet at liberty, would have entered into an explanation with his R. H. but he interrupted her with thefe words,^ Madam, every thing is forgiven and forgotten^ therefore 1 beg we may fpeak no more about it. She had prefervedi a profound refentment, that fhe could not diffem- bls i but it had no effcft. The Duke of Orleans thought proper to fet fome limits to his refentment againft her hufband j he made the Prime Minifter draw out a declaration, wherein the King determined "- ' the rank and the honours which he meant the legi- *timated Princes fliould enjoy for the future, and ''granted them a feat, and a deliberative voice after •' the Princes of the blood, and before the Dukes and 'jj Peers, referving neverthelefs an exclufive right ta the firft, of palling along the floor preceded by ' feveral Ufhers. They were to have, as well as thefe, tlie falute of the cap, with this exception, that the firft Prefidenti addrefllng himfelf to the Princes of I 3 the k1 ^;v 117 172a. «7*3« • ►K -vt' 11$ THE PRIVATE LIFE 1722. the blood, and pulling off his cap, fays, Sir, yoim opinion — and that to the others he was to add. My Lord Duke du Maine, your opinion — My Lor^ Count of Touloufe, your opinion ; calling them by their refpc^tive titles, in the fame manner as the Dukes and Peers. Further, the legitimated Princes were to receive at Court the fame diftindlions as the others, except at great feftivals, entertainments, qc public ceremonies, when they were not to fit, nor tp be placed in the fame row. With regard to the Prince of Dombes and Count d'Eu, the King granted to them, during their life only, the fame rank a^ to Meflrs. de Vendome. ■' -^ ^' '^-K ^v^^^' ^^i i^^ This formulary of etiquette requires feveral expla- nations. ' ' *■ * • . , • -^ ■ ''''' I ft. The floor is that plain furface which is com- prehended within the enclofure that is occupied by thofe who vote in Parliament, at a Bed of Juftice, or otherwife : this fpace is always empty, and formerly nobody was allowed to crofs it diagonally to get tp their feat j but were obliged to go round. The great Conde walking in pain on account of his gout, broke through this cuftom, in order to ftiorten the ^iftance ; the other Princes foon followed his ex- ample, and it became a privilege for all of them. ad. With regard to the falute of the cap, it muft JDe remembered, that at the firft fitting of the Duke of Orleans in Parliament, after the death of Lewis XIV'. the Dukes and Peers fet on foot that conteft, ^nd pretended a right to the falute ; but it was dcr cided that they ftiould wait for the King's majority, that he might pronounce upon a point of that na- ture; which was determined in their favour, with the ^iftindion above mentioned. . • ' 3d. The - . •.-*■ OF LEWIS XV. iijf com- 3d, The Princes of the houfe of Vendome, natural 17 aa* defcendents of Henry IV. ranked above all the ^ ■ ^' ■ " Dukes and Peers j and this was the honour that the Count of Touloufe's children were to enjoy j but their defcendents were to have none, except what; they were intitled to from their rank in the Par-. liamentary lift of Peers. Thefe arrangements mortified the legitimated Princes exceedingly, and they have ever fince ab,- fented themfelves from public ceremoaies. . The honours which were accumulating on the headi of Cardinal Dubois could not preferve him from the unfortunate end with which he was threatened. He had the additional honour of prefiding in the aflembly of the Clergy, which had not been con-» voked fince the year 17 15 j and which, far from ex-? prefling their indignation, at feeing fo corrupted a member at their head, made advances to him, and folicited that favour. After having prevailed on them to grant the King a gratuity of eight millions*, he had likewife the art of keeping them withia bounds upon matters of religion, at fuch a dangerous crifis, and of breaking up the aflembly two months afterwards, without any difcuflion of that nature, at leaft in public. ,^ ,., ^ i The only two a6ls of that aflembly which mark it's complexion, were the taking away a penfion of eight hundred livres f from Father Alexander, 4 Dominican, and a celebrated Janfenift, in order to give it to a certain Jefuit of the name of liOngue- * Upwards of three hundred and thirty>three thQufand three l^undred and thirty-three poands flerling. f VpvYards of thirty- three pounds fterling. ^^ ^'^'^ " }. 4 >' is, 1u.>. i vaJ^ 'h? . \ ' ' s 110 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1722. val, author of a very indifferent Hijiory $f the Galli- ■ can Church, and the granting a penfion of a hundred crowns * to a cobler of the parijh of St. Sulpke, wha was faid to be one of the moft zealous partizans of the Bull, and to whom the making of a great numr ber of converts was attributed. The appellants re- venged themfelves by a print, in which this cobler, whofe name was Nutelet, was reprefented patching together the torn pieces of the Conftitution. The Cardinal de Bifly, and the Curate of St. Sulpice, were each of them prefenting to him a purfe full of money, ' to quicken his zeal and a^ivity ; this laft ilroke undoubtedly deferved to be ridiculed. ^^a- , •*:?:! The Aflembly however thought it neceffary, before their diffolution^ to lay their fentiments in a more pftenfible manner before tl^eir Sovereign, and to re- pofe their forrows in his breaft. They prefcnted to. him, at their audience of leave, a long memorial againfl: the Appellants and the Parliament. In thi^ the Prelates a(ked permilfion to bring the former to their trial, and accufed the latter of being toq r^ady to favour the appeals, which they confidered as an abufe. They were told, that they muft fubmit to the King's declaration, which enjoined filence, and that juftice npuft be left to take it's courfe y and in order to avoid further difturhances, they were recjuefted to retire to their diqcefes, where ^ their prefence muft be of more ufe than at Paris. By this means they efcaped the uneafinefs of being witneffes to the death of the great Prelate, who had prcfided over them. He had been for a long time tormented with a diforder in the bladder, which waft • • ' • -. HI • Twelve ppupds ten ihilliDg«i fte^ling. ' ' ^ looked OF LEWIS XV. X2I n 'ii-C. k.V 10 Aagy :ed looked upon as the confequence of his incontincncy 1723* and exccflive debaucheries. It was found ncceffary " to have recourfe to a cruel amputation, of fo alarm- ing a nature, that the preparation got the better of his intrepidity. He was at length induced to fubmit to it, by the perfuafion of the Duke of Orleans, but died the next day, aged about fixty-fix. '';:•:.;.-,-•.; :^" X A day or two before his death, the Cardinal had confefled himfelf to a Recollet Monk, and this cere- mony had not lafted more than half a quarter of an hour at moft j which made the people judge, that he only meant to comply with forms, to give thi» laft proof of obedience to his matter : the Duke of* Orleans having reprefcnted to him, that it was necef- fary for both their credits, that he flaould preferve appearances. A proof of the little value he fct upon fpiritual afliftance, is, that he did not receive ^he Extreme Unftion, on accpunt of the ceremonial that is to be obferved in adminidering it to a Car* dinal ; or, if the reader pleaies, it fhall be conftdered gs another proof of the importance of that etiquette for which a Prince of the church would even rifque his falvation. The laft unequivocal fen timent which he manifefted, was his unabated attachment to the houfe of Orleans. Whatever caufe he had to regret life, he protefted that he would have quitted it with pleafure, if he could have completed the deftrufbion (fuch was his expreffion) of the enemies of his R, H« We have already gone through the different fteps }^y which Cardinal Dubois rofe to the higheft honours in church and ftate. He was ambitioug alfo of thofe that are to be obtained by literary talents, and became a member of the French Aca- demy. It wa«, there that FontcncUe, whofe place it (? i 122 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1723. it was as Dire(^or to anAverhim, was hear'd to fay, '^ in addrefling him upon his nomination to the Car- dinalfhip, folicited by feveral Potentates, ihai he ap-^ feared to he a "Prelate of all the Catholic States, and a Minifier of all Courts, And at another time : Tt-si«.. -(-■■ II Upwards of two millions fterling. v.:}f:\m ,v nsa _r , # Between fix and feven millions fterUng* , , • is i f > the THE PRIVATE LIFF . Partment to \h^itfeifn 1°'^ ""^ ^'"■'"'^ '''- a much better underS"/^'''"* "'°"e'' f"* had acquainted v.ith the t^^^; .?' "« 'efficiently '° "n«vel the dfferen "1 'f "'■"' ''"'^-'"' then, without confufion ^ ^ "' '° '^'"^^ «ith that dexterity Ihieh th'"?- '° "^'"^^^ '^cm Comptroller cJrTnJ'T'''^"'''''^- The ment. in hopes of i„^^""' "''^" «■<"" Parlia- «adily to adopt the ^iZJ '^" ^"'^P''"^ ""''= on that very'^accou„t 2 ""8*" P™?"'"^' '^as and ought to have JreveTed TT' °' '^"-«' committing the fame fZtVr '7""""'"' ''""" M. dcBreteuil. eheSecrtry of tat /'"t' ^= ''"^ Partment, he was found to b Jverv fit f ."" "" '''=- ment in time of peace tLT- ^ . ^°' ^^at employ- and the Count SZll^"""' ''<= ^="'"^ ^ lorentin. young.andwerebutiufte'r'7"' " *" """^ ^cry Al' the weight ofa£s fe 7„ 7°'^''"'''^'P"''"'=«^^ of Orleans. He had, how t^r t''"?''^ °" ""^ ^"''« «"''d Wm, this was S'^?*l°"^P"'"°nwl'o' Keeper of the SearfinJe k u" °^ ""= 'ate Count d-Argenfon : he'^d trirhi'^- '\ "^™ "^ L-eutenant of Pohce. and was co '" "i' P"** °'" capacuy and attachmentThr Ld T'"'' "'' '"'^ h's Chancellor, and Keen.. !f l J"** ""'de him of his Councn, and Wr ° '5' ^'^'' ^^^^dent *°W and revenues C t " / ''" ''°"''- *"own he had applauded 1^.^' ^." '''°'^* /«/e cr linb. His int^„Z ''*'"'«''^'- ^""ts either Comptroller Genera "ofrirb" T^.!"' "'■" ""le. .; ""!1^^' ■"" he had not 'T^Z- Ori • OF LEWIS XV. On the 6th of December, after giving audience, on going to his ciofet, he met the Dutchefs dc Phalaris, his miftrefs, and faid to her: Come in^ I am very glad to fee you i you will divert me with your Jtories ; / have a violent pain in my head. They were Icarcely alone before he fainted away, and remained without fenfe or motion. The Lady was alarnv- ed, and called for alTiilance ; none was effectual ; he expired in her arms, which gave occafion to a foreign news- paper malicioufly to fay, that the Ditke of Orleans died, ajftfted by his Confeffor in ordinary. Such was the end of this Prince, whofe Re- gency will be ever memorable, for being big with all polTible feeds of trouble, and with commotions, which unfortunately are of too luxuriant a growth in minorities, ever fubje6l to tumult and agitation : he checked and ftifled them, by the meer ftrength of his geniu? ; he reflored to the Parliament the right of examination and remonitrancej but while he fuffered them to regain their former luftre, he referved to himfelf the means of keeping them within bounds, and of preventing their making a bad ufc of that dangerous liberty. f?^ If If he were not able entirely to appeafe the fer- mentation occafioned by the famous Bull, he pre- vented the difputes about religion from having the fame fatal effe6ls they had had in former centuries; he reduced them to appeals, mandates, at moft, * to fome ftorms of fpiritual thunder i impotent, thunder, almoft as focn extinguilljed as lighted *. • This relates to rhe Apoftolical letters of the Pope, which denounced excommunication againft thofe who did not obferve an entire obedience to the Conftitution. Thefe letters had no kind of cfFe£l, and were condemned by the Parliament, He 127 1723. h !! ' I tat THE PklVATE LIFfe 1723. He curbea the excelTive ambition of the legitimated •"— —" Princes, and acknowledged authentically the na- tion's right: in this manner he put a (lop to s dincnlaon, which had arifen among the Royal Fa- mily s but in acquiefcing in h6t with the prcten- fions of the Princes, and even of the Nobility, he did not relax from that authority, which had been in- trufted to him, and repreffed with equal feverity the fteps of the feveral b'-dies, which tended to bring queftions of too delicate a nature in agita- tion. He refifted the violent dorm that Spain was raifing againft him, and, by the boldnefs of his po- litics, and of his meafures, not only difconcerted the manoeuvres of that Power ; but inftead of a war^ which threatened to be bloody, long, and to de- generate ini'o a civil war, he made a folid and glorious peace, cemented between the two Crowns a friendfhip, which had been rather fufpended than violated, and at lail placed his two daughters iipon , a throne *. If the art with Tvhich he conducted this negotiation is to be admired, what fhall we fay of his dexterity in fecuring England and Hol- land ? At the death of Lewis XIV. the kingdom remained without "allies j the fame fentiments of hatred, jealoufy, and fear, which had united all Europe againii the late King, ilill continued j at t Mademoifelle de Montpenfier, married to the Prince of Aftd- rias, fince King of Spain, and Mademoifelle Beaajolois, whofdi contra^ of marriage with the Infant Don Carlos, foon after Sove<> reign in Italy, had been figned the 26th November 172a. She iet out from France on the id: of December, to go to Spain, from whence ihe retailed in 17x5, without the lavriege having t^n ken place* Lcmdim ■\'vp ¥k [mated le na- > to a al Fa- preten- he did pn in- cvcrity ided to agita- lin was his po- ted the a wari to de- lid and Crowns d than iipon duAed all we Hol- gdom nts of ed all edj at fAftd^ whofii !r SoveJ t. She in* from ring t»i OF LEWIS XV. London, they were profccuting the authors of the late peace, which had been the falvation of France, and their High Mightinefles had not forgotten the huoiiliations they had received, and the dreadful fituation they were once in, when they had no other choice, than the being a prey to a haughty con^ queror, or burying thennfelves in the fea. It was to be feared, that thcfe natural enemies, not well reconciled with France, in their indignation for having been made the dupes of the intrigues of that Court, would avail themfelves of the favourable cir- cumftance of a minority, to deprive them of the power of doing any mifchief for the future. At this critical junfture the Regent conceived, ind executed the bold projedl of forming an alliance with them both, in oppofition to Spain, the Power he was perfonally moft afraid of. We will not inquire whether his own particular intereft had net more Ihare in producing this manceuvre, than the public goodi but that the meafure was advan- tageous to the public is certain, and it is but juf- tice that hiftory fhould acknowledge it. The deplorable fituation of the finances was another caufe of difcontent, which required a remedy. The Regent certainly employed for this purpofe a violent method, all the danger of which he had not forefeen. At length he alfo furmounted this diffi- culty, and made it turn to the advantage of the body politic, which afterwards acquired a more ftrong and healthy conftitution from it. An Adminiftration of eight years^ fo llormy, and yet fo conftantly fuccefsful in all it's parts, is un- doubtedly the true touchftone of diftinguifhed merit, and the Regent will certainly always be ranked among the greateft men who have governed France. : Vol. I. K This 129 if I i THE PRiVAtfe LIFE This Prince was likewife poffeffed of a fpirit t{ detail, which does not alwayis acconrtpahy gehiusy which often ftifles it, or which gehiiis dtfpifeS. The firft fixteen months of the Regency prefent us with the model of a prudent, equitable, and pacific go- vernment, fimilar to the fucceeding adminiftration of^ Cardinal Fleuri. The Regent fuppreffed a number of fuperfluous taxes and charges, burdenfome to the people } and the troops were reduced to numbers pro- portioned to the want of them. He adopted M. de Vauban's fcheme concerning the land-tax, and made experiments for eftablifhing a revenue of the crowny which the fubjefts might voluntarily pay, and whicih might enter the royal treafury undiminifli- ed. The repopulation of the provinces, the culture of the lands, the reftoration of coitimerce, and the flourifhing of the arts, were all objefts which like- wife engaged his attention j but, as there is no per- feflion in this world, he has been reproached with two vices of confequence in government, which have given occafion to numberlefs fatires, with which his' adminiftration hath been branded. The firft is, that he derogated from that maxim, that the word of Kings ought to be facred ; a maxim which Lewis XIV. had never loft fight of, in the greateft calami- ties of his reign : and that he had adopted as a prin- ciple of gOvefflment, the fraudulent conduft of thofe faithlefs merchants, who, abufing the credulous con- fidence of their creditors, get rid of them by fliameful methods, that ought to lead th W 'A' t i ii ii ; f 111 i'y24. " temperwas rough and unaccommodating} he was ""^ " curious, and fond of fcarce and precious things; " having a very beautiful wife, upon whom he did ^^ not fet a right value, feeking abroad for pleafures, " which he was little able to enj oy, making a great *^ and magnificent expence *." We certainly cannot find out, among all thefe qualities,'any that are proper to charafterife a Statefman. . 'Ito; The firft aft he did in his new capacity proved, on the contrary, how little of a Statefman he was. Wc mean to fpeak of that fevere edift iffued againft the t4 March. Proteftants and other feftaries, which forbad thern^ under the mofl: heavy penalties, the exercife of their religion, injoined them to educate their children in the Catholic faith, confifcated the eftates of peffons re- turning to the Proteftant faith, and ftained the memory of thofe who die without haying received the fa- crament of the church. ■ '- "' -'• -"j' -^ - It would not have occafioned any furprize, if fuch an edifl had appeared at the beginning of the reign, when the Proteftants of Guienne and Languedoc had Tefufed to pay the tithes, when thofe of Montauban had afliembled, when the report fpread of Clergymen being arrived to catechize them, announced a formal defign of refuming the courfe of their cxercifes, of their preaching andinftrufVions, and when thfe Coun- cil of Confcience, compofed of the members of the Clergy, and aftuated by that impetuous zeal which confumes all that, it is concerned in, was eager to fignalize itfelf in it*$ firft ardour. ^ ' '^-i^-^' ' ' Such a conduft, though inconfiftent, perhaps, with the notions of a philofopher, who knows that pcrfecution only increafes fanaticifm, fpreads it, and gives it greater aftivity and energy, would then at 3 leaft OF LEWIS XV. , 13$ Icaft have been excufable in the eye of vulgar poli- 1724, ticians, from the neceffity qf fupprefling the firft afts ' ©f rebellion, and flopping their progrefs by exem- plary punifhments: but after eight years of tran- , quillity and fubmifllon, to put lb barbarous a law as this in force again, is a circumftance that can but give a very bad opinion of the narrow views of the Prime Minifter, and of his complaifancie for the Priefts. Tl>e example of the Regent was ftill before the eyes of the people, who, even ip the troubles we may recal to our memory, moderated the fury of the Clergy, cenfured the feyerity of the Parliament of Bourdeaux, and took out of the gallies fixty-eight of thefe unhappy perfons, to whom he gave full li- berty to go out of the kingdom wherever they thought proper. The parallel heightened the odium ^gainft the fucccflbr. Fortunately, before th,e perlecution, which this edidt would have occafioned, was begun, the States General, who hacj then fome influence at the Court of Verfailles, prefented a memorial to the King, to ob- 3iAuguft, tain forne mitigations to this edid, in favour of the Dutch noerchants fettled in France. In order not to make too formal a retractation in fo Ihort a time, it was contrived to give a .declaration, excepting the ,5 sept. inhabitapt§ of the province of Alface from the rigour Cjf th|e edwSb, ii>^fmuch as their privileges were founded ijpqn the nfK>it fcflemn treaties of peace. , ^ The circumftance that furnifhes the beft proof how niuch thefe rigours againft the Proteftants were dan- ger,QU?, ?ind might have become fatal, if they had b^en ftridly .executed, is the eagernefs of certain Ptow^rp to avaiil themielVfCS of fo grofe a fault in po- iitics. Tiie Swedes no fooner heard of this edi(ft, chan K 4 ^ they ! 1 [^ ■t I, u 136 . THE PRIVATE LIFE 1724.. they haftencd to publilh a manifefto, by which they " October, invitcd Frcnch Proteftants, who had any occupation, to go and fettle in their country. Thus it is, that fince the revocation of the edift of Nantz, the neigh- bours of France have enrichedthemfclves, at her ex- pence, with a multitude of her fubjefts, and, increafing their population by our lofs, have, at the fame tinne, acquired a variety of fciences, arts, and trades, which they had not before. It was then thought that in- ternal tranquillity, and the cefTation of civil wars, were 1 a fufficient compenfation for emigrations and the lofs of trade. Philofophers had not yet difculTed thefe reafonings, more fpecious than folid -, it was necefr fary that half a century * fhould be nearly elapfed, before the darknefs of prejudice was diffipated, and before it was conceived that the reinftating of the Proteftants among the body of the citizens, far from being injurious to the interefts either of the Church or the State, could not but contribute to the honour of the one, and the good of the other. In general, every new tax, or every additional office, is little calculated to render a Minifter agree- able to the nation j much lefs fo when he has n« ad- vantageous operation, or any increafe of glory, to offer as an indemnification. The people, therefore, could not but be highly difpleafed with the Duke, for his declaration bearing a tax on the fiftieth part of the revenue ofall eftates, payable during twelve years. ^ . • It is well known that it hath been for many years an objeft of confideration in France, to give the Proteftants a legal eftablifli- jnent in that kingdoni ; it is unde;r M. Turgot, that the Govern- ment has taken up new ideas upon this matter : and at the time vfc are writing this (in 1778) the Parliament fye^i f«ms to have opcncfi theif eyes upon it. ' :. ' The OF LEWIS XV. '37 The right of joyous accefllon (joyeux avenement) iyi^. jto the crown, which the Kings of France pretended to be due to them, and the ridiculous claim of which is contefted, beeaufe the Parliaments do not regifter it, was already a fubjeft of difcontent. It had juft been eftablilhed by a declaration, given only under the Great Seal, and for this reafon it was collefted but flowly and fecretly *. People were incenfed, that in the midfV of peace another tax fhould be 1725. added to it, of a Angular kind j and the Magiflrates not being willing to accede to it, it was neceffary to have recourfe to aBf ' of Juftice, a formidable ap- 8th June, paratus, which was beginning to become very com- mon. The King caufed to be regiftered there, in his prefence, not only this edi£t of the fiftieth part of the revenue, but another likewife, denoting the privileges, conceflions, and alienations, granted to the India Company, and by which that Company was difcharged from all the operations of the Bank, and all the accounts they might have to make up. His Majefty further ordered, that all the regifters which had been made for the purchafe of Ihares, and other operations of the Company, during the jinino- rity, Ihould be burnt. Thefe circumftanccs difco- vered the affedlion of the Prime Minifter for a Com- • In the Hi^on'e 'Journal of the Fafti of the Reign of Lewis XV. furname4 the Bien Aitnit it is faid that this tax produced about forty-four millions \ntar tiuo millions Jlerling] in fpecie. The writer has been ill informed. The tax was farmed at twenty-three millions [mar one million fterling,'] The company who did this bufinefs, got by it, it is true, forty-one millions [more than one million and a half ferling] ; but the colleAing of ft was only completed in 1744, and the accounts were not fet- tled at the Chamber, till a few months before the death of Lewis XV. pany. T •I THE PRIVATE LIFE pany> in which he had made Co prodigious a fortune j all the vefliges of which, it is faid, he was defirou^ of effacing. Such was undoubtedly the cayfe of the darkncfs in which thefe troublefome times were in- volved, and v^hich will always prove an embarralTmcnt; to an hiftorian, how great foever his fagacity. ^j The fending back of the Infanta of Spain is ano- ther event of the adminiftration of the Duke of Bourbon, which cannot be approved. This infult, committed againft a Sovereign, who was uncle to the King, at a time when it was effential to be upon good terms with him, was fo much the more unne-r celTary, as it was done in order that the King might marry the daughter of a dethroned Prince. In vain was it alledged, that the little Princefs was tOQ young, being fcarce feven years of age ; that fhe could not therefore be married for feveral years? and that i% was expedient to gratify the wifhes of the nation, impatient that the King fhould have heirs to hi$ crown. Not only the nation did not exprefs the im- patience afcribed to them, but they were already ac^ cuftomed to fee their future Queen grow up under their own eyes j they began to take an intereft in her, and faw her depart with regret. It was confidered as a very bad piece of policy, to form an alliance that could not be of any advantage j but on the con- trary, muft become very burthenfonniJ. Certainly, ^•hen the Regent, upon King Staniflaus having chofen his retreat at Weiflenbcrg, in French Al- fatia, anfwered Mr. Sum, Envoy of King Auguftus, who was making his complaints to Him upon it. Sir, let the King your mafier know, that f ranee has al- ways been the afylum of unfortunate Princes, he little cxpe(5ted that the daughter of that fame Staniflaus k::::-: would OF LEWIS XV. ^39 would caufe the expulfion of the Ipfanta, whofe mar- 17 iff riage he had projeftcd, and would be feated in her place. And Staniilaus, when he found, after his flight fronn Poland, his daughter wandering and dc- ferted, in the trough of a ftabfe, in a village, did no^ expeft the brilliant profperity of his child. The more we ftqdy hiftory, the more do we experience that we are blind, and conduced by a ftill blinder deftiny. Neverthelcfs, the following, according to conftant tradition, are the fecret and incredible fprings, by which this intrigue has been conduced. King Staniflaus, retired at Weiflenberg, was, as we have feen by the anfwer of the Regent, under the protection of France, and, in order to do honour to him, fome regiments were kept in that place, the officers of which formed a kind of Court for him. Among thcfe was the Count, fince Marfhal d'Eftrees. He was at that time young, handfome, well made, ( active, and calculated to pleafe the women. Stanif. iaus perceived that his daughter had conceived an affedtion for him : one day, he took him afide, con- yerfed with him upon the matter, and declared, that although he had no hope of re-afcending the throne of Poland, yet he doubted not but that he fhould have juftice, and that he fhould receive the eftates belonging to him in that country j that this would tenable him to give a very opulent dower with his daughter, and even intitle her to marry fome petty Sovereign j but that he preferred the happinefs of this darting child, to any thing that might flattenhis ambition; that he had obferved how agreeable the Count was to her ; and that he was not averfe from bellowing her on him in marriage, if to his birth, already illuftrtous, he could add fome diftinguifhing mark ! - 1: I 1 ll , .1 li 140 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1725. mark of dignity for his pofterity, fuch as a Dukc- dom, and Peerage. D'Eftrees was ardent, and in a hurry to make his way. Having anfwered imme- diately with proper modefty, he acknowledged him- felf to be inflamed with a tender and refpedlful paflion for the Princefs, but that he fliould never have dared to carry his views fo high j yet, fince he was encou- raged by his Majefty's goodnefs, he would endeavour to make himfelf worthy of it. He fet off imme- diately for Court, and folicited of the Regent the ' dignity that was required. His R. H. did not love the Louvois, and was therefore far from confenting to fuch a propofal, under a pretence that d'Eftrees was not a proper perfon to marry a daughter of a Sovereign, though an cledtive one, and deprived of his crown, The Duke of Bourbon coming in to his R. H, foon after this converfation with d'Eftrees, the Re- gent, who was ftill agitated with the boldnefs of the Colonel, communicated the matter to him, and in the courfe of the converfation infmuated to him, that he ought to think of this marriage for himfelf; that this alliance would be perfeftly fuitable to him, efpe- cially with the expedation of the large pofleflions Staniflaus was to recover, The Dujcc loved nioney, and was not averfe to this opening ; but before hp concluded, he waited to fee what turn the affairs of the fugitive Monarch might take, ipefides, he was then enthralled with the Marchionefs de Prie, hit miftrefs ; who, in hopes of keeping this illuftrioul fiave more fecurely in her chains, endeavoured as much as poffible to excite in him an averlion for marriage. In the mean time, the Regent died, and the Duke was appointed Prime Minifter, This in- 5 creaf<5 OF LEWIS XV. creafe of dignity proved only an additional fpur to the ambition of the Marchionefs, who perceived that flie fliould now povern under him. The youth and timi* dity of the King gave her reafon to hope, that this might continue for a long time j but the paflion of am- bition is ever reftlefs and active. The Marchionefs was tinder apprehenfions, that the marriage of Lewis XV. -with the Infanta, might diminifh the power of the Duke, or at lead occafion a divifion of itj /he therefore fuggefted the manoeuvre of fending back the Princefs, and in order to determine the refolu- tions of the Minifter upon this point, Ihe propofed to him, that the King fliopld marry one of his fillers, which would neceflarily fecure his Miniftry from any attacks, and would for ever confirm both their Ma- jefties in his dependence. The Duke found the ex- pedient admirable -, but he meant firft to confult his mother about it, who had more fenfe than himfelf. He was moreover in hopes, that this advice, fo fa- vourable to the profperity of his houfe, being fug- gefted by Madame de Prie, would make that Lady lefs difagreeable to the Princefs, who could not bear Jier. The Dutchefs of Bourbon, who alfo loved to rule, far frc.n difapproving, was extremely pleafed with this projeft j but reproached her fon with being in- •debted to a woman for it, and for not having him-r felf conceived this idea of grandeur. She promifed, however, to treat Madame de la Prie with more caution, and to look upon her with a more fa- vourable eye. Her defign was to excite her fon to make the firft eclat, by breaking the marriage of the Jnfanta. When Ihe faw that alliance entirely dif- folved, and no Jonger entertained any doubt tf the man iage 141 1725. i;li i!l 142 1725. 11 (i Cc C( cc and thwarted all her fchemes of empire; and fecondly, ihe was (h-iving to confirm and perpetuate her own power, by preventing the marriage of her loVer. The Duke readily comprehended her meaning, and fawno other -motive than an cxcefs of zeal in the Marchionefs, dcfirous that he fhould preferve in it's ftfll extent the quality of Prime Minifter. He adopted manner : .OF Lewis xV. adopted tliis plan the rather, as it fui:cd him very well, becaufc the charaftcr of the Princcfs was mild, and good, and her underftanding weak. He pro- pofed the affair in Council, and it met with the King's approbation. It is probable that his Ma- jefty^ already fecretly led by the former Bilhop of Frejtis, gave his confent only at the inftigation of that Prelate, who, being more artful than the Duke, was already thinking of fupplanting him, and left the Duke to act in L/oui of bis rival, While he was thinking, only to confirm his own Authority. Thus it was that Maria, ?h^r being propofed to a Colonel, and then accepted as a i st- able match for a Prince of the Blood, b. w^me Queen of the fineil kingdom in the um^ c.r^ In the fequel of thefe memoirs, we hal; fee, by the fatality that prefides over the affairs of this world, that this marriage was the moll fortunate one which Lewis XV. could contraft. But no hu- man prudence could have forefeen this, and every thing ought, on the contrary, to have difluaded the Prime Minifter from it, had he confulted only the interefts of the State. The calculations, even, which he and his mJftrefs had m.h for their own ac- coimt were erroneous, and t.^t itorm came from a quarter where they leaft expelled it. Before the ftorm breaks, let us go rhrough the remainder of the principal events, a this period of the reign. The reafons which had determined the fending back of the Infanta, however they might have been Teprefented to the King of Spain as neceflary for the quiet of France and the tranquillity of Europe, yet that Monarch was not pleafed wirh them. He knew well that the manoeuvres of a fhameful in- trigue «43 1725. 4 Sepr, \ 144 THEPRIVATELIFE 1725. trigue were concealed under the appearance of i """"""* wife policy ; and he was apprized of the odious and contemptible caufe of thefe manoeuvres. As foon as he was informed of the refolution taken upon this fubjeft, he recalled the Plenipotentiaries, and the Congrefs was diflblved, as his interefts made the principal objedt of it. He gave orders to the Ba- ron de Riperda, his Minifter at Vienna, toclofe with the Emperor, and was compelled to make an ex- traordinary alliance with his rival. In confequence of this, four treaties were concluded in his name at Vienna in one day, one with the Empire, and three with the Emperor. Thefe treaties had been, fecretly negotiating for a long time, while the Mi- nifters of the two Courts feemed to be much divided at Cambrai i but perhaps they would not have ta- ken place, if the mifunderftanding, which happen- ed at this time, had not determined the conclufion - and fignature of them j for one inftant of ill-hu- mour, or of fatisfadtion, often forwards affairs more than all the ability of the negotiator j or rather, the principal talent of the negotiator is, dexteroufly to lay hold of the crifis of the pafllons, in order to turn them to his advantage. Tn this ferment, it was neceflary that the King Ihould have a Minifter at Vienna, capable of watch- ing over his interefts. The Duke of Richelieu, who now began to make a figure, was fent there in charadler of AmbalTador Extraordinary. But the treaty of Hanover, figned a fliort time after, between France, England, and the King of Pruflia, was the principal prefervative againft the fecret defigns the Spaniards might have. Thus every thing continued to be Ongular in the fyftem of the European al- liances. 1725. a 8 July. 7724. b F* LEWIS XV. iiances, which could riot long be maintained in this ftate. We leave it to thofe who fhall treat more particularly of this part of hiftory, to un- fold the views which we throw out in a vague man- ner upon the fubjeft of war or politics. A declaration of the King concerning be^gafs an3 vagabonds, which appeared at the beginning of the Duke of Bourbon's Miniftry, excited in the firft inftant an admifatiori of the v/ifdom and hu- hianity of his adrriiniftration. The objeft of this law was, not to fufFer one poor man in the kingdom ; to fupply thofe who werfe incapable of labour with food J and to procure work for thofe who were healthy and ftrong : a regulation long wifhed for, and the execution of which, would have been as glorious td the government, as ufeful to the ftate j a regula- tion, which has been attempted feveral times, and hitherto without fuccefs, becaufe the previous and moft necefTary operation has always been forgotten, which is, to fet apart a fund fufficient for fuch an * cftablifhment ; or rather the regulation has Been unfuccefsful, becaufe the public treafury, ever ran- facked by depredatory Miniflers, has never beeri able, for any length of time, to fupply a fufHciehcy for the arrangements taken on this matter. The dreadful phantom called etiquette, occafioh- cd alfo, under the Miniftry of the Duke, a diftur- bance with Portugal, which might have been at- tended with ferious confequences, if that fecondary power had been more in a condition to maintain a conteft with France. The Abbe de Livry, Ambaf- fador from his Majefty to that Court, received or- »s Fe^* ders to retire from Lift)Qn without demanding an audience of the King of Portugal, becaufe the Se- cretary of State had refufcd to pay the firft vifit to Vol, I. , L the >' 146 1725. THE PRIVATE LIFE 1 1 Nov. 1724.. the Ambaffador of the King as it was cuftomar/. Lewis XV. was then at that age when a young and fuperb Prince is very jealous of the rights of his Crown, and, after having liftened to his Council^ he was eafily determined to treat the matter in the moft ferious manner. This determination was not beyond his powers^ anymore than another which he had previoufly given, and which concerned the internal etiquette of his houfehold. A conteli having happened between the officers of the body Guards, and thofe of the Gendarmerie and Light Horfe of his Guard, con- cerning the place which each of them was to take near the King's coach in his excurfions, his Ma- jelty made a regulation, fignifying, that the officers of the Life Guards Ihould march to the right and left of the coach, even with the hind wheels, and that the officers of the Gendarmerie, Light Horfe, and Moufquetaires, Ihould march parallel to the fore wheels : both the one and the other in fuch a manner as that the coacli door Ihould be left free, and (hould give the people the facility of feeing the Monarch. _ ^ v * It is thus that Lewis XV. accuftomed himfelfy by trifling mattef s, to pronounce upon thofe that were more important. Since the death of the Regent, he in fome fort enjoyed the fatisfadlion of being freed from the reftraint of tuition. He had introduced Marfhal Villars into the Council, who would never have been admitted there in the time of his R. H. 1726. He granted to the Count ofTouloufe, married pri- vately to the Marchioncfs de Gondrin, fifter of the Duke of Noailles, permillion to declare his marriage, i and to make it public, which would not have hap- pened 6 F L E W I S 5^V. Jjcined fooner : but there was one affair, which was done more particularly to amufj n child of fifteen years of age j and this was the p'omotion he made at once of fifty-feven Knights Commanders of the Order of the Holy Ghofti This is what was called the grand promotion. Oh the fame day he ap- pointed feven Marlhals of France, among whom the Count de Broglio alone has fincc acquired fome re- putatidn. At length he performed oneof the mod confpicuous a£ts of fupreme power, by determining to take the reins of government into his own hands, thanking the Duke for his fervices, and in return, writing to him to retire to Chantilli. The good citizens were not forry for the expulfion of this Prince *, under whom the women had every influence j but it was dbferved, that the condufb of the King in this in- ftance betrayed a difllmulation incohfiftent with his age, and which^ frorti that time, announced a weak and little mind. The letter de cachet had been already difpatched in the morning, when the Prime Minifler eame to re- ceive as ufual his orders from the King, who was going on a hunting-party to Rambouillet. HisMajefty, not- withftanding what had happened, did not give the Jefs favourable reception to his Prime Minifter j he loaded him with careiTes, and alked the Duke whether he (hould not fee him during the journey, which was to laft a few days j and whether he would not go a hunting with him ? We may readily conceive that the Duke's fudden difgrace could not but appear * T^e AlarchioQcfs de Prie, his favoarite mlilrcft, was ba- nifliedalfo. . i,|,;* . fofitR^ ti 2 Jiiorc 1726, hi m ;i ■»•»■■; n^-^B^vm mmmm Mi THE PRIVATE LIFE more mortifying to him, after fuch a reception, and fuch a farewel. It would, however, be an eafy matter to juftify the conduct of Lewis XV. who was not yet fixteen years of age, and did not adl from himfelf. Every thing he did, was probably dictated to him by his Preceptor, who infenfibly gained the greateft afcen- dant over hi. Royal Pupil. This Prelate, concealing under an air of fimplicity and modefty, a deep and unbounded ambition, and under the appearance of the ftridleft candour, the moft deliberate deceit, would not have dared to contend openly with the. Prime Minifter. Befides, he was well enough ac- quainted with the King, to judge him incapable of difgracing the Duke of Bourbon to his face, or of beariiig his excufes, or perhaps his reproaches : he thought it more fafe to have recourfe to artifice, being certain, that by preventing every explanation, and circumventing his Majefty at the inftant, he con- firmed and perpetuated forever his influence over his mind. Such was the motive of the ignoble proceed- ing of Lewis XV. which was rather the aft of a flave, who wifhcs to free himfelf from the yoke, than of a Monarch, whofe genius, impatient of cor>- troul, eagerly foars to empire. The circumfpeftion of the young King's Mentor would not allow him to enjoy immediately the honour ' to which he afpired j he rather chofe to conceal his intentions : he engaged his Majefty to fupprefs the office of Prime Minifter i he made him declare to his people, that in taking upon himfelf the adminiftra- tionof his kingdom, he did not prefume upon his own ftrength, but relied upon the protedtion of Heaven. Accordingly, his Majefty wrote * iftter to the Car- dinal OF LEWIS XV. dinal de Noailles, in which he dcfired, that public prayers fhould be offered up to God, in order to obtain the bleffings he was in need of, for the go- vernment of his kingdoms. The Archbifliop of Paris haftened to comply with the King's intentions, and ordered prayers to be put up in all the churches of the metropolis. All the Bifhops of the kingdom followed this example, in their refpeftive diocefes, and did not fail, while they applauded this laudable inftance of piety, to celebrate the premature wifdom of their modern Joas. The fecond epocha of the reign of Lewis XV". properly begins at this period j the Miniftry of the Duke of Bourbon having been nothing more than a kind of continuation of the Regency, by reafon of the extreme youth of the King. This period is ex- tended to the Miniftry of Cardinal Fleuri, becaufe, as we have juft hinted, he is the only perfon who di- rected the events of it, even before Jie was declared Prime Minifter. After the fatal crifis of a tempeftuous Regency, this fortunate and peaceable Minifter prefents us with a profpeft more agreeable, and more flattering to the nation. During this period, we fee France, which in the courfe of the preceding reign had been fo much the objeft of univerfal terror and hatred, and fo much the objed of contempt towards the end of it, now become the arbiter of Europe, admiring her juftice, and delighting in her moderation. We fee her King, the truftee of the interefts of his rivals, procuring for them, almoli againft their will, a peace which he enjoys, and the fweets of which he feel*. Scarce was the Cardinal placed at the head of affairs, but the internal part of the kingdom aflumed a new L 3 i^^cc« I49 1726. . I ISO 1726. THE PRIVATE LIFE face. The exhaufted ftate to which the Bank of Law had reduced it, the general miftruft, which had only increafed under the Duke of Bourbon, the fcarcity of corn that happened in the year preceding the Duke's difmiflion *, the mifery and difeafes which yrerc the unavoidable confequences of famine, the continual fludtuation in the value of the fpecie, the confufion that prevailed in all parts of the ftate, and cfpecially in the finance -, all thefe evils difap- peared. Credit was reftored, both within and with- out the kingdom j commerce was revived, extended, and multiplied -, and the provinces, which, a few months before, refembled a ravaged country, became in a fhort time richer, perhaps, than they had ever been. Such was the flourifhing ftate of France, when the eleftipn of a King of Poland intervened to difturb the general harmony. This incident forced the French into a war, in which the arms of the King, being almoft always vidlorious, procured the king- doms of Naples and Sicily to a Prince of the Houfe of Bourbon, and added to the Crown of France, y^hat Lewis XIV. had never been able to acquire, the dutchics of Bar and Lorraine. Such is the magnificent Iketch of Cardinal Fleuri's adminiftration, the parts of which it will be the bufinefs of hiftorians to develop at large. As to our-, felves, being arrived at the period when Lewis XV. became a man, and when our attention will be particularly engaged upon him, we fhall only take notice of other things briefly, and inafmuch as the fadls, in their detail, may coincide with our plan of * In 1725 there were continual rains during the fummer, y/]uc3x ruined the harveil. , - dcfcribing the fummer« OF LEWIS XV. defcriblng the characSler, genius, and manners of this Prince ; which, for the inflruftion of his equals, and of all nnankind, is one of the nioft interelling fubjefts of ftudy and contemplation. Lewis XV. when he undertook to free himfelf from the tutelage of the Duke of Bourbon, was en- tering into the age of adolefcence, being between fixteen and feventeen years of age. His cotempora- ries defcribe him as being handfome, of a proper ftature, with a leg perfedtly well made, a noble mien, his eyes large, his look rather mild than fierce, his eye-brows dark ; and his appearance alltog'rtherfeem- ing to befpeak that delicate habit of body, which he afterwards fortified fo much by exercife, that he was able to bear the greateft fatigues. It is to this tardy progrefs of nature in him, that we are undoubtedly to attribute the calmnefs of thofe paflions, which arc fo aftive at that age in moft individuals of ftrong conftitutions, and efpecially among Princes, with whom every thing contributes to awaken thefe paf- fions early. He then appeared indifferent for wo- men, for play, and for high living, all of which he was nriiich addicted to after. Hunting was his only pleafure,fwhether it were that a fecret inftindt led him to this falutary exercife, or that want of employment prompted him to it, from the apprehepfion of cuat tasdium, which already began to embitter his bell days : for his educatioi) having been much neglefted, from the fear of fatiguing him in his infancy, his mind was but little embellifhed, and he had not ac- quired that tafte for ftudy, which is of fo great re- fgurce at all times, and in every ftation. He had an invincible averfion for bufinefs, fo that he coul4 fqarce bear to hear it fpoken of. Having no thirft of ^4 glo'"/* 1726. 152 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1726. glory, he wanted that energy, which, in his great ' grandfather, had correded the defeds of education, and made up for his ignorance. In a word, being of an eafy, indolent, and timid difpofition, he was cal- culated to be governed by the firft perfon who (hould gain an afcendant over him. This circumftance the Preceptor of the Prince foon perceived, and he availed himfelf of it, to lay the foundation of his grandeur. The Preceptor was, in many points, of a character - fimilar to that of his Royal Pupil. Hence that fym- pathy between them, which made the one fo much attached to the interefts of his mafter, and the other fo obedient to the counfels of his Preceptor. Sim- plicity, modefty, prudence, and circumfpeftion, were, in fome fort, the fafeguards of the ambition of the antient Bifhop of Frejus j his ambition partook of • thofe qualities j it made it's way by patience and in- fiauation, and had nothing in it of that aftive and turbulent progreffion which marks this paflion in other men. It had already, undoubtedly, arrived to ^ a great height, but by (low degrees. The Cardinal was fcventy-three years old when he w^S appointed to the Miniftry. Born in a fouthern province of France, of parents, if not obfcure, at leaft little , known, he was defigned for the church, and inftruded in the fciences fui table to that profeflion, which he entered int;o early. It is the profeflion the beft cal- . culated to pronriote thofe who are not called up to. s high employments by their birth. ...»..> The Abbe Fleuri had an ardent defire to appear,. |t Court, being certain that his youth and his perfoa . wpuld be of wonderful advantage to him j he managed « fp well, that he came there furnilhed with pretty^ 5 good OF LEWIS XV. ^S3 good recommendations, which he fupportcd by his 1726, merits among the women, but always with that re- •"" ferve and difcretion which guided all his condu6t, and whjch even the ladies were not able to remove. He obtained the poll of King's Chaplain, and a few years after was named to a bifhopric. Thus he was again fent back into a province, and even at a great diftance from the fcene on which he had butjuft (hewn himfelf; but hypocrify was to be the principal fpring of his elevation. His exadnefs in the per^ . formance of his duty made him be taken notice of by Lewis XIV. and chofen to fuperintend the edu- cation of Lewis XV. He foon flattered himfelf, that he Ihould realize in his perfon the great predictions of the aftrologers, in which he had much confidence ; for although he had a great fhare of underftanding, yet was he not pofTefied of that geniusy which being * fuperior to events, feels itfelfcapable of commanding them, and expefts it's fortune from itfelf alone. This weaknefs;, however, was very ufeful to him, inafmuch as, relying on that happy fatality in which he believed, he accuftomed himfelf early to his elevation, which did not appear ftrange to, him j and inafmuch as the aflu ranee of fuccefs, without ever making him prefumptuous, infpired him with that perfeverance • which Supplied the place of energy, and enabled him to undertake a plan of fortune, which otherwife he would never have conceived. The afcendant which ^ he found he h^d over his pupil, in proportion as he ' difcovered his inclinations ar^d qualities, perfuaded himi that in tinfi^ he might afpire to thehigbeft pitch' of power J and the death of the Regent opened the^ mpft !exteQfi,Ye5ar gave fo much fatisfadtion, that his Majefty, in reward of his fervices, held a Chapter extraordinary of the Order of the Holy Ghoft, in which> after the proofs of the candidate were admitted, his Majefty granted him permiffion to wear the crofs and the ribband of the Order, till fuch time as he Ihould come himfelf to receive the collar from his Majefty's hands. This extraordinary favour was only the prelu(Je to future, though certainly lefs glorious fa- vours., which he was afterwards to receive from the young Monarch, in acquiring an intimacy with him. Neverthelefs, the conferences at SoiflTons, which had been opened upwards of fifteen months, pro- duced no efFeftj and the Emperor could not refolve entirely to give up his Oftend Company, and irrevo- cably to confirm the rights of Spain to the ftates of Tufcany, Parma, and Placentia, which were the two points infifted upon. The French Minifter availed himfelf of this circumftance, to reprefent to his Catholic Majefty how much an inftant of ill-hu- mour had induced him to lofe fight of his real in- terefts, in throwing himfelf into the arms of the Court of Vienna, his rival and hijs enemy ; he gave him ■m ■A 1728. 9 Nov. 37*9. 1730. to Jan. I7JI. THE PRIVATE LIFE hirri to iinderftand, that the delays of the Emperc/r were, in fa(S, refufals of that juftice he required of him, and that the mod certain method of obtaining it, was to renounce art alliance fo incompatible^ and reunite himfelf with France and England. Thefe obfervations were forcible, and the refult of them was the treaty of Seville, between the three Courts J to v/hich the States General, who- were in- terefted in the excindion of the Oftend Coijipany, readily acceded. The Emperor, with regret, faw himfelf ptilhed more ftrongly than ever, to execute fo many pro- mifes made upon different occafions, and confirmed by a multiplicity of treaties. He ftill cavilled, how- ever, upon pretence of being anxious for his other dominions. He foreftalled Spain, by caufing fome of his troops to move into Italy, which prevented his Catholic Majefty from fending thofe that were agreed upon. The death cf the Duke of Parma having afterwards opened the right of eventual fuc- ccflion granted to Don Carlos, he carried his trea- chery fo far, as to engage the Dutchefs Dowager to feign being big with child, and thus to retard the execution of the engagement he had entered into; The King of Spain, tired with thefe delays and Ihufflings, caufed a fummons to be made by the Marquis del Caftellare, his Ambaffador in France, to the Courts that were the contrading parties and guarantees of the treaty of Seville, to join with him in compelling the Emperor to fulfil itj declaring, at the fame time, that if it remained unexecuted, he would withdraw himfelf from the negotiation, witli the refolution of employing all the methods, capable of obtaining that juftice which he requiredi This OF L E W I ^ XV. i6i This ftep bad the defircd efFeft -, and the King of 1731. England exerted himfclf fo effeflually with the Court of Vienna, that he made the Ennperor fign a treaty ,6 Maichj of acquiefcence. Six thoufand Spaniards embarked at Barcelona in an Englifh fleet, and landed at Leghorn ; they were foon followed by the Infant^ who arrived there, after having crofled the fouthern provinces of France. The King had caufed all pof- fible honour to be paid to him. Thus v^as executed a? Dec. the introduction of Don Carlos into Italy, after a va- , riety of negotiations, which had delayed the matter for thirteen years. The Grand Wuke of Tufcany, the laft Prince of the Houfe of Medicis, had given his confent to this arrangement, by an ad: figned at Vienna, and had ac- 47 sept. cepted the heir defigned for him without his confent. Voltaire, calling his eye rapidly and philofophi- cally upon thefe events *, obfervcs, with that poig- nant fagacity which makes the reading of his hifto- ries fo alluring, that, by an admirable refinement of policy, the Cardinal turned the efforts of our rivals the Englilh, to the aggrandizement of the Houfe of Bourbon ; but it muft not be imagined that the Englifh adbed againft their interefc in thefe changes ; or rather, that they did not profit by them in the moft eflential manner. Befides that they confirmed themfelves by this in the poffelTion of Gibraltar and Minorca, which were the difmemberings of the Spa- nifh Monarchy; as alfo in the poffefTion of Newfound- land and Acadia, ceded to them by France f : be- fides that they acquired the Negro- trade J in Spa<- * See his Hiftory of the War in 1741. t By the Treaty of Utrecht, t By th« Affiento. V; Vol. I. M nilh •4 i62 THE PRIVATE LIFE 173 1, nifh America, and the ftaple of an innmenle and ' clandeftine commerce in the So i ' Seas, by the per- miffion which they at length cxuurted, of fending a fhip every year to Porto Eelio ; they were alfo to profit, in common with the other maritime Powers, of the extinftion of the Cllend Company. Befide all thefe advantages^ they likevvife fecurcd to them- felves, beforehand, a fuccefsfui war, in cafe of a rup- ture with France, by the complailance of the Cardi- nal, in fufFering our navy to be deflroyed. , The point is, that this Minifter, bent upon preferving the harmony between that Power and us, winked at all the fuhje6ls of complaint v/ith which our Ambafia- dor at that Court was charged § ; this it was, at leafb, that prevented him from demanding fatif- faclion for them with vigour, and left ftill fubfifting the feeds of thofe quarrels, which, fooner or later, were to break fcrtl^ Englund paid for thefe advantages, at the expence of the Emperor. Befides, by fuffering the Houfe of Bourbon to eftablilh itfelf in Italy, England fo- mented, by that neighbourhood, the animofity of the Houfe of Auftria againft it, and laid the foundation of it's own grandeur, upon the ruins of both. This was not furely undextrous management; and, all things confidered, it might be doubted which of the feveral Powers adled the moit cunning part. But § In the appendix of this volume, we fhall produce, under N° VII. two manufcript memorials^ under the form of in- ilru£lions, given to Count Broglio, Ambaflador in England: one, of the nth of April, 1724, concerns the French Colonies in America ; and the other, of the 18th of May, relates to the ma- ritime trade, navigation, and the Colonies. In thefe curious pieces, we fhall fee the caufes of that difcord which has fiiice broken ouv, after having been fomented during thirty ^cars. ♦'' ' - ' the -OF LEWIS XV. the Cardinal, not being able to prevent fo many evils, which might alTail the kingdom, was endea- vouring to remedy the mod urgent of them. While he was eftablifliing without, a general pacification, he was labouring v/ithin, to conciliate the nation to himfelf; to reftore harmony between the different orders of the State j and efpccially, to engage the alfeftions of the people for his beneficent govern- ment. The firft a£l of adminiftration to which he per- fuaded the King, at the inflant of the Duke of Bourbon's difgrace, was the fupprefTion of the tax of the fiftieth parr, which had been eftabliflied the year before, by that Minifter. He alfo caufed, by a de- cree of Council, a proportional and reafonable rate to be fixed upon the old fpecic, and the materials of gold and filver^ an effential balis, upon which com- merce, almo^ annihilated, was to raife itfelf again. Since that time, the coin has never experienced any Variation ; and this part of his adminiftration, though it hath nothing brilliant in it, has been the principal caufe of the profperity of France, and hath not been fuflicicntly extolled by the Cardinal's panegyrifls. But if he procured the general good of the king- dom in this inftance, there was reafon to reproach him, a little time after, v 'th having occafioned the ruin of feveral families, by the reduction of a num- ber of life annuities, under pretence of their being founded on papers acquired at a low price. Befides that thefe life annuities were already at four per cent, they fhould likewife have been held the more facred, as the necellity of the times had compelled people to accept thefe annuities, cfi'cred to them by the Go- vernment. It was not in the CardinaFs difpofition Ma to 163 I A] •i m Jl( i / i;: ''I li!: iin I.,! !l! (,i- 164 THE PRIVATE LIFE • 1731. to brave the public clamour, and he was alarmed dt "— it. The injuftice of an operation, the profits of which, though trifling to the Prince, were of confi- derable prejudice to the perfons concerned, was ex- plained to him^ and he retraced. Notwithftanding this, the refult of this flep was the fame as what al- \7uys follows fuch attempts j that is, the injured par- ties loft at leaft a fixth part of their revenues. In order to efface every imprefllon, which this breach of faith might have left againft him, he threw the blame upon the Comptroller Generalj and made him the facrifice. He flattered himfelf, he fhould, by this flep, perfuade the public, that this fubaltern Minifler had been the fole author of the mifchief, and that he was punifhing him for his bad advice. This beh?- viour could only impofe upon fools, and upon the populace. Although M. le Pelletier Desfofts was known to be a hard man, and eager in the purfuit of his Sovereign's intereft, he pafTed at the fame time for a man of judgment; he had much experience, \»as very capable, perfedlly acquainted with th? ftate of the kingdom, and inclined to balance ^v'lth equity the interefts of the mafter, .uid thofe of the fubjcfV. Far from fufpefting him of having formea this fatal |jroje6t, i»- Vv'as well knov/n, beyond a doubi.. that he had ftronrly opnofcvl itj but he had done another thing, wl i :h prevented 1 *-m from being regretted fo much as >e would f»therwife have been. He had fupprelfed ail the annuities under ten livres *, granted on the taxe , becaufe the parties to whom they be- , - longed, finding the necelTary fees for receiving them , as expenfive as letting them alone, renounced th( m Eight fiiillln^s and four pence. •''AUjmSi'C-it of OF L E W I S XV, of themfelves, and thus prevented the fettling of the accounts. There was certainly a more honeft mode to be adopted j which was, to pay them off. The partizans of the difgraced Minifter were not able to exculpate him from this infamous a<5t : fo much is it certain, that a Minifter of Finance, though appa- rently of the greatcft integrity, is fure to defcrve, upon fome account or other, the curfcs of the people. The fecond leafe of the farms, fince the fyjiem^ had been made out under this Comptroller Ge- neral, and had been raifed irpm 55 to 80 millions *. It was called the Leafe of the Remainders, by reafoa of the ceflion the King made to the contradlors in queftion, of the cuftoms which the Adminiftration of 1 72 1 had not been able to get in j which was the caufe of the immenfe riches acquired by all thofe who were included in the lift. The Cardinal had ftricken off ten of them, creatures of the Duke of Bourbon ; fuch an odium had he conceived for vvery thing belonging to that Minifter. Thefc pri ^ate affairs were a mere fport to the Cardinal, Confidering his profeffion and his charadter, thofe of religion muft ncceffarily have employed him more ferioufly. Unfortunately, he did not treat them ^vjth the fame liberality of mind, as the Regent and Cardinal Dubois had done, nor with thofe philo*- fophic views which ought to direft Statefmen in all cirvumftances. Thinking that he aded from nimfelf ajone, he yielded too much to the impulfe of the Jcfuits, and Ms adminiftration did not cortmue long enough to quiet thofe troubles which he exT ■ > 4 i • From upwards of two millions, to upwards of thre« mil' Homfterling, , , . . ; ,,.,.. la Ma ^iteci 165 !!t! I Auguft, 1716. f\ :i % THE PRIVATE LIFE dtcd only, and increafed by perfeciition. The ac- commodation managed by the Jefuits with the Car- dinal dc Noailles, giving flill more folidity to the party of the Opponents, he entered into negotia- tions with that Prelate, in hopes that the old man would not refift fo many attacks ; and, while thirty Reftors of Paris were prcfenting a memorial to pre- vent this -f. Cardinal Fleuri, in order to fhake his rcfolution, attempted to move him by a great example; he engaged the King to permit the Archbifhop of Embrun to aflemble a provincial Council in his palace, in order to treat of and dif- cufs the affairs of religion, and the doftrines of faith. The Bilhops of Senez, Gap, Bellay, Frejus, Vence, Sifteron, Glandeve, Autun, Viviers, Apt, Valentia, Grenoble, Grace, and Marfeilles, were ordered to nttend it. This afiembly, of which there had been no fimilar inftance fince the Council of Trent — of which it was however but a feeble image — was ne- verthelefs a matter of importance to weak believers', it comforted them with the hope of feeing them- felves confirmed in their faith, and recalled to their minds the times of the primitive church. Alas ! thofe times were much altered j fecret and odious pradices had given birth to the pretended Council : thefe were foon difcovered, and made it be called Is brigandage d* Embi'tin, The Council being open- ed, the Abbe Hugues, the Prodor, accufed the paf- toral inftru^icn of M. de Soanem, Bifliop of Senez, of the 28th of Augull 1726, as containing feditious f This memorial having been printed and diilributed, was condemned by decree of Council, of the 14th of January 1727,33 fcandalous, and contrary to the dtcifions af the Church , and to thf laws oy the State, ""^ * * maxims, I FE m. The ac- jvith the Car- :>lidity to the into negotia- the old maa while thirty lorial to pre- icr to fhake 1 by a great permit the a provincial of and dif- ines of faith. ■ejus, Vence, pt, Valentia, ; ordered to ■re had been f Trent—of 3-e — was ne- k believers j eing them- led to their •ch. Alas I and odious d Council : be called )eing open- ed the paf- Senez, of ^S fiditious Irlbuted, was uary 1727,33 ch, and to tb^ maxims, m OF LEWIS XV. maxims and capital errors^ as being injurious to the Bull UnigcnitHSi and as recommending the reading of the book of Moral Reflexions by Father Quefnel, which was forbidden by that Bull and by the fo- ciety of Bifhops. The accufed Prelate had the courage to ftand forth and acknowledge his own work, to maintain that the propofitions it contain- ed were conformable to his fentiments, and to de- clare, that he could not give them up. This noble and refpedable conduft i.id not it's proper efFedl ; the Council, which was not infpired by the Holy Gholl, but guided by the Government, pronounced a fentence, by which the work of M. de Senez was condemned, in conformity to the accufation, and which ordered, that the author refufing to retradl, fliould be fufpended from all epifcopal power and jurifdidtion. During this fufpenfion, the Abbe Saleon, Dodor in divinity, was appointed Vicar General, and he was enjoined to require, that all the Clergy in the diocefe of Senez fhould fign the formulary of Pope Alexander VII. and fhould caufe the Con->^ Jlitution Unigenitus to be publifhed. M. de Soanem did not think himfelf obliged to fubmit to this judgment. He protefted againft it, ^nd lodged an appeal to the Pope, and to the fu- ture Council General ; this caufed him to be ban i fil- ed by the King to the Abbey of la Chaife-Dieu, in the mountains of Auvergne. This Prelate was greater in his exile than in his epifcopal lee j he ihewed to the end a firmnefs which made him a hero of his own party, and excited the admiration even of thofe who were of a different way of think- ing. He died fome years after at this place. Th^ affair di4 not ftop here : twelve Bifhops, at "• M 4 ' ' th^ hJ Ml ao Sept* 17*7. fl M i68 THE PRIVATE LIFE 173» hi| 'II "■ H !:: the head of whom was the Cardinal de Noailles, wrote a letter to the King, in which they complain- ed of the fcntencc of the Council, and the Coun- fellors of Paris publiihed a deliberation to the fame cfFe(5t. This deliberation was foon fupprefled, as containing propojitions oppoftte to the do^rine of the Churchy injurious to it's authority, and contrary to the laws of the State-, and the bell anfwcr that could be given to the letter, was the defcdion of the head of the party, who, fix months after, by mandate, accepted of the Conjlitution UnigenituSy condemned the book of Moral Reflexions , and the hundred and one propofitions that were extrafled from it, re- voked his paftoral inllrudion of the 14th of January 1719, ajid every thing that had been publiihed in his name contrary to the prefent acceptation. It is thus that the Cardinal de Noailles, hitherto refpeftable by his poft, by his birth, and Fy his age, and elVimable on account of his merit, of the uprightnefs of his intentions, and of the purity of his manners, tarnifhed in one inftant the courfe 6f forty yars of glory. The comparifon of M. de Soanem's conduft with his, ferved only to make his weaknefs more confpicuous j he fell into con- tempt, and died at the end of fix months. Grief, undoubtedly, contributed not a little to precipitate his end, for even the applaufe he gained from the ConftituentSy muft only have ferved to make his iliameful condud more fenfible to him. . The Sor- bonne, who had excluded fronr. her fociety all the Anti'ConJlitutioniftsy fent deputies to congratulate him. The Pope, in the firft tranfports of his joy, communicated this event to the facred College, or- fiered thankfgivings to be offered up, caufed the /,... holy OF LEWIS XV. holy Sacrament to be expofcd in all the great churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary, laid open the treafures of the church, and granted indul- gences : the capital, in particular, felt the effedts of this joyous event. The jubilee of the holy year, though open fince the end of the year 1726, in all the reft of the kingdom, was refufed at Paris, and in it's dio- cefe, on account of the leaven of herefy with which the Prelate was tainted. As foon as his Catho- licifm was afcertained, the Pope permitted to dif- penfe the fpiritual benefits of this holy feafon : they were not fo fruitful as the Pontiff expedted, and he foon received a mortification, which ought to have convinced him that Grace had not touched the hearts of the Magiftrates. In order to under- ftand this quarrel properly, we muft trace it from it's origin. The pretenfions of Pope Gregory VII. his atr tempts againfl: the temporal authority of Princes, his difputes with the Emperor Henry IV. the abufe he had made of his authority in excommu- nicating him, the fatal diflenfions and cruel wars he had occafioned by depofing him j all thefe cir- cumflances, I fay, not having prevented Grego- ry XIII. in T 584, from placing this Pontiff in the lift of Roman Martyrs — nor Paul V. from having had an office performed to his honour in 1609 — nor Alexander VII. from introducing that office or le- gend in all the churches of Rome — nor Cler ment XL from granting it to the Order of Ci- teaux, and to the Benediftines — nor, in fhort, Ben- net XIII. from making it general throughout all Chriftendom, by a decree of the 27 th of September 1728 i the legend of Gregory VII. appeared in France, 169 173'- % ,.«^.. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 Ui^ 12.5 m m ^ us, 12.0 |Z2 IL25 i 1.4 iim Photographic Sdences Corporation 33 WeST MAIN STREIT WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSO (716) 872-4503 \ "Q \^ ^> N? A \ ^. -^ > '^. \ tyo THE PRIVATE LIFE France, printed in the month of July, that is to fay, at a time when the Jubilee ought to have produced the greateft efFet^, and defervcd the gra- titude of the penitent Magiftrates j but their hearts were too much hardened. The Parliament of Paris, unmoveable in the only point of their refiftance to the enterpiizes of the Court of Rome, upon ob- taining the opinion of the King's Council, ordered the fuppreflion of the legend, with prohibitions to the Clergy to make any ufe of it, under penalty of feizurc of their temporalities. The Parliaments of Britany, of Metz, and of Bourdeaux, publiftied fimilar decrees in their diftrifts. The ecclefiafti- Cal joined itfelf to the fecular power; feveral Bi- fhops gave out mandates in their diocefes to forbid the recital of this office, efpecially the Bifhops of Auxerre, of Montpellier, of Metz, of Troyes, of Verdun, of Caftres, &c. ^ Pope Bennet XIII. notwithftanding his calmnefs and moderation, was piqued at fo general an op- pofition. On the 17th of September, he caufed H brief to be publilhed, which condemned the mandate of the Bifhop of Auxerre, whofe name was Quelus, who became fince fo famous in the Jan- fenift party. The dired anathema pronounced againft him by the Holy Father, contributed not a little to make him appear in a fecondary light to M. de Sencz. It was forbidden to read and even to keep his mandate, on pain of excommunication. This brief was impeached in Parliament on the ift of December; but the Government, through Terence and regard to the Pontiff, fufpended the lieal and activity of that Court. A few days after, t fecond brief appeared, which brok^ an^ annulled aH OF LEWIS XV. 171' 173 It all thefc ads of Juftice, and decrees of Parliament againft the Legend. It was not then any longer ' pofllble to keep filence : the Attorney General rofe againft this enterprize of the Court of Rome j he lodged an appeal againft all the briefs publilh- cd upon this occafion, as being incroachmcnts of the ecclefiaftical upon the civil jurifdiAion j and on the 23d of February 1730, obtained a decree which declared them to be improper, contrary to the liberties of the Gallican Church, and which or- dered them to be fupprefled. • r,- . .. ; :>• The flame was breaking out on all fides. One hundred Do6lors, Appellants, had bebn expelled the Sorbonne, and the reft of them had accepted the Conftitutiorti and declared, that it had been accepted by the Sorbonne fince the 5th of March 17 14. This aft had been followed by a decree of the 15 Dec, Body of Divinity, forbidding the Syndic to admit ''*^' any Dodor, any licenced Batchelor, or even any candidate for the firft degree, at the keeping of the divinity a£ls, till after they had figned a formu- lary annexed to the bottom of the decree, and the acceptation of the Conjlitution Unigenitus. By this decree, the Body of Divines granted to the expelled Doftors, living at Paris or in it's diftrifts, two months time to fubmit and give teftjmony of their fincere obedience ; after which period, they de- clared them for eyer crafed from the lift of their Xnembers. !< • .* The hundred expelled Doftors had appealed figainft the decree as an incroachment of power, and had complained to the Parliament. If this bold ftrokc had produced it's proper efl^d, it would have made the party they were defirous of crufhing, very ^riumpl^ant, - i i7X r-.ii THE PRIVATE LIFE triumphant. The Jefuits, who began to recover their influence, exerted their utmoft aftivity to rer ftrain that of the Court: they excited the Government dexteroufly to make a powerful diverfion, which obliging the Parliament to employ themfclves about their own interefts, fhould make them lofe fight of the other objedt, which they would facrifice to their own fafety. It was not till twenty-fix years after, that they pronounced upon this decree, that is to fay, when moft of thefe illuftrious confeflbrs of their faith, had perifhcd in captivity, in exile, or in the obfcurity of their retirement. The Body of Divinity, thus de- prived of it's moft enlightened and moft intrepid mem- bers, received the burlefque appellation ofcarcafe, an allegorical image of their null and paflive ftate. It was no longer that fcientific body, which was the oracle of France in points of doftrine, and whofe decifions were refpedted and admired by all Europe and the Chriftian world : it was now an affemblage of pu- fiUanimous members, intimidated by threats; or of ardently ambitious men, dazzled by promifes j it was a meer im^ge, the fprings of which were moved and directed by intrigue. The diverfion we have juft mentioned, and which was employed againft the Parliament, was a Bed of Juftice, which his Majefty was made to hold at the Court, where he ordered to be regiftered in hi^ prefence the declaration for the execution of the Con- JiitutionUnigenituSi and of the other Bulls of the Pope„ profcribing Janfenifm. Wc have before feen that the Regent had twice endeavoured to legitimate in fome meafure, in France, this Tramontane produc- tion J but on the one hand the Grand Council was cpnfidcre^ a$ ^ inconipetent tribunal, and on the ■hi. * pther, OF LEWIS XV. »73 '73'- other, the Parliament had inferted fome modifica- tions. This time, the record was entered purely and fimply, not without meeting with as much oppo- ficion. The Government had forefeen this, and there- fore forbad that Company to deliberate at a Bed of Juftice J which gave rife to fome remonftrances upon the prohibition itfelf, intimated to the Company, and upon the frequent reference of caufcs to the Council, on affairs of it's competency. This was the point to which they defired to bring the Parliament. Ne- gotiations were fet on foot j and, from the fame kind of pacific fpirit which regulated Cardinal Fleuri, they were perfuaded lo abandon the caufe of the Dodors Appellants, by granting them fomething of their claims. The King fent a circular letter to the Bifliops of France, in which he exhorted them not to «» J"iy« give to the Bull the title of Rule of Faith, but only that of Judgment of the univerfal church upon points of doSlrinCi and direded them not to a(k any queftions of the laity upon this matter. This arrangement, which was meerly a modifi- cation, as ufual, difiatisfied both parties. The writ- ings became more violent than ever, not only refpeft- ing the Bull, but upon a more important matter, upon the nature, extent, and limits of ecclefiaftical authority, and of fecular power. This great qucftion was difcufled even in the public difputations, and in particular and general alfemblies of bodies of all kinds. To ftop the progrefs of fo dangerous a liberty, the Printers were forbidden to print any thing clan- deftinely, or without permiflionj namely, againfi: re- ligion, ecclefiaftical affairs, and the Bulls received in the kingdom, under fevere and capital penalties ; and as to authors, of whatfoevcr rank or quality they might y*^ t74 oaober tHE PRIVATE LIFE might be, his Majefly enjoined them an abfohitc fiJence upon fuch matters. Confeqiiently, the King fupprefled, by decree of Council, feveral works and mandates of Bifhops, which were in oppofition tb this regulation j and the Parliament of Paris, to pre- vent the Court of Rome from extending it's autho- rity over the police of the Starcj ordered the fup- prcffion of two decrees of the Pope, one of which Condemned a mandate of the Bifhop of Montpellier, and the other, a book, entitled the Life of M, Paris, Deacm. We (hall fee hereafter who this M. Paris was. The Gounfellors even, notwithftanding their privilege of printing freely their memorials, as long as they are confined to the exercife of their own funftions, had the mortification to fee one of theirs fupprefled, which was figned by forty-two of them, and which had been compofed for the defence of Mi Cornet, Reftor of Olivet, in the diocefe of Orleans, appellant againft the orders of his Bifhop, as abufes of authority. Some aflfertions rather too ftrong had cfcapcd in this memorial, which, vv^hile they exalted the authority of Parliaments, feemed to weaken that of the Monarch. As all the Order of Counfellors profefles the moft implicit fubmiflion to the Royal authority, thofe who had fubfcribed their names to this deliberation, were ^s much concerned as they were aftonifhed, chat their fidelity fhould be fuf- pedbcd. They figned a declaration of their fenti- mcnts, in conformity to what has juft been faid, and? protefted againfl: every contrary interpretation that might be given to the propofitions contained in the memorial. The Minifter received their repentance, and caufed this declaration to be regiftered in a de- cree of Council, publilhed tojuftify them. >tii^ The n ti .JJi^' M.4. -J OF LEWIS XV. 17$ The ccclefiaftical power not finding itfclf avenged 1731. by this circumftance, thought it muft take it's own ~~""~ caufe in hand. M. de Vintimille, the Archbiihop of Paris, who had fucceeded the Cardinal de Noailles— a man not very warm upon thefe matters, but fpurred on by the Jefuits who governed him— gave out t decree againft the Lawyers of the Parliament of Paris, and in belialf of their brethren. The Law- yers had recourfe to their victorious mode, of making an appeal, which they lodged in the Parliament, againft the Prelate's decree, as being an abufe of power. The Prelate had the caufe brought before the Council of State, and at the fame time diftributed a memorial to juftify himfelf, with which the Lawyers were offended. Incenfed at feeing thcmfelves, by this illegal and oppreflive management, deprived of their natural judges, and fearing to be brought be^ fore others, whole ignorance, fupplenefs, and par*- tiality they well knew, they had recourfe to the extreme manoeuvre of fhutting up their clofets. They ceafed to work for the public, from the neceflity they were under of being totally employed for themfelves* This reiblution difpleafed the Court, inafmuch as it tended to intereft the public in favourof the Law- yers, of whom they were conftantly in want. Ten of the moft violent were banilhed. The affair was not fettled till fome time after, at the termination of an affair of the Parliament, of an infinitely more ferious nature, and which was likcwife occalioned by a pre- fumptuous attempt to which this fame Archbiihop was prompted. Among the feveral pamphlets diftributed with profufion, by the Janfenift party, there was one weekly produftion, which was particularly diftin- , .'v ^ guiflied. 1;'! 36 July. lyi t HE PRIVATE LIFfe 173 !• guiflied. It was written with as much wit and dell- cacy, as with bitterncfs, irony, and ccnfure, againft the acceptors, and was intitled, Ecckftaftical News, It had appeared in 1728, and has been continued without interruption to our days, in which it flill fubfifts } but it is now fallen into contempt, either from the little importance of the matter, or from want of the fame abilities in the writers, or rather from the general indifference that now prevails re- fpedling all theological difputes. For the fpace of two years, in vain were inquiries made concerning the authors, printers, and diftributors of this news- paper, which^ neverthelefs, appeared regularly every week. It is reported even, that once a wager was laid with M* Herault, Lieutenant of Police, that this paper fhould get into Paris at fuch a turnpike^ on fuch a day, and at fuch an hour^ and yet that it would cfcape the vigilance of thi clerks. In faft, agreeably to thefe conditions, and efpecially at the appointed place, a man makes his appearance, who Is flopped, and fearched with the greatefl flridtnefs^ but in vain. No notice was taken of a fhagged dog he had along with him, and who was trained to this bufinefs. It was a common dog, who, under his coat, thick fet with hair, carried a number of thefe light papers. The Magiflrate laughed at the trick, and owned himfelf outwitted. At length he was more fortunate : one of the printers was difcovered> condemned to the pillory, and banifhed, with three of his afTociates. This incident did not put the leaft flop to the publication of them y and it wat judged, not without reafon, that the Parliament, which was then compofed of feveral Janfenifts, pioufly pro- tcdled them. To exculpate themfclves to the King,. -^ c and dcli- re, againft teal News, continued ch it ftill ipt, cither » or from or rather evails re- c fpacc of oncerning his news- irly every laager was lice, that turnpike, :t that it In fad, y at the nee, who triftnefs^ fged dog d to this nder his ofthefe le trick, he was :overed> h three put the I it wat t, which (ly pro- e King,, they '-■ "' OF LEWIS XV. ihey affe6led to treat the work with rigour, and to difgrace it. They condemned five iheets of it to be torn and burnt by the hands of the hangman. They fcemed thus to negleft the paper: but the Arch- bifhop of Paris, havmg iflued a mandate which pro- nounced it's condemnation, the concurrence of thefe two authorities to deftroy it, made it revive again, and from hence arofe a divifion between the two powers, which the authors availed themfelves of, and which was upon the point of producing the moil fatal cfFeds. The Parliament pretended to be difgufted with the Tramontane principles contained in the Pre- late*s,mandate, andconfidered it as reprehenfible,more efpecially as twenty-two of the Clergy of Paris re- fufed to publifli it, and had written to M. de Vinti- mille a letter of arguments, containing the motives for their refufal : the mandate was impeached before the Chambers aflembled. The perfecuted party were comforted for the difgrace of their periodical libel, when they previoufly faw it the bdirefb but public caufe, of a mortification,, almoft as ^reat, with which the Archbilhop of Paris was threatened. • The capi- tal, which had no events of any greater importance, to engage it's attention, divided itfelf between the two parties. The Court alfo felt the Ihock, and was obliged to do the fame. The Philofophers alone, who had not the influence they have fince acquired, moft of whom, befides, did not yet dare to ihew themfelves, laughed in fecret at this miferable and ridiculous contefV. Cardinal Fleuri could not 'poflibly look upon it with indifference. Befide his inclination for Molinifm j befide his own authority, which was called in quftion ; befide the fincere and cordial hatred he bore the Janfenifts, being alfo ^ .'Vol, I. . N among >77 >73T- 1732, 178 1732. THE PRIVATE LIFE among the number of Prelates j he poffcfled tliat fpirit of the order, which is more confpicuous in the Clergy than in any other fet of men. He came to the afliftance of his brother Prelate, and caufed the King exprefsly to forbid the Parliament to take cog- nizance of any ecclefiaftical matter without permiflion of his Majefty. The Parliament deliberated upon thefe prohibitions -, and, as they attacked their very effence, they con- cluded that they could not continue their funiftions, as long as they (hould remain in force. M. Pucelle, a Counfellor, whofe name ferved as the watch-word to the party, andM. Titon, another Counfellor, whofe zeal has fo much degenerated fmce, having given 19 May. their opinion with moft force on this occafion, were taken up by virtue of letters de cachet, and conveyed, one to his Abbey, the other to Vincennes j a ftroke of authority, after which, the Parliament, according to cuftom, kept the Chambers affembled, that is to fay, ceafed to hear the caufes of individuals, in order to attend entirely to it*s own. The King fent letters of command, enjoining this tribunal to refume their ordinary duties. They confidered thefe letters as a tacit permiflion to enter into the plenitude of their "^ . fundions, as much for civil as other affairs ; they re- giftered the letters, and, to obey the intentions of the Lord the King, they decreed that they would continue to take cognizance of all the affairs that are intruded to them; and conlequently put the mandate of the Archbiftiop of Paris into the hands of the King's Council, to take their opinion upon it, aiid then con- demned it by a decree, and declared it illegal. This aft of vigour had been paffed with great difpatch, in order not to give the Miniftry time u> oppofc it. ... Xhey FE 3flcfled that :uous in the He came to caufed the :o take cog- t pcrmifljon rohibitions ; they con- • funftions, VI. Pucelle, vatch-word Jlor, whofe nng given alion, were i conveyed, a ftroke of [cording to It is to fay, 1 order to t letters of ume their letters as le of their ; they re- ons of the continue intruded ite of the e King's then con- It This 3atch, in jpofc it. They I - * V 1 o F LEWIS XV. 179 They revenged themfelves by frelh exiles ; Meflieurs 1732. Robert, dc Vrevins, de la Fantriere, and Ogier, were ^"^ the viftims of the diflfatisfaftion of the Court. The decree of the Parliament was annulled by a decree of Council. This decree of Council was read to a deputation from the Parliament, fummoned to Com- piegne, there to receive the fignification of his Ma- jefty's will and pleafure, with an abfolute prohibition to all the members of the Company, to propofe any thing to his Majefty, that can impede the execution of his orders. All the officers of the Parliament, upon hearing what had pafled at Compiegne, took the refolution a^June. to refign. They were not yet accuftomed, at Ver- failles, to this very troublefome event : the young Monarch was alarmed at it, and the Cardinal was involuntarily drawn into a feries of violent and ty- rannic a6ls, equally repugnant to his moderation and age ; and ftill more fo to the extreme defire he had of pleafing his Royal Pupil, offparing his fenfibility, and of avoiding to mark the beginning of his reign by refignations j he therefore propofed terms, to ap- peafe thefe feveral commotions. The Parliament refumed the courfe of juftice, but decreed that re- monftrances fhould be made. Thefe remonftrances 9 July. did not produce the defired efFeft. During this inter- val they gave a decree, ordering the fuppreflion of fome prints, which appearing under the name of tbe Nuncioy and giving permiffion to fome individuals, to read certain forbidden books, feemed to eftablifh in France a jurifdidion annexed to the character of the Pope's Nuncio : this was the motive of the de- cree, which only ferved the more to incenfe the par- tizans of the Court of Rome. This circumitancc N 2 furnilhed .. » i8o THE PRIVATE LIFE ^^32. fiirnifhetl an opportunity of giving the Cardinal to iinderftand how dangerous it was to hazard the authority of the King, by giving way to the Par- liament i and how much the boldncfs of that Court, and of the Janfcnift party, was increafcd by it i fo that this mildnefs, inftead of quieting the ferment in people's minds, encouraged it ; and the Cardinal, far from crufhing the Appellants, as he intended, was not even able to preferve the equilibrium, which had been the fole objeft of the fyllem of Cardinal Dubois and the Regent j a falvo was propoled fo him, calculated, as it was pretended, to cut off tiie evil at it's root, by reftraining the adtivity of tiic Parliament. The Cardinal was deceived, and adopted it. The King anfwered thefe remonftrances by a liAug. declaration, which regulated the manner in which public affairs were for the future to be treated in that Court, and ordered that Appeals concerning improper jurifdidions, fliould be carried up to the Great Chamber only, and not to the Chambers af- femblcd. The dcfign of this arrangement, which appears at firft fight to be meerly matter of form, and tending to expedite bufinefs, was, by thus con- centrating the deliberations into one Chamber, to diminifh the number of votes, and by that means be better able to corrupt or intimidate the voters. Be- fides, the Grand Chamber being chiefly compofcd of pufillanimous old men, of fathers of families eager for Court favour, and of Ecclefiaftics afpiring to livings, the Miniftry almoft infured their fuffra- ges, by diftributing favours among thofe chiefs who had the moft influence. The Courts of Inquefts, and Requefts, were not the dupes of a regulation • which Cardinal hazard the Par- t Courty y it i fo rment in Cardinal, 1 tended, J, which "ardina'i ofcd ro off tiic of tile ^t and by a which ated in cerning > to the tcrs af- which ' form, IS con- fer, to ans be . Be- ipofcd imilies piring fuffra- s who |ucfts, lation «rhich . OF LEWIS XV. which annulled them in one entire part of their functions ; and, as they were inHnitely more numerous than the Grand Chamber, the rcfufal of regiftering was carried by a great majority of votes, and the King was intreated to withdraw the declaration, as being too contrary to the real interefts of iiis Ma- jefty. The Cardinal thought that a Bed of Juflice would again fet every thing to rights: the King fummoned the Parliament to Verfuilles, caufed this law to be regiftered in his prefence, with fome money edicts, to which, in a fimilar circumftance, the Magiftrates would have been little inclined to accede. J he next day the Parliament protefted, both againil the place in whicii the Bed of Juftice had been holdcn, and againll the regillers that had been made there : they decreed that they would not ceafe to reprefent to the King the impoflibility of executing the Decla- ration of the i8th of Augull, which changes the ftate and eflfence of the Company; and declared further, that they would again remain in a Com- mittee till the reftoration of their difgraced members, whom they had afked for in vain : in a word, they refufed to regifter the Declaration for the eftablifh- ment of the Chamber of Vacations. Upon which, on the 7 th of December, all the Prefidents and Counfellors of the Courts of Inquefts and Requefts were baniflied. The Grand Chamber was appointed, by letters de cachetj to hold the Chamber of Vaca- tions : this Chamber had too great obligations to the Court, which feemed to adt in it's favour — meer- ly in order to fupport and to extend it's luperiority over the other Chambers — not to regifter with do- cility the Peclaration which appointed them. , -^ N 7 Neverthelefs, 181 1732. I Sept, i82 THE PRIVATE LIFE 1732. Neverthelefs, fo many ftrokes of authority, which one might have judged to announce a vigour in the Miniftry, that they were far from having, could not conquer the refiftance of the obftinate j and it was neceflary t6 have recourfe to fome modifications, in order td conciliate the difFcrent interefts of the ^ourt and of the Company. The refult of nego- tiations of this kind, was the fame as that which frequently happens from political nk^gotiations after a long war: the parties find themfelves juft as they were when the conteft began. All the banilhed per- fons were recalled j the Parliament refumed it's feat on the I ft of December j they decreed a deputation to the King, to thank his Majefty, and to condole with him upon the death of the King of Sardinia^ his great grandfather ; and his Majefty confented, on the moft humble petition of the Deputies, that the Declaration, which "was the fole objed of difputCj^ Ihould not take place. If the Molinifts abufed ftrangely of their acicefs to the Minifter, to confufe and inflame mattersi in the hope of more effedually tormenting their ene- mies, the latter had recourfe to means more farcical indeed, but not lefs dangerous, on account of the fer- ment they excited j and which, being blended with the fpirit of religion, might rife to the moil violent tumults. The hero they chofe for their purpofe was a Deacon of the parifti of St. Medard, named Paris, a man of a good family, being the fon of a Coun- fellor of the Grand Chamber, and brother to ^ Counfellor of the Court of Inquefts ; but a fimple and modeft man, one of thofe devout perfons, neceflary to all itjfts, to impofe upon fools and credulous peo- ple, bccaufe fanaticifm moulds them at plcafure : ht died y, whicF^ ur in the ould not- d it was fications, s of the >f nego- it which )ns after as they led per- ils feat •utation :ondole irdiniaj ted, on hat the liiputCj^ acJcefs 'rsy in t ene- ircical le fer- I with iolent e was Paris, 'oun- to a '. and iJary pco- : ht died O F L E W I S XV. died an Appellant and Re- appellant. An hiftorian not lefs ftupid than himfelf, and equally zealous for Janfenifm, wrote his life, in which, among other edi- fying circumftances, we read, that he fometimes paffed two entire years without receiving the facra- ment at Eailerj that in a codicil figned a little time before his death, he had divided his fortune among fome poor priefts, in order to remove from them the temptation of faying mafs often j that in his infancy he delighted to burn ftraw in a chimney, in order to (et fire to the College of Nanterre j that at ten years of age he began to give a great deal of trouble to his matters, who revenged themfelves by exercifing his patience j that he was afterwards twice expelled from his father's houfe, and then partly difinherited j that he had learnt to make ftockings at the loom j that he had kept himfelf far from the altar, and from every ecclefiaftical miniftry j that he had confined himfelf to teach the catechifm to chil- dren, and to hold conferences with the young clergy j that above all things, he cordially hated the Jefuits, and that a little time before his death, he had uttered thefe prophetic words j One cannot unmajk them too much, . .„ '' ' , V ..Such was the new objedt whom the Janfenifts wanted to canonize j and, as miracles are the touch- ftone of fandity, they failed not to afcribe fome to him, and to print the catalogue of them, A cele^ brated Magiftrate of the party, M. Carre de Mont- geron, a Counfellor in Parliament, in a volume which he himfelf prefentcd to the King, colledled the wit- neffes which proved the great certainty of thefe pro- digies, and a fhort time after he was confined for this extrayajgancCv This did not prevent twenty^ J^i^n ^4 thrcJ, be- ic ftate ''e been adver-. to caft iracles. ered of niracle lother, red to ure of Jmife. an go ivhere h'm- . > and ►, re- ^■■•.i *^ n the urns OF LEWIS XV. i%f ! turns lame of both legs. In a word, even the cure 173a. of Ann le Franc, fo much boalted of, does not bear '- the teft of examination. The account of her difeafe and cure, as it has been ftated, was folemnly contradifted by the aunt, the brother, the fiftcr, and even the mother of this girl, by the two furgeons who had had the care of her, by thirty-four wit- neffes, and by the juridical depofition of two phy- ficians and three furgeons, fworn as examiners, and who contradifted the fad:. The Archbifhop of Paris profcribed her by a mandate, in which he pronounces, that the credulity of the people is evi- dently abufed. The girl, who was the fubjedt of the miracle, was compelled to an appeal. '■^- Mankind is fo eager after the marvellous, that the concourfe of people at the tomb of M. Paris foon became immenfej it continued and increafed during near five years. This is the only miracle that was wrought there. Is it poflible, in faft, to conceive the ftupidity of the fpeftators, who, blind to the proofs of falfity, quackery, and grofs impofition, which they had conftantly before their eyes, pleafed themfelves in an error, which was contradicted by the continual teftimony of their fenfes ? Is it ftill more poflible to conceive, that there Ihould have arifen in the minds of men, and even among Divines, a notable divifion in the mode of thinking upon this matter, whether upon the whole of the event, or it's feveral parts; and that this diverfity of thinking Ihould have produced more than twelve or fourteen volumes in quarto, for and againft ; that all, or al- moft all thefe writers, fliould agree upon the authcn* ticity of theTafts j that fome of them only fhould have attempted to prove, that they were meerly the cffedls e/Feftsof"^ ^^^VATE LIFE *ere united in afcribi„° l^^f °"' °" ">« ™ntra,y. agent, and differed onlv Z l"""^ P'-'^ternatural •"■then, dearly perceS th^hln.' r^^^'" ' ^ome others, the operations If th. n f °^'^°'^ '" '^^^i 7 believe thefe ab?„rd t L, f/Ih ''°''""^ '""'^ « s own infpeaion The 71 • '' "*"= "« ""der .^J: M. de Vintimille p„J?^,'J'':"!'" ^ f° great, that to forbid theinvoSl :? mT^ '^ P">hibitio„. yet canonized, that an apLuf ' '^''o «as not t'on was made againft ht " I ""P™P^'J"riflic- b/ated Lawyers fgned tt d", f'' that four cele- tbe Parliament didCtreieath^''"""" ""^ that mained there for eve let ? "''''"'• "'''='• "=- obliged to come to 'he San "^; Authority was to prevent any fobte fuef f^^'r^f "''P^'^'""' ^d prohibitions, and mSer to ^'^°^f'"'=' to thefe dal. and to the mob "hTrefo ? T \^°P '" '^^ '"^^n- was become a conJn^art f/"'''^ 'o^b-which courfes, thieving, and liber ?„;r °'^. '"^^"t.ous dif- verbal procefs I ted „lTh5?<.'^^''""= ^° the. t'On. and inqui^ after tC A ,^""°"y' ^'"«>i"a- '-as iffved from thri^'rf '""T' "" "■"'i" 1732. to Ihut up, and kelA l * ^^tli of January church-yard of'st. Met^*':,Vrol^K"' f''^''^"^^ of .t for any other purpoft huTr ""' ""' "P^^'ng bid all perfons, of what rank ^'"^' "nd to for! toaffembiein the ftrL" ^ LuITh'"^"- '"--^. the penalty of difobedience and 1 *'/^"'' ""^er. Puniftment. We ftall fi.?i. ^r^" °<^ ««emplar» nance produced. We n,!n ?'"^^^ ^f-^ this or^ the day after the i J" ^fh e°'f-\ '''^' '^ , , ■: 9 r-"° P ^^ ehurch-yard, the ;,' following 3-;/:;. •■■•.s'Hjaji,!^' pcrations j 5 contrary, iternatural s ? Some in them J rity could lot under reat, that khibition, ► was not jurifdic- )ur cele- ind that hich re- fity was ite, and to thefe le fcan- - which Js dif- ' to the imina- order muary jJittlq eqing > for- ►ever, inderr lary )rdi- that th^ |ing O F L F. W I S XV; i«7 following Pafquinade of the Janfenifts was fij^ed upon 1732. the gate : " The King commands, that on this fpot No miracles by God be wrought *. We now draw near to that period, when our at- tention will be more particularly takeh up with the young King, and his domeftic affairs j we Ihall fee the feeds of the pafllons beginning to expand in him, which, being fomented by depraved Courtiers, Ipoiled the goodnefs of his heart, and brought confufion in his kingdom, He was dill in that amiable age, when all objefts are ftriking by their novelty ; when all parade and (hew is plealing to us j and wheh even the moft childifh circumftances are interefting. It was an amufing feftival to his Majefty, to arm the Chevalier Morofirii, the Venetian Ambafladorj to dub him* according to the antient cuftom j and to make him a prefent of a very rich fword, and a belt of gold fluff) while the other Senators wore only a black one. ' " ' ' " JJut nothing can equal the joy he exprefTed at the Queen's being with child, and at the happinefs of becoming a father. This joy was certainly rather damped the two firfl times of the Queen*s delivery, wh^n only two PrincefFes were prefentcd to his cm- braces. He took the refolution, in concert with hh augufl Queen, to addrefs their prayers to. Heaven for a Dauphin, On the 8th of December 1 7 2$, they both offered up to God, in a fpecial manner, theiV V^ifhes, and thofe of the people; and by expreis agreement, as the Queen hath feverai times do* t^r f Dc par le R(n« d^fenfe a Diea I>c plus ofcrer ea 9c li«i^« clared^ THE PRIVATE LIFE clared *, they received the facrament together in the fame defign. Their pious intentions did not reft here ; for at the end of nine mpnths, her Majefty brought the late Dauphin into the world. This wi(hed-for event difFufed a general joy, among a people accuf- tpmed to idolize their rulers. T.hankfgiyings were publicly offered up to God, The King aflifted at; the Te Deum, which was fung at the Church of Pa-, ris, and fupped afterwards at the ^lotel-de-Ville, with the Princes of the Blood, and feveral Noble- ipen. Turgot, the Provoft of the Merchants, waited upon his Majefty j and the Sheififfs, and other Offi- cers, attended the Prinqes. When the Queen was recovered, had acquitted herfelf of a vow Ihe had^ made upon occafion of her happy delivery, and had in her turn given thanks to Heaven — which;^ however, did not prevent her, fome years after, froni taking a journey to Notre Dame de Chartres, to confecrate, in a peculiar manner, tp the Holy Virgin, the young Prince, whom ihe always confidered as a fpecial mark of her protetlion — the moft brilliant^ feftivals were given to the public in the capital, and this example was imitated throughout all the cities in the kingdom. The joy which prevailed univer- fally in |^rance, communicated itfelf even to foreign kingdoms. The birth of this Prince confirmed the tranquillity of Europe. The States General rnade a prefent of a gold medal, of one hundred ducats f va- lue, to the meffenger difpatched with this npws tq the Hague, by M. Van Hoey, their Ambaflador, • See Tie Life of the Dauphittf father of Lev/is XVI. nunt^em from the Memoirs of the Court, prefented to the King and the Royal family by the Abbe Proyart. f Near fifty pounds. .lu^^"-!f;<| \iS • iSU")-' One ether in the ot reft here ; % brought 1 wt(hed-for ■oplc accuf- yings were afllfted at; jrch of Pa- il-de-Ville, ral Noble-' nts, waited other Offi- i^een was V Ihe ha4 very, and 1 — which, ifter, from artres, to ly Virgin, iered as a 5ital, and the cities i univer- foreigr^ ■nied the made a ats f wa- news to k ■ 7^TJ'f.f the Royal One , : F LEWIS XV. One was alfo ftricken at Paris, upon which were repre- fented the King and Queen. On the reverfe was the Earth, feated upon a globe, and holding the Dauphin in her arms, with this legend: Vota Orhis, the wilhes of the univerfe. ' ' The arrival of the Diike de Lorraine at Paris, in the beginning of the following year, to fwear alle- giance, and do homage' to the'King, for the dutchy of Bar, and all the other domains he pofleffed be- longing to the Crown, difplayed another kind of fpeftacle, that muft neceffarily have given him the higheft idea of his own grandeur. Two years before, he had had the experience of fuch a kind of parade, when the Envoys of Tunis were admitted to an au- dience, and offered fatisfadion, and the excufes of that Government, refpefting their infractions of the treaties made with his Majefty. He had accepted of their word, in the name of the Republic, that no- thing fhould in future be done to difpleafe him. Thus the Cardinal took care, from time to time, to contrive a pompous difplay of power, calculated to flatter the puerile vanity of a young Prince, while he himfelf poffefled all the real authority. It was he who created or difgraced the other Minifters. At the death of M. le Blanc, he appointed M. d'Anger- villiers, Intendant of Paris, Secretary of State for the war department J he had previoufly recalled from exile M. d'Aguefleau, who, immediately on his return to Verfailles, had refumed the duties of his office at the delivery of the Queen, but who always remained with- out the Seals, notwithftanding the difgrace of M. d'Armenonville, who had been fucceedcd by M. Chau- velin, Prefident a Mortier of the Parliament of Paris, to whom the Miniftcrial department for foreign af- ."-«- fairs 1% 19 May 17*1. 15 Aug. 1727. 190 ijMarchi THE PRIVATE LIFE fairs was alfo intruded. He at laft: gave the care bf the finances to M. Orry, his creature. ♦ But all thefc would have been nothing nwre than gleams of tranfitory power, if the Cardinal had not taken care to remove from his Royal Pupil, thofe pcrfons whofe genius, birth, or charafter, might have alarmed his ambition, or who might infenfibly have fupplanted him. ' '' • '^ Since he had occafioned the difgrace of the Duke of Bourbon, the perfons he was then moft appre- henfive of at Court, among the Princes of the blood> were firft, the Count de Charolois, equally famous for the ferocity of his manners f, as for the extent of his knowledge : next, the Prince of Conti, full of wit, amiable, infinuating, brave, delighting in war, lively, jealous of his rank, and prodigal to exccfsi of him, it is told, that his equerry coming to him one day, to acquaint him that there was no forage in his ftable, he fent for his fteward, who ek- cufed himfelf by faying, that there was no more mo- ney in the treafurcr's hands, and that he could get ho more credit from the perfon who ufed to fupply him j all the other tradefmen of your Highnefs, added he, refufe alfo to give credit, except your Cook ; Well then, fays the Prince, you mufi feed my horfes with chickens : and lailly, the Cardinal dreaded the f Jt is a^conftant tradition, that this Prince, In his yonth, took a dreadful and barbarous pleafure in killing a man, as children do in crulhing a fly. But when he went to afk his pardon, he al< ways reprefented the murder as the effeft of an unlucky mif> chance, or of neceffity. On one of thefe occafions, when the King was giving him his pardon, he faid to him : Here it is s tui J declare to you at the fame timet tl><^ I bftve a. pardon ready fw any oae'whojhall kill you, . . t!l*U.H k' Duke OF LEWIS XV. Duke du Maine, whofe talents for adminiftration, love of money, and fubmiflion to his wife, were known, and had given umbrage even to the Re- gent. Fortunately, the King's inclinations induced him to attach himfelf to the Count de Clermont, who had been brought up with him, and who was al- moft of his own age ; a heavy Prince, of weak un- derflanding, and addicted to nothing but feilivals, pleafures, and women j and to the Count of Tou- loufe, a Prince not of bright parts, but of exquifite judgment, of very regular manners, not moved by any ftrong pafTion j he was moreover very circum- fped, and too much alhamed of his difproportion- ate marriage, the declaration of which he had ob- tained, to fet himfelf againd the Cardinal who go- verned. The Princeffes who deferved the Monarch's at- tachment at that time, did not appear more dan- gerous to the Prime Minifter. The Queen was at the head of them. She was in intire poirefllon of the heart of her auguft hufband ; fhe rlone delight- ed him, and defired no other happinefs. She had already given herfelf up to devotion, but of a mild kind, without fanaticifm, fo that the Priefls who might have been difpofed to intrigues, acquired but little afcendant over her. Befide, Ihe was under ^ ^jthc direftion of a Jefuit, and their Ibciety was de- vt. voted to the Cardinal, who encouraged all their fury againft the Janfenifls. Lewis XV. tailed alfo ^^ "the fweets of a tender friendfliip with Mademoifelle >,,>, de CHarolois, and the Countefs of Touloufe. Though x^r. Al^moifelle de Charolois was (ifter to the Duke ©(Bourbon, and daughter to the Grand Dutcbefs, 1732. r j> i*« 193 THE PRIVATE LIFE 173a. his mother, fhe was not of their cabals. Formed '*"'"* for plcafure from her youth, by the beauty and graces fhe polTeffed, fhe was endowed with an ex- quiiite fenfibility, which turned itfelf entirely to love : fhe had had a number of admirers, and brought forth children almofl every year, with little more fecrecy than an opera-girl i though, to keep up ap- pearances, it was faid fhe was ill, during the fix ^ weeks of her confinement; and the whole Courts which perfectly underfVood the matter, ufcd to fend to inquire after her health. Once fhe had a Swifs at her gate, who, not being trained to this manage- ment, ufed to anfwer, without ceremony, to thofe who came : I'he Princefs is as well as can be expeded, and the child too. The fiflers of this Princefs were not more fcru- pulousjM. de Maulevrier-Langeron was the declared lover of Mademoifelle de Sens, and M. de Melun, of Mademoifelle de Clermont. The lafl-mentioned • gentleman was killed a hunting in the wood of Boulogne, by a fallow-deer. Mademoifelle de Cler- mont was of a very indolent difpofition, which made the Grand Dutchefs afk if "his news hid given her any emotion. Mademoifelle de Charolois was fuppofed to be fecretly married to a Nobleman of the firfl rank *, ' but whom, on account of that etiquette to which the moft augufl perfons are fo abfolutely fubordinatc," ' ■ fhe could not obtain to have openly declared for her hufband. This circumftance held them both in the Cardinal's power, and the hopes of prcvail- • The Prince of Dombes.' ihg OP L E W t S XV. ing upon him to obtain the confent of his Maje^y, necclTarily attached theni to his party. Mademoifellc de Charolois was intimately con- hcdbed with the Coiintefs of Touloufe, whole mar- riagCj neatly of the fame kind, being declared^ feemed to intitlc het to the fame privilegci at Icaft to a toleration^ if political views were too repug- nant to making it public> for fear of the confe- quences: though thefe two Ladies differed from each other in many particulars, the Hrfl being ad- dided to gallaiitry, and the other a devotee ) that the dne loVed riot, (hew, and noify iimufementSi and the other delighted in the country, in retirementj and in calmer pleafures, yet they agreed perfedlly in other things. BefideSj intereftj which forms and keeps up fo many connexions, prompted Ma- demoifeUe de Charolois to entertain her friertdfliip with the Countefs, fmce it enabled her to obtain, for herfelf and her creatures, all the favours (he aiked of the King. Lewis XV. went often to hunt dt kambouillet, a feat of the Count of Touloufej who^ fince his marriage^ ufed to pafs great part of the year there. This delicious retreat was infinitely agreeable to him> to relax himfclf from the fatigues of a bufy Court^to relieve him from the weight of grcatnefs, whic^h became cUniberous to him as foon as he felt it — ^and to enable him to lay afide the Mo- narch* In a word, it was an affe6lionate friend, who came to pafs fome days in delightful familiarity witk his friend : a fmall company of Ladies and Cour- tiers accompanied him, and partook of this in- timacy* In the day-time, the fallow-deer, with whieh the imnfitnfe park abounded, were the un- Vot. I» O remitting \ s w 194 1732. \\ |i! i! THE PRIVATE LIFE remitting objcfts of purfuit. This violent excr- cife, which was at firfl: a mere paffion with Lewis XV. was imperceptibly become neceflary for his health, which would have been affefled by a ftagnation of humours, and for his mind, which was inclined to melancholy. In the evening, he diflipated himfelf at play, and renewed his ftrength at the table, for the indulgences of which, his exercifc gave him the higher relifh. There he was contented, becaule he was (rcc -, he was lively, amiable, enlivened the converfation, readily fell in with the fprightlinefs of Mademoifelle de Charolois, and was pleafed with the witty, refined, and delicate fallies of the Coun- tefs of Touloufe, who had fcrved as a mother to him, who had, in fomc meafure, brought him for- ward in the world, and, by encouraging him to get rid of his timidity, had taught him to fpeak, and to fpeak with propriety ; he was attentive to addrefs himfelf to every one, and to put this little Court perfectly at eafe : in a word, as he was himfelf fa- tisfied with the feveral guefts, he endeavoured to be agreeable to them in return. . , ':"" We fhall make mention of one anecdote only, to give an idea of the familiarity that reigned in this fociety. One of the Ladies, who was with child, was fuddenly feized with previous pains, an- nouncing an approaching labour. The company was alarmed, and, as the Lady could not be con- veyed to Paris, a man-midwife was fent for in great hafte. The King was under the greateft anxiety. *' In fhort," faid his Majefty, " if the operatior^ " prefles, who will take it upon him ?" M. de la Peyronie, the Firfl: Surgeon, anfwered, " I will, AVr ; / have delivered yi^gmen before^ — Very well, faid , - ' ' Mademoifelle « -'i95 *.V«-' i! s »! {I! i'l 196 THE PRIVATE. LIFE 1732. loufe, was managed for his fon the Duke of Pcn- ■ thievre, flill an infant, to the prejudice of the Princes of the blood j that the Countefs of Tou- loufe was inceiTantly labouring to promote the for- tunes of her children of the firft bed, the Duke and' the Marquis of Antin j that fhe obtained for them the moft diftinguilhed favours j that (he prevailed at laft fo as to have one of them recalled from exile, who, by an imprudence which his youth could only excufe, had entered into a plot, the defign of which, was to deftroy the Prime Minifter j a crime which perfons in his fituation feldom forgive. It was in thefe pris^ate converfations that the difgrace of M. Chauvelin, then Keeper of the Seals, and Minifter for foreign affairs, was prepared long before. It ■was here, in a word, that Lewis XV. began, as it was thought, to difclofe his rifing inclination for the fex J and, it being apprehended that he would cOn- fult only his eyes and his heart, in raifing up to the rank of favourite fome young, beautiful, and ambitious woman, capable of governing him, it was imagined to be moft expedient for the common intereft, to determine his inclinations in favour of the Countefs of Mailli, who was poffefled of none of thofe qualities that were to be feared ; 'I' . but who was a v/oman in whom confidence might be fcpofcd, and from whom care was taken to ex- tort a promife, that Ihe would confine herfelf to the fmgle honours of the handkerchief, and would not attempt any thing with her Royal lover without the concurrence of thofe perfons whom ihe knewj to have the confidence and efteem of that Prince. ^ /We fliall fucceflively unfold thefe intrigues, as much as they defervc; but let us dwell for a moment upon OF LEWIS XV. ' upon the beneficent adminiftration of Cardinal Fleury, who availed himfelf of peace to re-efta- blifh the finances, either by a general and con- tinued oeconomjr— which the difappointed Courtiers called parfimony, and fordid avarice, but which vis a neceflary meafure, for without it, all the others became ufelefs — or by making commerce and the arts flourifh, which are the real and fruitful fources of the opulence of a State. The circumftance which proves that the oeco- nomy of the Prime Miniller was enlightened and well-judged, is, that he knew how to laviih his money when there was a neceffity for it, and, when he forefaw that the funds, opportunely advanced, would produce one hundred fold. As foon as he came into adminiflration, he h aliened to (:oncur in the re-eftablifhment of the city of Saint Mene- houldi burnt in 17 19. In confequence of the or- ders of the King, which he iflued with difpatch, M. Lefcalopier, Intendant of the province of Cham- paign, caufed the lines of it to b^ traced, and laid the firft ftone, in which was put a filver medal, with an infcription, to tranfmit to pofterity the event, and the name of the Monarch who was the founder and benefadlor. He iflued an order from the King, for the efta- blifhment of fix companies of cadets, compofed each of one hundred Gentlemen, who were to be commanded by experienced officers, inftrucled by the ableft mafters in the military art, and formed by them to all the exercifes fuitable to Nobility, Thus he laid the foundation of the Military School, ftn^e fubftituted to this eftablifhment, which had ^ „. 3 been 197 9 Aug. I7a6. a 6 Dpc, 198 1732. Edia of May, 1730. THE PRIVATE LIFE been foon fuppreffed by M. dc Belleifle, from a motive of private animofity. Senfible of the importance of the fcrvices of the officers of the army, and of the neeeffity that the rewards given by the King fhould be exaftly paid, he caufed his Majefty to grant to the Order of Saint Louis 70,000 livres * revenue upon the Royal treafure, in increafe of a fund to fupply the payment of the penlions granted to the Knights of that Order. This increafe of expence was eafily made up, by the fupprelfion, for the fecond time, of the poll of Colonel General of French infantry, which the Duke of Orleans had refigned on the 3d of December 173 1. It was the Regent who had re- newed this dignity for his fpn. Befide tjie oeconomy of fuppreffing it, the perfon who held it was de- prived of an immenfe power, and fo much the more dangerous in the hands of a fubjeft, as he who is in poffeflion of it muft of courfe be more elevated, and nearer to the throne. ■ ." In the fame year, he eftablilhed three peaceable camps, all compofed of cavalry ; becaufe thefe pa- rades, though expenfive, are neceflary to form the troops to the manoeuvres of war, and to maintain them in the praftice of them. They were opened in the month of July : one upon the Sa.nbre, com- manded by the Prince of Tingry; another upon the Maaze, by the Count of Belleifle; and the third upon the Saone, under the orders of the Duke of Levy. The Duke of Lorraine went, with all his Court, to fee that upon the Maaze j where the • Near three thoufand pounds; General <>«....• O' • OF L E W I S XV. ' General received him as a Sovereign, and in a man- ner worthy of him whom he reprefented. ■ : Although the Cardinal may juftly be accufed of having neglcfted the navy, yet he knew of what uti- lity it might be, and employed it with dignity againft the people of Barbary. He fent out from Toulon a Iquadron of thirteen fail, under the command of Commodore Grandpre. This Commander being ar- rived before Tripoli, and the people having refufed to give the fatisfadtions required for the infuks com- mitted againft the French trade, he bombarded the city, and deftroyed the greateft part of it. He re- duced thefe pirates, who fent the next year a depu- tation to implore his Majefty's pardon. A few years after, he fent off a fquadron, command- ed by le Bailli de Vetan, which anchored at two leagues from Genoa, and fo intimidated the Senate, that they deputed one of their members to compli- ment the Commander, and prevent the effefts of the juft indignation of the King, by paying the price of a French veffel that had been infulted and burnt by a privateer of the Republic. The eftabliftiment of the Council Royal of Com- merce, which he fubftituted to the mere Council of Commerce, fettled fince the year 1720, is a proof of the attention which the Prime Minifter paid to this branch of adminiftration, and the repute he held it in. He ordered that this Council Ihould be holden every fortnight, in prefence of his Majefty, who was defirous of attending himfelf to this important part of government. Senfible how much communica- tions by water are favourable to trade, and faving of expence, he had previoufly occafioned the labours to be begun for digging the canal of Picardyj labours O 4 which 199 1732. 6 Julv. 6 June, 173X. 23 May, 200 173*^ Auguft I7XS. ill THE PRIVATE LIFE whkh have fuice been interrupted, and rcfumed by the famous Laurent. After the death of this artift^ this projedb had again been quitted, though it was upon .the poipt of being (:onipleted, and that the province was inc^ffantly expcdling to hayc cnjoy?4 the advantage of it, when war for the third time put a ftop to ^his ufefuJ an^ important entcrprize. In 1728, M. de Maulcvrier, Colonel of the regiment of Picardy, gave the firft ftroke of the pick-ax in thi^ bufinefs, at the head of his regiment. If by a little adb of parfimony natural to old- age, and which is Icfs to be attributed to the Cardi- nal than to the Comptroller General Pelletier Def- forts, he feemed to thwart that great eftablil^ment of the Regent's, in 1719, for the gratuitous edu^atioi^ of youth J if he oppofcd the juil claims of the Uni- verfity, by retrenching a part of the revenue granted to them for this purpofe, and by cavilling infidionfly upon the treaty made with that body *, he repaired that injury dpne to the arts and fciences, by fignal marks of proteftion in other circumftances. We fhall not enter into an enumeration of' all the favours he beftowed upon them, which would take up too much room in this hiftoryj but fliall only notice a few events, too important to be omitted. A -i/i • The agreement made with the Univerfity, in I7i9,wa9> that on the union of their pofts with the pods royal, his Majefty wquI^ jrant in pgrpetuity to them the twenty-eighth part of the valup of the general farm of the pofts throughout the kingdom. Since that time, although this farm has been confiderably increafed, yet the Government would never grant to the Body of Arts, any more than the fum colleAed from the iirft hrva. See /^« mjl iumik a9d tnoji ri/pea/ul rt^rtjpttatunf of th$ Vnivtrfiy nf ParU to th^ King, in 1 75 5. ?*I.V- .a'-'0fc^»f-^'^?f Since Q F LEW IS XV. ftOi iumcd byf this artift, gh it was that the - cnjpyp4 time put rize. In jiment of X in thi^ , to old- e Cardi- lier Dcf^ [il^ment lu^atioq le Uni- granted Idioufly •q^aircd 7 fignal ^e ihali E>urs he 3 much a fcw^ ywquli Since red, yet ny mere Since the year 1721, the King had ordered that; 1732. ten ypvng Frendi children Should be educated^ at his ' expence, at the Jefuits* college in Paris, and in- iiruiS^d in the Latin and Oriental tongues, to ferve as Interpreter^ to the Confuls in the fea-port towns on the Levant, before the education of thefe chil- dren, con^iponly called Armenians, the Minifters and fubjefts pf his Majcfty were expofed to the igno- rance^ difhonefty, and perfidy of foreign interpreters. The Cardinal rendered this, which was merely a po- litical eilabliibment, a literary one alfo, by forming 9 college at Conilantinople, where the books of the country were to be tranflated. The tranljations, to- gether with their originals, were depolited in the King's library. In 1729, the Abbe Surin had beeq fcnt to Conftantinople, and over all the Levant, to buy up the feveral Greek, Turkilh, Arabian, or Per^ fian manufcripts he could colled. Thus the library, jn 1732, was augmented with the ineftimablc trea-r fwre of ttn thoufand manufcripts. A medal was l^riick to celebrate and record this fad. Six learned perfons, or men of diftindion in the literary world, were moreover attached to this library, that they might be continually on the fearcb for books proper to jncreafe it, each in their refpedive departments. , The King's garden, fo famous at this day, attraded ;he attention of the Cardinal ; it was he who deter- piined his Majefty to take particular care of this fpot ; for this purpofe to put it under the department pf the Secretary pf State of his houfehpld *, and to ^ X^wU Xin. by aa edift of tlie month of Jaauaiy i5z5, yegiftered in Parliament in the month of July of the fame y«ar, the Koyal Bptanic Garden^ and at t^ie fapic time unite4 tl^9 I ^T'^'W I. I THE PRIVATE LIE, Academy of Sciences. Thj^ T "'""^" °f ">= therto been neglefted rh.Tj "' *'""<^'> had hi- fiderableexpenfe^tettde fr '"k"","""'- ^on- from all fide, a great numh r ?'""'' '^^ ""effing foreign lhrub..f, tT "ft 1^?''"' P'^""' -^ »nd hot-houfes neceffa^ to n^r °" "'^ ''""*«S» after, a very i5ne cabinet ofl^ ^^T' "'^'"- Soo" herbals, more complete than ""[ '"'*°'^' ""^ '«» ;n £"rope. excited^g^ne JH^ ''" ''''^''" ''«" Botany. Chymiftry. and An,, '"'°"- Courfes of gratis eve^ year, at wS ^11 inT'^:. V' '"^""'"1 wftruftion in any of thefe f. '"''"'"'"^1'' ^efirous of « is in thisfchJl tha thl k"' '"'S'"' <""»; and -ho have appearedtVt eTn'lff ''"""^ "''"' been formed. ,. " '"^ ^^^^^ branches, have «-^e:<:':^r:;5:j-:?i-<^erhisadmini- " the execution of tl at bold J' r""^ °'^ ""' '■""'^". the figure of the earth a pt^t ofl^" °''''«*™i„ing to navigation. I„ order'^o "eS .f" '''"P°«'"«^' fary to meafure a depree nf ,7 '"'' " ""» ne«f- Pole, and another uSer tL F '"'"'"'" "'"^"- 'he Mmifter fp.red no exp nee for tt""'"'- ^''^ P"""' cf-iy followed the impulfeof S. r" ^"'P"^'' ^' hea- then Secretary of State fof J ^"""^ ^^Maurepas. -ho gave him to underftand tha „!f ' "^^P^"™"'. *« Aperintendance cfit ,o ,1,', « , — - project ^ :? TO F L E W I S XV. "203 projeftj that it was only prafticable under the reign 1732. of a Prince, as powerful, and as much refpefled by -~~-~" other Sovereigns, as he was a lover of the fciences, and a patron of commerce. The Aftronomers, to the number of three, defigned for the South, were Meff. Bouguer, Godin, and de la Condamine, who fet out the firft, in 1733; Meff. de Maupertuis, Clairaulf, Camus, and le Monnier, fent to the North, having a Ihorter voyage to make, did not fet out till the year 1736, and returned in 1737, after having erefted at Tornea, on the confines of Lapland, by permiffion of the King of Sweden, a pyramid, as a monument of their labours and their glory. One year was fufficient for their obfervations, but they were obliged to em- ploy another in travelling, and endeavouring to fubdue nature in thefe inhofpitable climates. At firft they fought for a proper place for their operations * : they found none on the borders of the gulph of Bothnia : they were obliged to go a great . way into the inland country j they were forced to re- • afcend the river of Tornea, from the city of Torno to the north of the gulph, as far as the mountain of ; Kiltes, beyond the Polar circle. They had then to ' preferve themfelves from thofe terrible flies which are the terror of the Laplanders, which draw blood at every fting, and which, if a number of them were to fix upon a man, would foon deftroy him. They ; infcfted all their provifions. The birds of prey like- wife, which are very numerous and very bold in thefc climates, fometimes carried away the victuals that were ferved up to thefe Academicians, who were like • ^neas in the midft of the harpies. -^ "" • See the works of M. Godin, inti^Ied, To the Manes of Ifenvh XV, The •'I , _ ■'"^ "'VATE LIFE to be cJimbed i the Z." |''? '"°"'««n5 were aij cleared of the i 77^ ''■t™ '^'•^ ^1 to ^ ""^ed them from%hf 'h^K """J' ''«» «>« co„- «ifed upon their topV^iS"' !''"^"' ^"* '^ »>«= the diftance of feveTiel ?""' '^' '° •« ^'"> « the neceft., trian^'Tufirr:: Ltf T'"'' pable of being meafured unnl ^^ ''"<^' «- and covered ftveral feef' th^t ■ u""' '^^" o^"". like fmail fa„d. wl^ich fl n it/'"!. " ''""= '^'^ '""'"^ concealed from the eye nre^^^ ""l" "■« *■«'. "d buried any one under ft ^"' "'"'='' ""Sht have country, thpugh accuftomed to itl fh ""^ "^ ">' times lofe an arm or a W h ' *"Pn«:fi. fome, only liquor that did not frL. V "^'^ *" 'he out of which they drank iru'^*"- ^^ ""^ ^eflcl . the cold ufed Jfix t^h err 'Z'' ''""^ '° ^'''"P' tear the lips to pull them ISnS " "" """""^ «> Nothing difcouraged the Ar^l, ■ • -'" each of them made fheir refpea^/":;:;'''"'- ■ ^'"^ P"vate, which all coincided SaV""r°"^ '" fion that determined their! ^^'^^ "'^ P'eci- ^ attentions, troubles anTkr'"'^' . ^^'" ^' '''eft , w-cked on the gSph „f B^""' ""ey wer* ftip., lofing their livesf and tl f "'. *"'^ '""^ «» ] and laborious undertaking '?" 5 *'» ''«-'<'"* "• ^-^y reckoned that they ftould e ctoWsd I d, through iffagc, and s were aJJ all to be that con- ere to be ^ fccn at etcrmine xedj, ca- en over, •y fnow, -et, and lit have ■ i.i> cold fd of the /bmor as tbe^^ vcOkli lips, uy to rhejr IS it\ reci- hele iip*ij lear ou$ red > ey f • OF LEWIS XV. ihould not ftay above four years out of their coun- try, but they were obliged to remain abroad ten years. The inhabitants Teemed to a6b in concert with nature, to thwart and to torment them. They were accom- panied by M. de Judieu, a botanift ; M. de Senier- gues, a furgeon; M. Hugo, a watchmaker, and mathe- matical inftrument-makerj M. Verguin, draughtfman for the plans and charts, and M. de Morainville, draughtfman for the natural hiftory. ■ * • They had recommendations from the King of France to all the Governors of foreign places, and palTports from the King of Spain. They were pro- vided with money and bills of exchange. In a word, every thing that can infure the fuccefs of a voyage, and make it ufeful and convenient, had been at- tended to and prepared. *. ; , <::!. ,. . After a long, troublefome, and perilous voyage, M. de la Condamine did, in fome meafure, flrft take poffeflion of the country in the name of the fciences. He engraved upon the rock of Palmar the following infcription in Latin : It has been found by aftronomical obfervationSy that this promontory is-Jitttated under the Equator. This prelude is followed by frefh diffi- culties to get to Quito, and the reader will be fright- ened ac the bare recital of them, independent of their fatigues, which nothing could equal but their pa- tience. The money of the Academicians now be- gan to fail J they were obliged to raife fome upon- their efFefts, and they were accufed of fmuggling^ for having fold their Ihirts ; upon which an action Was brought againft them. They at laft fucceeded fo far as to eftablilh their fignals upon the tops or upon the inclmatton of thirty-nine mountains, in an ' !}!rktff -•' , ■ - extent 30^ 1732. m THE PRIVATE LIFE ' other fide of it! ' ""^ ""^"^ "^« degrees on the The ferics of th&'tr m.;«« i "-ow. to the „ tT o qS: "'f-^ fr""^ Cab., 'he fouth of Cuenja ^ ' "' '^■"^ Chinan, to 'hem. thrertening o dSJt'l?"'''T'''"P''e-"ft : h-mfelf in a poftufe of deface ,?\T"''' P"' moment, thefe furious oeonl, j *'''"'''''• '"or a '^^^^ but conti„uL7a ';l-f ftdrovethem P'd'ty. he fdJ, pierced * rJ, "'"* f''*'" "-"h intre- ' eAcaden,ici:„s!.H:tTSdZtff " '"''■'" °^ blood, while thev at rh, r • ^' """'ed with ^-sagainfttSunorUerhrr''''"''^'' ">'■»' " Love was the caufrofthfr '"'"*' ' • -'•o was jealous oftnie gtrhTV f" ^""''^''• him affaflinated, and fuSX "^°^''<^ '° have .§"esdiedinthe\rms fM^^tco^r'"- "'"''-^ -g h,m to talce care to ha;e hta^id" '' ''"«- ' fnis was a fi-eih oA- , avenged. murder was condemned to ex t I !,m """^ ""^ '""^ ever, quit the country bm ! '. ' ''"' "°'' ^ow- - Before their deSth.T'i P"'*" " - ^ ' maintain. This C !„' '' '"'' " '^"^ "^ion to '"ids they wifted o r^a^"' °^ ""= '"° P^'- the bafis, accurately melfur^H '7 e««mities of -OF LEWIS XV. I fcrvations i fo that this was rather an objcdi :>( utility than of vanity. Some Spanifli officers took umbrage at the infcription, in which mention was made of the King of France, and oppofed»it. M. de la Conda- mine, in the name of his colleagues, carried this point : the two pyramids were raifed, but have been demolifhed fince the departure of the Acade- micians. 207 '732' -,\ "iO r.>:)| ; £ND OF THE FIRST VOLUME, i^ I - i •■ ■»«/ ;. . T -> . - , » >J v., ■'■•j^vsih ;:'-:i',^.. . * ■ ' ^ - ■ • • ^i\s^'r;./l A. ' • ■;(, •I :' ;■•,.. f, ■■ . y^fhii '.>} M'i-- • *• ' . '• ' ' ..' ■ • • . r'lyiar^c' •-.!'-.■■ • ■ . ,,•■ Q i.5 r r ,'» ^"^i'-'it. ■■,'. .' . ,' : .•;-;>:, ,- ' •;• .:^-irTp.vr. ,, ' "' ' ,. .- - * .'' ' ' 1 4-M .>; -,; pi b'^d ••■lii-i •■ ■ ■:■' ., : .. .f < .^,; i Stb td-^JoWjia i-'" ■■!':U' ,•■?'.-•-. rWOfi .,;-i?'M I'.: '__ :..■; v» ■!■■>'« ''y , ' ,• 1 / 1- -■ ■ -J ' ■' - 4. : '-. . "^ ^ .V,.^ t .y m ii(Hj'>h S>i5. , ■'. . '•" -'" ■ ■' . -..■:, V''' '. -jilX4 '^j^j' '^^ ^" >•• V ■■'■ a^L. -'■■-: ^D iysjiJV'rj*,:.-. '^ p'A, , • ' -" ■ ". ' 1 ■; -■■ .- . '■.,* ^i'.;>\ 07 A\'^il i:i.u. !•!»;'; V . *'■;■'."•*. •zrtoiulyol^:) zrv'j ;! :-: =^^ f ■'. • , •■'-" ■' • ■'" I- " " . ■ 1;. '''J''k:n fasdiinls/f ^vi^d -^ivi,. 'v,-.;:/ r..-' vdo lifl-i; ^|>-w\mv /■< = ,|;;0''^* ' ' - "s2noiXsvi: I'J ,// ihrnil; ii' w» .M . .V :j ji". •i^u:^.-. •■ o' • V >♦*> • .i 1, :o ;. '1 * ' / ■» • ! A iK*Jt I ',fty t T 0/ it' •c:nv' I f M ^- . \{ I ; :l -v^t:0>f.. '^-i.^'^e^^sc-ty. / 1 ^..i. --"■'*Nto*'»' y ifiM '^fr^,' ^ A, r i^ i;^'v, 'N't <\ T^tiX tAM'-v ^ ^\K^\J ^U V ,i k^ 1 > i i ? yi ». ii-?- -v;^-! ..14- ,7>itt.,"ni; X C.fi I lr--*:-.*j ;lt*.,> fi^ >'' •i.'.! fJ'-;'/ ■fl- '«i )'M V V iU.,,'- 0'5 Ci M'^i t*«il«\ f;'i'>l "J A n-j|r« 'M'"?! J!; it'. iif 'j\t t iAU iruiQ'J 'icii) ^b-:xwo-: CAi:^l.xAib ^i(kiU<>^^:^ i^aid ^tinm ■*, >» SIf * -1 V i'iL ■hA^ '■J u **"=•* ~'*'''l " s ^ j^tr* (: 'yl w ■■■ib f:iUvXV 'i,V **■ ^.^ ft' . '; ' '.'v » i " i . .;, ' ,' i- ! 1 i' . . . 1 I '- "-■■' vfitU m ■ ; •'• '^ , ■ -0 1 , , ■ » a; i: <*■ " T' 'v " -* 'i^i ; . : i .'^>I J ' .; , ..• , • it. -:. ■.,-:; .. • -•,•..; . ■ .. ; 1 i •iilr'i L- -^iyri A P P E N D i ■■. -i ■■ X. "'" ■ ■ -r '- ■■ 1 " » . ' * - ! . .._.,._. -r ,J: ^ ., . . . ., 1. ■. ^ . • : _> !* . rrt^!-rs ?..i; ■,.^» ^ r Memorial on hehalf of the Parliament ^ againfi the Dukes and Peers, prefented to his Royal Higbnefs the Duke of Orleans, Resent, . , . , *., ■■uJ.WliiU,: 5-.^;^^ cn;n3 .o/,ilj;ii .i.i'^An-ii s^.i^-i!i.'r ^' MONSElGNEURi THE Parliamerit" flatter themfelves that they have given fufficient proofs of their zeal for your R. H. to hope that you will not dq^rJve them of their honours; honours ^hich they have been in pofleflion of for fo many centuries. If the t*fcers of Frarice had looked tipon thefe diltindions as recent ufurpations, and as attatcks made upon their dignity, would they have negledted to complaih of them ih 1664? Would they not have endeavoured to deftroy them, at a time when the late King appeared to be in no favourable difppfition towards that Court, and -J U'Jh A P a nwr y,hen^ ;i£ 11 APPENDIX. when, in compliance with their importunate clamours, the eitabhlhed order of vxjting. was fubverted ? Their . nience is a convincing proof of the novelty of their pretentions j which have no other fource than in the pride of- the Duke d'Uzes, m ho, from a haughty ca- price, wouH not take off his hat at the time of giv- ing his vote. And what they now take upon them to call an interruption, which defeats the prefcriptivc right, is the only foundation of their chimerical idea. In their eagernefs to avail thcmfelves of the moft trifling opportunities, they wifhed to take advantage of this attempt of the Duke d'Uzes ; they exerted all their interefl to have it approved and authorized by his Majefty. But that wife Prince readily under- ftood that an infringement of the dignity of thofe perfons who had the honpur of reprefenting him. Was a diminution of his own j he therefore forbad fuch attempts for the future, under pain of his dif- pleafu.c, and of exemplary punilhment. The Peers Ihould call. to mind what the Parlia- ment has done in their favour fince thefe few years pad : they ufed to prefent themfelves in the fame place with the Senefchals in order to take their oaths, and were admitted upon the footing of Counftfilors of a Sovereign Court. But this tjtle-— which formerly the Princes of the bloody and the Dukes of Guife, in their greateft fplendor, would not have difdained — hurting the pride of our modera Peers, the Parliament readily agreed to the fuppref*- lion of it'} . andj by an eafy condel'cenfion, of which the Firft Prefident Hariay was the principal mover, they relaxed upon this point j which ftrongly marked that fuperiority of the Prclidents> tbty now call in qucfUon with fo much acjrinfipny. Their unbounded ambition 4 APPENDIX. ambition has not been fatisHed with ah advantage which they owe to the moderation of Parliament, As one pretention with them begets more^ and one favour granted is a foundation for afking a fe^ond, they entertained a thought of being eledled in the fame manner as the Pre(idents;and, expecting to find an entire compliance in a Magiftrate, much ^ttaclied to the Court, they applied thcmfelves to our Firfl . Preddent *, and imagined that he would readily fide with them in the affair of the hat. But they could neither feduce him by their flattery, nor intimidate him bv their threats, the fhameful effefts of which have been fmce but too apparent. He maintained the honour of the Company with fo much zeal and ileadinefs, that, notwithftanding the prelHng felicita- tions of the Peers to the late King, he obtained a promife from his Majefly, that he would not give any decifion. - The hopes of the Peers were then turned towards your R. H. ; they offered you their fervices, when the King, whofe death was fhortly expected, and unavoid- able, and whofe intentions were not known, fhould be expired. But they would not engage nor declare themfelves for your R. H. unlcfs they received af- furances that you would favour their pretentions j and they gave your R. H. to underiland, that with- out thofe conditions you were not to depend upoa them. ^ . Your R. H. will picafc to give a moment's atten- >/• tion to the difference of the proceeding between the I Parliament and the Peers. Our zeal alone ha^ il pompted ws to ferve you. We extorted no pro D'j,i.-*ti': ..".. -■ '.' ■'•■";:.■ ., ,. ;,Y'iil.i m^-^U^-^i^^, • John^uthpnydeMeihwi* Y:^no:i-! : :' • ' f) «13 u ^t.'^ i • ai4 APPENDIX. mifc. Our fufFrages had already infured the Regency to you, before the Peers were intitled to vote. For we do not imagine they would ferioufly maintain, that they have the right of difpofing of the Regency, and even of the kingdom, in cafe of a difputed fuc- ceffion, though they have been hardy enough to pro- pagate fuch an idea, and to infinuate it in their me- morial or" 1664. Upon what ground can they fup- port the pretention ? Is it becaufe their aggregate body is compofed of the three Eftates of the King- dom ? Or becaufe they confider themfelves as the fucceffors of the Dukes of Burgundy, Guienne, and Normandy ? Your R. H. has certainly not forgotten that the Prefident de Maifon has been feveral times commiffioned by you, to afllire the Parliament, that they might depend upon the honour of your protec- tion ; and that, far from diminifhing their preroga- tives, you would rather increafe them, whenever the adminiftration of the kingdom fhould be placed in your hands. And what does the Parliament alk at prefent of your R. H. but meerly the favour of leav- ing them in the quiet pofleffion of their privileges ? We are far from pretending to call in queftion your right of judging thefe kinds of difputcsj and if one of our moft illuftrious Magiftrates has faid in your R. H.'s prefence, that the decifion belonged to the King, it was not ib much from any doubt he had of your authority, as to fuggeft to you a fpecious pre- tence for leaving the matter undecided till the King's -majority. Is it not ftrange, that, to gratify their vanity, the Peers, who are but a portion of the Parliament, Jn- fliould make this difturbance in it, at a time when the greateft harmony ought to fubfift between all the bodies. 11 APPENDIX. bodies, and when they ought all to concur with una- nimity in the prefervation of peace ? If they were well afFedted towards your R. H. would they expofe you to the hazard of a decifion, the confequences of which might be dangerous ? Your R. H. is not un- acquainted with the degree of confideration which the Parliament enjoys in the capital, and throughout the whole kingdom of France ; what weight their au- thority carries in the moft important affairs of the State i and what influence their example has on the other Parliaments. In vain would the Peers make themfelves appear formidable; is it on account of their wealth ? Moft of them have not fo much as was neceflary to conftitute a Roman Knight, and they maintain themfelves only by forming unfuitable al- liances. Are they to be feared for their prowefs ? Contented with the dignities of peace, they fet no great value upon military employments ; and, except- ing a fmall number of them, they are in general bad foldiers, and have given fo few fpecimens of their valour, that one would imagine the adminiftration of juftice feemed more congenial to them. But they might, perhaps, engage the Nobility to fide with them ? It is known they have difgufted them, by their ridiculous haughtinefs, on every oc- cafion, and particularly in infifting, that they fhould follow them on the day of the King's deceafe, or ' that they fliould walk as a diftinft and feparate body. So contagious is the air of Peerage, that even the Archbifliop Duke of Rheims, whofe dignity is tran- ^ fitory, was not afhamed of engaging in fo odious a plan ; thus facrificing to a momentary honour, the interefts of the Nobility, for whom his attachment, in general, was well known. ^.^ ^. P4. ^ But: 115 i •I 111 I th fl5 APPENDIX. But it is not the diftindlion of the Prefidents ^ Mortier that irritates themj their ambition has higher views : and, not daring openly to equal diem- feives to the Princes of the Blood, they endeavour to diminifh the honours and prerogatives which makfi fo great a difference between them, notwithftanding the conformity of dignities. Nothing can oblige your R. H. to give a decifion upon this queftion. Can the Peers have any caufe of complaint, if you leave things in the fame (ituation they have always been ? And would it not be de- grading to the Parliament, to deprive them of the jhonours with which our Kings have thought fit to grace the perfons who were to reprefent them ? The annulling of the a6t of the 27 th of September, which is merely a precaution of police, to prevent thoie commotions the Peers intended to excite on the day pf the declaration of the. Regency, has already fuf- ficiently difgufted the Parliament, without increafing, by new mortifications, their juft caufes of com- plaint. V- ; ,: ^<> : ■^'■''- Yet, if your R. H. were notwithftanding deter- mined to judge this matter (a fuppofition not con- liftent with true policy) it can only be refpeding titles or poflfefTion. The Peers cannot but acknow- ledge that cuftom is againft them, fince they oppole it J and if they have any titles, let them produce them, we will anticipate your R. H.'s fentence, and condemn ourfelves. But our poffeflion is not only certain, and from time immemorial, it is alfo attefted in our archives, and the nature of it is eftabliflied by thofe permanent memorials. Will any one ven- ture to attack the authority of thefe folid foundations '■ t„ . <■., -,: ■.,.v.!}-.T.,ri .'--ft/»T*t • >*'j,.-iT rft 't**?^'' of r^a/'jd APPENDIX. of public fccurity, thefe facred depofits of the wills of our Kings ? • Formerly the Peers had no other prerogatives but thofe which were enjoyed by all perfons poflefTed of Noble fiefs j they were both admitted, in the moving Parliaments which followed the Court, to deliberate on affairs of State, and adminifter jufticc to indivi- duals. The general aflemblies were commonly tu- multuous ; the Kings were by no means mafters of the deliberations taken in them j the Judges were moftly, either entirely ignorant, or at leaft had very little knowledge of the common or of the ftatute law } and the parties were cxpofed to great in- juftice. . ., Philip the Fair, finding it abfolutely neceflary to chinge the form of thefe Parliaments, gave them a fixed refidence, and fettled the time and the place of the meeting of their aflemblies, for the convenience of the fubjefts, and the fpeedy adminiftration of juftice. The Parliament of Paris was compofed one half of Clergy, and the other of Laity, who were named by the King at the opening of their feflion. Two Pre- lates and two Noblemen were commiflioned to pre- fide. But who were thofe named by the Dauphin Charles, during the captivity of King John ? The Count of Evreux, and the Count of Burgundy. The twelve Peers were admitted into Parliament, as honorary and perpetual Counfellors by their rank of Peerage ; the Counfellors, on the contrary, were chofen by the King ; who changed them at his pleafure, that thefe proud vaffals might be fcnfiblc of the power of the Sovereign. Philip the Fair gave the precedency over them to the Prefidents, as re- prefentatives of their fovereign Mafter, in the admi- liiftration of juftice j and the number of Prefidents being ti7 •mmmmi I ; * aiS APPENDIX. being afterwards increafed, the lad appointed took place by the fame title as the firft, above the Peers : which is a certain proof that an increafe of the num- ber of Prefidents does not prevent their unity, and indivifibility with regard to the reprefentation, and the honours infeparably attached to it. Thofe powerful Princes would, no doubt, have been offended at feeing fo many perfons placed above them, if they had not confidered the whole body of them as making one Chief: they fufFered, without murmuring, the ordinary Counfellors to have a kind of fuperiority over the honorary ones j and it is to mark this prerogative, that a Counfellor clofes the Bench of Peers to this day. As the Peers make a part of the Parliament, and as the caufes which concern them are tried in that Court, it has fometimes been called, very impro- perly. The Court of Peers, But it is in faft the King's Court, where juftice is adminiftered in his name ; and in which the Peers fit. It is true, that they have a feat in other Parliaments ; but this is only as ho- norary Counfellors : and the fame honour is granted to the Counfellors of the Grand Chamber, as a mark of refpedl to the fuperior Parliament. Have the Ecclefiaftical Peers, who piqued them- felves fo much upon being the moft ancient Peers of the kingdom, and whom we hear continually re- gretting the precedence they have over the Princes of the blood, any further diftinftion in Parliament, ' than meerly the fitting above the Dean, in the fame ' manner as the other Bifliops, who are admitted by the prerogative of their fees ? Thefe Prelates are, like " them, honorary Counfellors ; like them, they are not ivdmitted before they have taken the oaths. Nei- APPENDIX. ther of them are Counfellors by birth, their right being fufpended till their reception. And as this law is common to the Lay Peers, what reafon can they allege for the new difficulty they have ftartied with regard to the Duke of Richelieu, and for ar- refting the courfe of juftice, in the execution of the wifeft and moft important of all edidls ? In a word, the fons and grandfons of France fee, without the leaft fcruple, the Prefidents feated above them. Even the Dauphin, the moft perfeft image of Royalty, who with one hand touches the Crown, while he lowers the other to the earth, in token of fubjedtionj the Dauphin himfelf cannot, without an exprefs commiflion from the King, take place of the Prciidcnts. And at the time when the Princes of the blood were onlv confidered as Noblemen de- fcended from the Royal Family, and as Peers hold- ing fiefs, the Firft Prefident did not falute them in > afking their votes. It is only fince Henry III. de- , clared them Peers by birth, that he uncovers him- felf when he calls upon them for their fufFrage. I And the Peers, thefc modern Peers, exclaim againft , an honour attached to the dignity of Prefident,jealous, without doubt, of that which Princes of the Blood enjoy. Hiftory acquaints us, that when the Chancellor de Rochefort went, in the year 1509, in the name of Lewis XII. to receive the homage of Philip Archduke of Auftria, for the counties of Flanders, Artois, and Charolois — he took the precedency of him from the moment of his arrival in the town of Arras, . which was appointed for that ceremony. He re- , mained feated, and with his hat on, when the Prince prefented himlelf to take the oath of allegiance. The Prefidents, 319 eso APPENDIX. fi'ii Prefidents, who reprcfent the King, in a fituation no left exalted, would, no doubt, have a right not to falute the Peers when they enter the Grand Chainber to cwne to their places; and, fince the Peers, on ac- count of a few limited honours which they enjoy at Count, have imagined that they could oblige the Nobility to follow them, with much more reafon might the Prcfidcnts, who are above tliem in Par- liament, require precedency of them in every other iituation, if they were as reltlefs and as turbulent in their difpofition. The Greeks and the Romans, thofe warlike na- tions, preferred the gown to the fword, becaufe force is only the fupport of juftice, and is only to be <;on- iidered fo long as it retains that charadleriftic. The Republics of Venice, Holland, and Genoa, ftill con- duft thcmfelves according to thefe maxims. Yet theft; Gentlemen, who, on every trifling bufinefs, are ready to fly for fhclter to the proteftjon of the law, -i:^ afieft to hold it in contempt. w If the Parliament, which, at it's firft inftitution, >^ was only filled by Nobles, has fince, through cor- . ■ ruption, been open to the dregs of the people, fuch a mixture does not tarnifli the luftre of the profeflion; 1-j and the body of Peers, which have been much more '^ diigraced, has no right to reproach us with it. ^.1 There is but* one fort of Nobility : it is indeed ac- quired by different means j by military employments, and by thofe of the Magiftracy. But their rights A and prerogatives are the fame. The robe is not lefs -X illuftrious than the fword. The Chancellors, and -^ the Keepers of the Seals, are equal to the Confiables, S and Marfhals of France -, the Prefidents a Mortiert to M ''^ 3*f;lc %ft\uc u,;?'i t >rtT APPENDIX. an ers, on ac- the Dukes and Peers, who, like them, give way with- out oppoiition to the Chief of the Magiilracy. - « But if we are to come to the invefligation of fami- lies, we fhall noc be afrjid to aver, that there are many families in the Parliament, fuperior to thofe of the peers. We do not, indeed, think ourfclves obliged to ^ive credit to their fabulous genealogy, adopted by the too credulous Dufourny * j and, without cn^ cering into too great a detail on that fubjedk, it will not be improper here to give your R. H. a fummary, at lealV, but faithful account of the origin of feveral Dukes. Your Highncfs wiii afterwardis be able to judge whether, in favour of fuch people, it isjufl to abafe the Hrfl: Company of the kingdom^ and whether they do wifely in attacking it. <*'^<'^^ We preferve in our Court the documents of en*- nobling the two firft Dukes. Gerault Bafiu \ was ennobled by the Bilhop of Valence, in i J04. He was fon to John Baftet, apothecary at Viviers; who, according to the fame regifter, bought the elbate of Cruflbb, in ijoo, of the heirs of that houfc. ^^i~ ^■ Nicholas de la Tiremoutlle, whofe entertaining genius obtained him the favour of Charles V. was cnnoWed by letters patent in 1375. A torrent of wealth and honours foon fwelled this little fprrng into a mighty flream. ' •»' • /"V ■ *t n., . Maximilian de Bethune is treated like a man of no kind of note, by Marfhal Tavannes, in his Menwiirs : His father, Johnde Bethune, was an adventurer, who gave out that he came from Scotland : he was called '^Bethon, agreeable to the foreign pronunckcion. * Auditor 0^ J^ccoants, nnthor of the Nsiiltare Fta>ffoit. Hi f R«al namt of the Dukes d'Uses. The 2^3 APPENDIX. The additions to the memoirs of Caftelnau, hint it the uncertainty of his origin, by faying that the Bethunes of Scotland fprang from the Bcthunes of Flanders. John de Bcthune debauched Jane de Melun, daughter of the Lord of Rofni, and married her. Andrew Duchefne has fince made them dc- fcendants from the Bethunes of Flanders, and was wel? rewarded tor it. vi«t I . - ;^*. i r^-n ..% « . ;k. U V Luines*t Brantesy and Cadenet, were three brotliers> who had but one cloak, which they wore by turns, when they went to the Louvre. Their father, Ho- nore Albert, was an advocate at Mornas, a fmall town of the county, where lawyers rank with No- bility. Never was fortune fo great, nor fo rapid. Charles Albert was made Duke de Luines and Con- ftable : Brantes, who had pleaded as an advocate, obtained the title of Duke of Luxembourg by mar* riage : and Cadcnet was created Duke dc Chaulnesi They arc now made to dcfcend from the Albertis of Italy. -Ctf.' fK:tl,1»>lti' riT ■'^••'.1 *"?[•? <•*}'• I >';.rfiVri* : The Cojfe Brijfacs are very illuftrious, but not very ancient. They once pretended to be defendants from the Cofles of Italy, as may be feen in the ad- ditions of Caftelnau; at prefent they choofe to owe their origin to a family of Cofle, in the county of Maine. ' ,f;7.73.r ? .i^- ^ .., .,4.i ^. #i.;_...,, ^i Rene Vignerot j-, domeftic and player on the lute to Cardinal Richelieu, ferved him with fo much dexterity in his pleafures, that he confentcd to give him his fifter, who had fallen in lov« with him. He afterwards obtained for him the fucceffion to his I* -r^^,ii^'tMJ\- ■ Ml 5 iu , v.;4v^''vr* Their true name is Albert. >sV. .^ij. , I. intf ^ :; t Real name of the Dukes pf Richelieu. vU5«A;...i dukedonj .APPENDIX. dukedom of Richelieu. Vignerot's mother's fccond hufband was a falconer. . . ' ....... \ The Duke de St. Simon's fortune :ind nobility arc fo recent, that every body is acquainted with them. One of his coufins was almofl within our day groom to Madame de Schomberg. The refeUiblancc of the arms of /^ VacqueriCy which this family quarters with thofe of VermandoiSy gave him occafion to fay, that h« claims his defcent from a Princefs of that houfe. In faft, the vanity of this petty Duke is carried to fuch an excefs of folly, that in his genealogy, he makes a citizen, called le Bojfu, who was Judge of Mayenne, and married the heirefs of the elder branch of his family, defcend from the houfe of Bojfu. . 'r .♦• George Vert, the carcafe-butcher, would be greatly furprifed, in looking down from the pinnacle of his dignity, to fee himfelf the anceflor of the numerous pofterity of La Rochefoucaulty RouJJty &c. -, The Neuville-Villeroys are defcended from a fifli- monger, clerk of the kitchen to Francis I. He is mentioned in that quality, in the Chamber of Ac- counts. His fon, Regiftcr of the Hotel de Ville, was Provoft of Merchants, and father to Nicholas de Neuville, Uftier, and Secretary of State. The ftate- linefs of Marlhal Villeroy can fcarcely reconcile iticlf to fo flender an extradlion. The d'EJlrees are ennobled only within 1^6 yfcars. The Cardinal d'EftreeSy after much trouble, has not been able to trace any thing farther. The BoulainviUierSy Boufflers, and Lauzum, 150 years ago were not known farther than the limits of their villages. The Grammonts have at lafi: fettled their arms, and derive them from the houfe oi Jure, Th6 Count de Crammonf fta:j 224 APPEND I X. Grammont aiked the Marfhal one day what arms they fhould bear that year. They owe their rife to Corifanda Dandouifty the\r grandmother, miftrefs to Henry IV. and fince, to the alliance of the Marfhal with the Cardinal de Richelieu. The Noailles are defcended from a fervant' of JP^r^ir Roger, Count de Beaufert, Vifcount de Turenne, who ennobled them, and made a fief of a little corner of the Noailles edate, where that kvvdxit was born. The Montmorins are in pofleffion of the title, which they would never give up to the Duke of Bouillon during their quarrel. De Noailles, Bilhop of Acqs, in the year 1556, bought a part of the eft ate of Noailles from the Ligperat family, and in the year 1559 he purchafed the remainder of the eilate and thecaftle. The family of Montmorin ftill preferve a . piece of tapeftry, in which one of the Noailles family is feen putting diflics upon the table. The ftbck of this arrogant family was very low. i . Charles de la Porte*, Marlhal de la Meilkra^t father of the late Duke of Mazarin, was {on to a far mous advocate in this Parliament, whofe father was an apothecary at PaPtaiai* This Marfhal, whofe mother was aunt to the Cardinal of Richelieu^ owed hi& fortune afterwards to him.. , .- --: i The Duke of Harcourt is defcended frona' a baft^ fon of a Bifhop of Bayeux. John d'Hareourt Beuvron was Vifcount or Judge of Caen in r ^ 54. His fon was chofen, with- fbme more citizens children, to fbrew flowers before Henry IV. at his public entry in that city, as is attefted in the book of the antiquities of Caen, ';.„--..:.■.; .-;;. ^.^^ y-i»'^ ■ r- , * Real name of tke Pukes of Mazarim the APPENiDIX. The Duke d'Epermon, Rouillac, a famous genealo- gill, has informed us, that the Pardaillans* Monie/pan, dcfcended from a Ij^ftatd of a Canon of Ley tourj io Gafcony. Cantien de Villars, Regiilef of Condrietrtc in I485i 9S well as his father Claude de Villars. His nephew enjoyed the letters de Nohlejfe he had obtained, and^ after having beeji a country farmer, was reftpred o^ the 1 6th of February 1586. The P4ftters, Dukes de GefureSf and de TrimeSi arc dcfcended from members come from the Parliament, and thofe not of the beft families. Other houfes hare had employments there. One John de Mailli \jra$ Counfeljor in the Court under Charles VI. The Clermont Tonnerres were only Counfellors of tlic Dauphin de Viennois j and as to the other Clermonts, among whom is the Bilhop de Laon, what were they before the marriage of Francis de Cbatie, with the widow of one Polignac, whofe fervant he had been ? . . Such, Sir, is the extra(5lion of a confiderable part of the Peers of the realm; but neither among thefe, nor among the others whom we do not name here, is there any one, without exception, who, has not fome alliance with the robe ; and they have frequently allied themfelves with the loweft part of the pro- feflion ; for we do not pretend to deny, that we have among, us feveral clafies, wWch we diftinguifh by the title of the gfcat* the middle, and the lower order Qf the robe. - ^ • ... ■> ■ - > S25 mi I q: • Name of the JJukcs d'Eperoon, now extiaft. r Jy • •• \ Voi, I. , ^!f54^r:tii!«!;» . Q^.. ^2*.- «Ai.a;i.**^-H 'I It i : tf ' 2^6' APPENDIX. It is neverthelefs thefc people who compare thcm- felves to the Dukes of Burgundy, of Guyenne, and of Normandy ; and to the Counts of Flanders, of Cbam- faign, and of 'Touloufe. It is thefe people who are caballing to reduce the legitimated Princes of the Blood to the rank of their peerage, who, not con- tented with treating the Parliament with contemptj would make the Nobility give place to them, expeft from them the title of Monfeigneur in their letters, rcfufing them the right hand at their houfes, and would even obtain diftinftions, hitherto unheard of^ and refufe *, to meafure their fwords with Gentle- tiemen. In a word, it is thefe people, who, forget- ting that they compofe a part of the Parliament, dare to rank among the commonalty this Company, the mod auguft in the kingdom, y .,. r..;,*.;;;*^, .. ;, -f- Postponed till the King's majority, -p/.y^ ■•.:.;. lO"" '^i. y: jt:;. i .HifiO :fL:::ii i']'^;^* ^i.r>n'>}^ *3{ i , -Ui", ';■:■' -■■"'■;.-■. N° IIL'C'W 'f^*''|i:^' Account of the General JJfemhly of the Proprietors of '■ the PP''eJiern Company, and the India Company united to it* (Of the ^oth of December 17190 ^r IN the year 17 19, on the 30th day of December in the morning, in the General Aflemblyof thcWeftern and India Companies, convoked by public notice, in otfervance of the article XLII. of the letters patent for • Perhaps from other motives, but thofe of vanity.- > LSD-; t Sentence of the Duke of Orleans. ;i the APPENDIX. tht edablifhmcnt of the faid Weftern Company, and of the article of the cdift fignifying the coalition of the faid Connpany with the India Company j' in which affemblyi holden in the upper gallery of the hotel of the Bank Royal, were prefeht his R. H. the Duke of Orleans, his R; H; the Duke of Chartres, his R. H. the Duke of Bdurbon^ Princes of the Blood, and other great and diftinguilhed perfons of the kingdom j as alio M. Law, Direcl:or General of the faid Company, and of the faid Bank Royal j the thirty private Diredtors of the faid India Company, and of the affairs appertaining to it; and the propri- etors themfelves, to the number of more than two thoufand. — After the Princes of the Blood and the Nobles had taken their feats, M. Corneau, pleader in the Council, and of the faid Direftors of the India Company, faluted his R. H. the Regent, and in the name of the faid Direftors fpoke as follows : , 227 M « €( €( CC ce irible for the Di- "*' rectors to fettlef and draw it outi- conitderirig the ♦* great number of affair* th4t have bccrljdined to ** thofe of the Company, and trufted to the care of "the Dii'eftors; which hath fcarcc left them time f fufficient to fettle the ueceffary regalatioiis for a ** prudertt adminiftration. 4 fiw ipillionf . ^ '•> •X f--yi ''■'■>i}it\ M *■/''■. p.- ,!1 230 APPENDIX, 4 per cent. Ihould be given to the new fliires for the year 1718, and as much for the year 1719. The Regent refumed the difcoiirfe, and faid, that this muft be by a retroaftive effed, fince the fub- fcriptions had not been delivered in till the end of 17 19. M. Law anfwercd, Yes, Monfdgneur i and the Affembly applauded by clapping of hands. . Afterwards, a known Proprietor, who was near the table of the Aflembly, demanded permiflion to fpeak —which being granted him, he alked, if the new Proprietors^ who ihould fulfil from that time their fubfcripfions in one fingle payment, would not be treated nrjore favourably than thofe who fhould only fulfil their payments in the month of July, and if the firft would not have feme preference ? The Regent did him the honour to anfwer him, and .faid j that it was not pofliblc to grant any pre- ference to the moft aflive, becaufe it was neceflary that the lot of all the Proprietors fhould be equal, and that nothing could be given to fome without deduding from the others. M, Law added, that thofe Proprietors wl^o fhould make good their iubfcriptions immediately, woul4 have an evident advantage, inafmuch as they would receive 20 per cent, for their fhares during the firft fix months ; whereas the Proprietors who fhould not complete their payments till the month pf July, would not He intitled to any benefit till the laft fix months in the year. The Company did not applaud J his declaration, M. Corneau afterwards refumed his difcourfe, by enumerating fuccefTiN^ely twenty articles, the rati- fication of which was propofed to the Direftons. It ' <' - voul4 . APPENDIX. would be needlefs to mention them here, as thefe twenty articles had only in view the coalition of the India with the Weftern Company, and the union of all the affairs that have been joined to the India Company, which includes the Weftern. The above- nraned M. Corneau immediately readj upon each of thefe articles, the letters patent and decrees pointing out thefe faid coalitions, and efpecially the letters of fettlement for the India Company, thofe of the decree by which the leafe of the Farms General of Aymard Lambert was annulled, and of the de- cree refpedting the alienation of the coin, and the p.ivilegcs of refining; all which letters patent and decrees are very extenfive, befide which they arc publifhed; the reading of them, therefore, which took up an hour at the meeting, would be ufelefs ;n this account. *- .. ■ :!..•; ^m-- ', After the enumeration of thefe twenty articles, Jcnown to the whole Aflembly by the decrees publiflied at the time, the above-named M. Corneau proceeded to propofe fome new articles, which called up the attention of the Company, and occafioned univerfal lijepce. r;: :' .^s'-nn- .^..V'. .i^ v/:,.. ,..•.,. ,. ,-: .. The firft article propofed, was to render tobacco a mercantile commodity, by changing the fpecial grant, which was the objed of leafing it, into a duty of irpport. ^ ' a. The Regent replied — that without doubt the Piredlors had examined the produce that was tobe expefted from a duty of import ; th^t he underftood well it would give a greater facility to trade j but that he Ihould depend upon the refearches of the Pireflors, to be afTured whether the produce of a duty, of inrjoort would be equal to that of the leafe. .;:; '"^^^ :-'-^- CL4' "- The S31 ?'.> 2ja APPENDIX, The fccfond article propofed was, concerning the duty or tax to be gathered upon the cottons of Lou^ ifiana. This article was not treated in a very in- telligible manner j it was not even difcuflcd, but pafled without examination. it^W.*»t!r ?• . The third article propofed was, to permit the In- dia Company to eftablilh magazines in all the har- bours and ports of the kingdom* and even in feveral other cities named in the memorial that was read : into which magazines, all the hemp that was thrafhed in the kingdom Ihould be obliged to be carried by thofe who had gathered it, and that the India Com>^ pany fhould pay them for it at different prices, re- fpefting the fituation of the magazines, and ac- cording to a fixed rate; which was alfo read at full length* y},ijv': -•■^:v;j^- ■ "' " re-- ';rb ni uin^iiW This article, though equally important, and not lefs extenfive in it's confequences, was not difcufled at the qncetingj it fecmed, upon the whole, to meet with the Regent's approbation, but with reference ) ^o a fuller examination. V/^f!; wu: iio^jrojtinjm The fourth article propofed, was the remonflrancc * of the Pirecftorsj who required that they Ihould be allowed to withdraw 150 of the 200 Ihares they had depofited at their entrance into the Weflern Company, r as a fecurity for their adminiflration. .^y The motive of this claim, propofed by M. Corjieau their Counfellor, was, that at the time of the fettlc- ment of the Weflern Company, thefe two hundred Ihares were not worth more than 100,000 livres *, but that now, at the price to which they were raifed, they made a fund of two millions of livres fi fo that ♦ Upwardsof four thoufaixdpoundf. ..^ *._^i,,_ . 4. . , ■ ' f Betuveen eighty-three and eighty-foi^r thonf^ pounds. • '■:■■■' the i-, APPENDIX'. the fifty fhares which they propofed leaving in the chefl, amounted to 500,000 livres J, which exceeded by y the fund of 100,000 livres §, which they had meant to dcpofit in order to be appointed I>ire(5tors of the Weftern Company. To this M. Corneal! added, that although the intereft of the pireftors feemed rather apparent in this propofal, which they confidered as a juft one, yet the benefit of the Pro- prietors was no lefs interefted in it j becaufe when it ihould become neceffary, either from the death of fome one of them, or from the urgency and multi- tude of afi^airs annexed to the India Company, to re- place any q( the prefent Directors, or to increafe their number, as the fituation of the Direftors was to be perfcftly equal, it would be djfiicult to find, united in the fame perfons, fuflicient property to make up a fund of two millions *, which Ihould re- main a^ a depofit in the chefl, and, at the fame time, fufficient knowledge and ability to conduft the af- fairs committed to their care j by which both the-Ad- miniftrators and the Proprietors might fuffer con- fiderably. The Regent replied^— that although the funds ad- vanced by each of the Direftors, amounted at pre- fent to two millions of livres *, yet this was ai| event which they could not have expefted at the time of their acceding to the condition of leaving them in depofit j that thefe two millions had ftill only * foft them originally 100,000 livres f, whicji broughf ^35 I Ne^ twenty-one thoafand pounds. % Upwards of foar thoafand pounds. . /^ * Upwards of eighty-three thoufand po)i|i^s» t Upwardi.of fiMur thoofand potiti4tf If Zi. t;*'' i-: -">/ .»i ^1;* ;t) ir--!i 5,!2U i; "^r% tiicn^ ?34 APPENDIX. them at prefent a dividend of forty thoufand li-vres J, and that they could not therefore place their funds piore fecurely, nor to better advantage; that, be- fides, the Directors would difcrcdit the Company, if they infilled upon withdrawing a part of their flock from it, becaufc they could not turn it to a better ufe. ,.",.,. Matters, remained as they were upon this article, and tl;e affair of the Quincampoix Street was then brought upon the carpet. iT.:j.fti. * M. Corneau faid, in order to put a flop to the abufes and impofitions daily pradifed in nego- tiating fliares upon the fpot, that the Pireftors aflced of the Bank Royal to eflablifli a doubl<: ofHce, at the gate of which Ihguld be polled up, every day, the price of the fhares, at the (landard of the f^ock, according to which flandarc} the Bank on one fide would buy, and on the other would fell and deliver fubfcriptions to all phofe whp {hould prefent themfelves, :a - - The Regent required fome explanation upon this point from M. Law. His anfwer was not hear'4 by the Aflembly : but we may judge of it by that of the Regent to him j who replied in the following words : / underjiand j that is to fay, that a Jlock- hrokeVi who is commijjionnd by any individual to luy or fell fubfcriptions y hath i^ in his power , by the cpn- timal variation of their price, from one hour to ano- ther, to fay, that he has bought them at a dearer, or fold them at a cheaper rate, and may by this means convert this variation to his own benefit, to the pre- judice of the public, I therefore think the eftablifhment \ Bctweep ppe and tvyo thoufand pounds. jr§. %■* ^ !.♦ APPENDIX. ef an office ^ for buying and felling at the Bank, very m- affary to prevent thefe impofttions. It was afterwards refolved, that this office fliould be opened on the 25th of January; but the event has prevented the expedation of the public from being fulfilled. The Aflembly applauded with loud acclamations. It was thought that the article refpedling the DiredVoiS was completely fettled ; but M. Law put it again upon the board, and propofed to indemnify the Direftors by an increafe of their falaries j which were immediately fixed by the Regent at 30,000 llvres ^ each, inftead of 6,000 f, which they receiv- ed before. • •' ** ■ • . ^ *>• • M. Corneau fpoke again, to aflc, in the napie of the Directors, that they fliould be impowered, as well to do and regulate whatever they fliould think fit for the benefit and advantage of the Proprietors, as to increafe the number of Direflors, according to the exigency of affairs. The Secretary then brought the regift:er of the deliberations ; in which fome thing was written, which was fuppofed to be the' fettlement of the Directors falaries. The re- gifter was then prefented to the Regent, who fign- ed the deliberations, and rofe up j the whole Court followed him, and the regifter remained upon the l)oard, where all the Proprietprs were admitted tQ (i^nit. , ^ -V .^; ,:;u 2JI "■' ■• ' having fuccc^ely gpiur through the laweft employ, jnents, became Peputy- Farmer, after he had been 1 long time Dire^on ' The fon was Deputy-Farmer in his father's life-time : he fucceeded him, and was appointed Dircftor cf the India Company in 17 19; He was likewife one of the Managers which werd added to the Company about that time. He was one of thofc fingular men, whofe capacity cm- braced every objcdt. Tlie farms he ijnderftopd' in a fuperior degree, .and poflefyrd the/ tmoommon ta-^ knt of precifion. He was a raidmber of the Prench iVcademy, an honour to which £ew financiers afpire^ He boughit thcjnjarquifate of YiUefayin, which his childnen, dill .enjoy. He.was turned out of his plaod bccauff^ 5P«QOo llvres :|:,jn old and new ^ecie^'werd found at his houfe, nocwitl|ilanding the prdeii&:givcii out by a decree of Council, which forbad any pri- vate man fr#tn l|ef(^ng^ Sn'hritf hbulfe "above 500 livres §. He was betrayed- by one of hjs footmen^ % One thoufand two hundred and $fty poundi. ^ Twepty poundi, VU: U' Whpii\ APPENDIX. whom he had reprimanded with more fharpncft than ufual, one day, when he had the gout in a more violent degree than ordinary; of which he died at the age of 37 or 38 years, much regretted by his family. ^37 ,^*\U V: 11. : i... Beroeret was brother ro the wife of M. Paris, and wascallei^ la Montag e, being the fecond of four brothers, who bore the name of hi$ wife. He was appointed Far>ner General under the diredbioa of Charles Coidier, ii 17 21, 'n t;/'^ adminiflration of M. le II Pelletierdc la Hoid 'i)re. Comptroller Ge- neral of finances. He wa6 continued :ri the fucce^Ming leiaiib.of the farms by a mancsuvrc of the Duke dc Villeroy, who obtgiined an unguarde^ promife from Lardiiial Fleuri, for the appointment of a perfon whofe name he did not mention When he hear'd that it wa« for Bergeret, he was near falling into a fwoon, as every body who had been protected by the Duke of Bourbon, Prime Minifter * before him, or who had any conne6^ions with the brothers Paris, i!va> txlious dt- v'lt time. He could not howevd* go from histoid, having givep it in a manner that made it itlmofl impoffible for him to withdraw it. This Bergeret was a laborious man, of ^ (eriouft turn, of eafy^ manners, and very regular, renoiirkably upright, and ^eefi-am. pride. He had a large U^ II This Pelletier was not of the fame family as the Felldtier l>eIongiifg to the PafGattient. ; . ., , 3,,,^ ^ I • Dilgraced the 14th of June, I7«6. *:,^'-^t vjts^ } -"^ A\-X uiuy, i w iii rini i >il 1- 1 1 ■■'■'"*—' li!ij|lliitfi 233 A p p E N £) i S:. . . mily, which he brought up very well, and to xf^KicH he was very much attached, notwithftanding his haviftg been a widower for a long tinrie. ■*' ' n • Bergeret has been dead fome years, but his fon Is alive. He is Receiver General of finances, and celebrated for his tafte in the fine arts. .,1-1 . ' 'J- 'ill r IILr^ " w I, Brissard, a native of the tcWn of Meulan,- tvas Provoft in that little place, and would never have been promoted, if chance had not placed his bro- ther with Cardinal Fleuri, whofe Chaplain he was j he became afterwards his Steward. The Cardinal, from the firft year of his adminiftration, placed BrifTard's brother, the Provoft, in the under*leafes of the farms, and afterwards in the contraft for the fale of offices of the ports, and other places at Paris, from which he had a profit of two fous f, while his aflbciates had but one: he gained im- menfe fums by this, as well as by furnifliing bedding for the army hofpitals, and by the provifion-con- tra6t for the army in Italy, in 1733 J. He was af- terwards Farmer General. He had been obliged to give up the place of Provoft at Meulan, on be- ing fufpefted of having received money to fufFer a man to efcape, who had dcferved to be hanged. He was brutal, infolent, vain, and not very know- ing in bufinefs. He did not fpend much money at Paris, though he was very profufe at his eftate at tApenny. :^,.'-: ..^ ,,,.,: .• * -V^,. „ X With a perfon of the name of Marquet, formerly qorn-mcr- chant at Bourdeaux. fiarjac, valet-de-chambre to the Cardinal, WSU alfo a partner. Triel, A P F E N t) I >^. Triel, which he had acquired fince he was Farmer General. He died in 1753. His fon fucceeded him as Farmer General, and married the daughter of the Marquis de Thiard, of the French Academy. Brif- fard had bought, fome years before, the hotel d'Arme- nonville, rue Platriere j he found he had not room enough in it, and was juft going to lay out a hun- dred thoufand crowns § in embelliihments when he di«d. He had a large library, colleded by the Abbe Briflard, who had pilfered almoft all Cardinal Flcuri's books to complete it. i *- >- :^ •; •: - ^^ The fon has fince been ftruck off the lift of the Soixantesy by the Comptroller General Laverdy, on account of his infolent luxury, uiij, ir fiTiirtnJ^^ 't'lit"''' -V" ■ (■.,i.. -■-' IV. ■rzirj -m '-i ' BoNNEviE. This man began by the loweft^m-^ plbyments in finance, and, by dint of fupplenefs and cuhning, contrived to appropriate to himfelf an irtheritance that did not belong to him, and which afterwards facilitated to him the means of entering into the under-farms of the domains and other cuftoms, which he underftood very well. He was appointed Farmer General in 1721, under the Miniftry of M. le Pelletier de la Houflaye, and was continued in the following leafe in 1726. He was a laborious man, but ill-tempered, brui- tilh, and extremely feverc, particularly in his man- ners^ having no fore of politenefs. V v3iK '-.•;;',-> ^ Twelve thoufand five hundred pounds. iiVv' J . ■_;•,. V. BOURET. 43^ 1 ?■« 'Ml 1 mi mm 940 A P P E N P I X4 ' . m ftouRET. He was the fon of Bouret, wllcsr had been footman to M. Ferriol, Ambaffador at tht Porte, and had nnarricd Madame Ferriol's woman. This footman was the fon of a peafant, a native of Mants. He died Secretary to the King in the Grand College. He was concerned in feveral af- fairs, among others, in fubfifting the troops^ and in the conveying of the fait of the kingdom ; by which he gained confiderable fums. Bouret was jlppoint- ed Farmer General in the leafc of Nicholas Bef- bov«s. He married the daughter of Tellcz d'Aeofta, who was Contractor for provifions, under the pro- teftion of the Marquis of Breteuil, Minifter and Secretary for the War department. He had the charge of fupplying Provence with corn. It was in that critical employment that this good citizen conduced himfelf with Co much pru- dence, wi^o^, intelligence, and difintereftednefs, that, to perpetuate the memory of his good offices, a gold incdal Was ftruck by order of tlie King j st glorious teftimony to him and his family. The King granted him the reverfion of a Farmer Gene- jal*s place for M. Bouret dc Valroche, his fecond brother; wlio ceded it to the Sieur Bouret d'Herigny, his younger brother, on account of the marriage .the faid d'Herigny contrafted with Mademoifelle Poiflbn, fecond coufin to the Marchibnefs de Pom- padour : in confequence of which, the King grant- ed to Valroche the place of Receiver General of finances. .. ^. i. , / - - ^ v ^^'t This Appendix. This Bouret died in 1777; it was thought he poifoned himfelf. There are no more FarmerjS Ge- neral of that name. Ui ^.(i/.,/ VL Bragouse's family comes from Languedocj ho himfelf was born at Montpellier, and came to Paris with no other equipage than a cafe of razors; He began the world like raoft of his countrymen^ by being a barber's boy. Law's fyftem made him quit his fhop to go to the rue ^incampoix, where he made a very good . fortune in a fhort time. He married a waiher- wopian he was in love with, and foon after bought the place of Treafurer to the King's houfehold, for which he only paid half, not having a fufficienc Hock to pay more J which at lali proved his ruin; He had been in quiet poffefiion of this place for fome years, when a place of tarmer General be- came vacant, which he folicited, and obtained, by means of his friend Barjac, valet-de-chambre to Cardinal Fleuri. It Was univerfally believed, that they were to fhare the profits j but as Bragoufe had tio eftate to produce, and his place was hot entirely his bwnj he found a difficulty in advancing money when it was wanted ; nobody would lend him any^ but at an exoi-bitant intereft j fo that thefe fums in- creafing, and he riot being able to pay either capital or intereft, he was obliged to abfcond, and became! a bankrupt. Some time after, he loft a caufe againft the perfori of whom he had bought his place j he was condemned in cofts, and to pay the arrears in Vol. I. R money. ■i:a l42 APPENDIX. money, in default of which, the feller was imme- diately to have full pofleflion of and to enter upon the duties of his office, by paying to the faid Bra- goufe the amount of what he had received from him, and in the fame mode. By the intereft of Barjac, he was allowed a fourth fhare of the profits, from the perfon who fucceeded him as Farmer Ge- neral. ■■ VII. Camuset was a Notary at the Chatelet of Paris, fon to the favourite Commiflary of M. d'Argen- fon *. By fome fervices in his profelfion, he came to be employed by the late Dutchefs of Chateau- roux. She folicited for him the grant of the firft place of Farnner General, that Ihould become va- cant. He did not however obtain the firft, be- . caufe the Lady died too foon J. It was given to La Motte, uncle by the mother's fide to the Mar- chionefs de Pompadbur ; but the King not having forgotten him, he was appointed to the fecond, which was after the deceafe of Grimod - Dufort. Camufet died of the venereal difeafe, at Nantz, in 1753, where he was upon his circuit. vm. I *"■••• .. -. J . . . . Caze, originally of Languedoc, of a good family high in the fervice. He came to Paris for employ- ment, and was at firft Clerk in the office of Extra- • Lieutenant of Police, fince Comptroller General. t In 1744. affairs. ^ A P P E K D I X* affairs. As he had great connexions, he throtigh their intereft married a young lady from St. Cyr : in conlcquencc of this marriage, he rofe rapidly in the department of Extra-affairs, which at that time were very comprehenfive. He gained con- fiderable fums there, and afterwards got into the under farms of the Aids of the Domains. - He was appointed Farmer General in 1721, and was continued in the next leafe, as well as in the fucceeding ones. He is not proud, though he has an air of grandeur in his manners. His fon has got the furvivorfhip of his place, and does the bufinefs of it. He does not belong any more to the Soixante. 243 er General* Chambon, originally of Languedoc, of a very low extraiftion : it is even believed that he has been a footman. This, however, is certain, that from a petty Clerk in the office of a private Re- ceiver of the King's rents, and Comptroller of the Provincial decrees, be became Clerk of the general direftion of thefe fame rents at Montp^Uier, and gave fo many proofs of his capacity in that branch, that he was fent for to Paris, and in the /ear 1 7 1 9 was placed at the head of one of the offices for fettling the taxes, under the leafe of Pil- lavoine, afterwards, in 172 1, under the admini- flration of Charles Cordier. He was made Sub- Farmer in 1726, being concerned in feveral un- der farms by his marriage with the eldeft daughter R2 of 244 APPENDIX. of M. Beillon, Dire6lor of the lefs Excife of fair. ' He was appointed Farmer General in the room ofDefvieux. This family is no longer among the Soixante. X. Chevalier de Montigny, was fon to the former Chevalier, Farmer General, who was bro- ther to tHe great Chevalier^ the right hand of M. Colbert, Minifter of State. They come from Sedan, where the grandfather of this man was Bailiff. His mother was a Mademoifelle d'Augny, of a family belonging to the law, in the city of Metz J, of which family there have been two Prefidents a Mortier in the Parliament of that city. She was aunt to d'Augny, Farmer Gene- ral, father to the prefent Farmer General. This Montigny 's father was very rich, and very co- vetous : he faw only his own family. They owed all their fortune to the contracts for furnilhing the troops in the three bifliopricks with provi- fions, which they did for a confiderable time. The Montigny we are now fpeaking of, began by be- ing Receiver of the farms at Metz, and has made his way to the poll of Farmer General, which his father had. He is the moft unfeeling man in the farms. He is fo well known by his bre- thren, that they have intrufted him with the examining and palFing of all the bills of articles furnilhed for the fervice of the company. X The name of which is Eilienne. And APPEND! X. And indeed his greateft pleafure is the finding fomething to retrench, whether in the articles provided, or in the ellimates ; and, if it may be faid, to tlie praife of fome of his brethren, that they are fathers to the people employed, this man is their tyrant. 245 XI. Dance'. It is faid, that he had been a foot- man i others give him" a more exalted birth, and fay, that he was the fon of a cooper j that he afterwards was Clerk to M. d'Argenfon the fa- ther, then Lieutenant of the Police, fince Keeper of the Seals. His poiV coft him 200,000 livres *, which he gave to the perfon who procured it for him. He had married his daughter, who is fince dead, to the Marquis de Paulmy d'Argen- fon, then Ambaffador in Switzerland J. An ad- venture happened to him at the opera, which deferves to be mentioned here. One day, when he was at that theatre, M. de Berenger, Lieu- tenant Generalj and who had the blue riband, pafled clofe by him j Dange took him for one of his intimates, and gave him a flap on the face, a * Upwards of eight thoufand pounds. X Since Secretary of State for the War department, after the difgrace of hi^ yncle Count d'Argenfon, on the 4th of February 1757: he was afterwards removed from that poft, and fent AmbaiTador into Poland, from whence he returned in 1764. This Marquis de Paulniy's fecond wife, was the iUuighter of the FirH Freiident of Dijon. And n$ kin4 $4§ APPENDIX. kind of polite falutation very common among perfons of his ftamp ; but on perceiving his miftake, he threw himfelf at the Count's feet, and . implored pardon for his impudence. The Count, whofe bravery was well known, and who could not therefore refent fuch an accident, forgave him, recommending it to him, at the fame time, to be lefs familiar in future. Dange was very rich, and very avaricious, and was an infolent coxcomb. He was one of the moft zealous pro- tedtors of la Paris, with whom he ufed to go and relax from the great fatigues of his poft. ^ He died in an advanced age, and extremely ^^ • rich. A XII. i I'.f ■ H I Darlus was fon to a Merchant of the town of Angers, and relation to all the Darlus's, wine- merchants and woollen-drapers. He was Clerk under GofTcau, Farmer General ; his abilities and extraordinary accuracy, raifed him to the higheft places, which he has always filled with great credit. After having been Under Farmer of the fubfidies, he was put at the head of the Office of Accounts for export and import duties, at the Hotel of the Farms, under the infpeftion of Charles Cordier. He was afterwards appointed Farmer General in the leafe of 1726. Upon the ^-eputation he had of being the ableft man in th6 line of finance, ^nd upon the charafter given ^im by M. de la Porte, Accountant Gene-- fal pf the farfTtS* M? le Pelleticr Desforts, in Ipol^ing A P, P E N P I X, looking over the lift, of the Farmers General^ in- ferted the name of M. Darius, among the ten places that were to be given away, though he only knew him by reputation. Darius was a very honeft man, very fweet tempered, complete- ly polite, and very charitable. He left two daughters, who are married, the one to Thi-' roux, and the other to M. Daleray, a Lawyer.' '" XIII. De Beaufort was of a family of fome rank, but was not viery rich. H^e had been employed very young, and had fucceeded tolerably well; fo that, after having been Direftor of Extra- afFairs, in the time of the late King, he had a Ihare in a number of contracfts, while Pyl. ae Chamillart was Minifter, by which he was a confiderable gainer, tie was afterwards Under Farmer of the Aids, appointed Farmer General in 1721, and continued in the leafe of 1726. He married his daughter to M. fibulongne *, Firff Clerk, and now Intendant of finances. This Beaufort was an able man in many refpcfts, very honeft, but extremely parfimonious. 247 'i'::xM^ XIV. De Beaumont was for a long time in a low rank in the Farms General, where, after having * Son to Lewis Boulongne, who was ^^rfl painter to the King. The poft of Firft defk of fihiriccs, had beeh odca;pied by old Couturier, whofe Clerk Boulongne had be^n, '"'■''' ^ R 4 ' '• filled i U^ APPENDIX filled fcveral of the firft employments, he wajj for his capacity advanced to the poft of Diredtor General of the tarms in the department of Anriir ens. He was appointed Farmer General under M. Orry *, Comptroller General in 1730. He is of a creditable tradefman's family, a tolerable honeft inan, and very laborious. ■ r XV. • De Guisy, defcended from a family of An- dely, in Normandy i hinnfelf fon of a furgeon of that place. He married a niece of la Haye, Farmer General, who was his patron. He was afterwards travelling Clerk of the fubfidies at Corbcil, then Circuit Comptroller, and afterwards for a long while piredVor, Under Farmer, and at laft Farmer General -, a place which he obtained by his capacity. He has a very handfome country- houfe at Clamart under Meudon. -:■ ■ ■ XVI. - • ' •••• ' • ■■■ '^'»*-' De Delay de la Garde, a native of Paris, and fon to Delay, Clerk in the Secretary's office at the Hotel of the Farms. This man, the elder la Garde, was of Swifs extraction by his father, who was Swifs porter to the Cardinal de Bonzi, died in that poft, and left his widow unprovided |br. The fon^ for a beginning was placed as a fu- pernumerary Clerk in the office of M. de TEpir? . 9 Succeflbr to M. Desforts. ! J 'V»vJ |ieaD| APPENDIX. ) ticau, whom he had ferved as butler, while he was one of the principal Clerks of M. Defmarcts, Comptroller General of finances in the department of the annuities of the Hotel de Ville at Paris. It was in that family that M. de la Garde got ad- vanced by his afllduity in bufinefs. He made a confiderable fortune by feveral changes that hap- pened in that department, by new eitablilhments, and changes of the Accountants, Comptrollers, and Syndics, having always been employed in col- lefting the payments for thofe offices. Good for- tune and opportunities, more than his capacity, which is but moderate, raifed him by degrees to the office of Paymafter of the annuities. He found means to obtain an employment of the fame kind for Rouflel, his father-in-law, who was a falefman in the markets, and whofe daughter had brought him a portion of 150,000 livres *. t He afterwards got himfelf appointed King*s Secretary in the Grand College, of which he is at prefent Syndii. He was named one of the Farmers General towards the end of Charles Cordier's leafe, at the recommendation of the Duke du Maine, whofe rents were in his department. It coft him 1 20,000 livres f for obtaining this place, after the death of Salins. ■ -t -/-■ '- He is a little man, of a pleafing countenance, fond of his perfon, polite to the greateft degree jpf affedtation, but obftinate beyond example, and 44^ * A little above fix thoufand pounds (terling. f Fiye jthouiand pounds iterling, paid to the Duchefs dii fortunatf / a^o ;1 MJ M il'! K a IL ,:.|v APPENDIX. fortunate enough, wichout defcrving to be To. He does not in the lead iinderlland the finances of the farms j in other rcfpedls, he is troublefome and fufpicious. He would perhaps be more generous, were it not for his wife, who carries her ceconomy even to fordidnefs. He has two fons, one of which is already admitted Paymaller of annuities, and ha^ the furvivorlhip of the poft of Farmer General, by his m^irriagc with MademQifelJe de Ligne- ville *w The other is Counfellor in the Qrand Council, Mafter of Requefts, and Con:imander of the order of Saint Lazare, This laft is very, amiable, and as generous as his brother is par- fimonious. His father obtained an order fronts the King to fend him to La Flecbe, where he remained but Hx months, on account of an attachment, more fpiritual than corporal, which he was difpofed to contraft with Mademoifelle de Saint Phalier. It coft M. de la Garde, the father, 60,000 livres H, to buy off the claims of that Lady upon his fon's heart : he was firft married to Mademoifelle Du- val, a very defcrving Lady, and very well edu- cated. Mademoifelle Duval, daughter to M. Duval de r£pinoy> died without leaving any children, and M. de la Garde was afterwards married to Ma- demoifelle Fenelon, daughter to the Marquis de Fenelon, who has been Ambaffador in Holland* * Of the Hottfe of LignevUleIn Lorraine* ;. . 1) Twp thoufand five l^uijdr^d pouijids. -^; ;- c The 4 APPENDIX. ; The pidture we give here of the younger La Garde is a true one, and forms an abfolute con- trail with that of the eldell; who has infpired his wife with the fpirit of avarice that governs him, and is clearhy fccn through his afFedted haughti- nefs and magnificence. Their father died on the loth of Oftober 1754. He had good quali:ies, which caufed him to be re- gretted i he was very pious, and extremely cha- ritable. He was obliged to conceal from his wife the exertions of his benevolence, which were, not always made with a good grace. His family, and that of his wife, are very poor, and very nu- merous i and he has infured a decent livelihood, to them all, by his will, which is too long by three fourths. In it he makes a tedious difcourfe upon the libcrtinifm of his children, with childilh di- gredlons, agreeable to the chara(5ter generallly at- tributed to him, and which is a true one, ' XVII. De la Borde, of a very good family of mer- chants at Bourdeaux, originally from Languedoc, He himfelf was deputed by that town to the Council of Commerce, before he was Farmer General. He is one of the ableft financiers be- longing to the Company, particularly in the coni-j mercial branch. He is a very honeft man. He is dead. XVIII. Gaillard de la Bouexiere, a man of mean f xtradtion, who had beei^ footman, and afterwards valet asi •iiiiiiii iiHi I" I IT iiiiriiiiiwMrifMMi 4 252 % 1 H n APPENDIX. valei de chambre to a Nobleman j who got him an employment as a reward for his lervices. His firft bufinefs was in the Domains, where he applied fo clofely, that he became a very able man in a very Ihort time. He was Direftor in that branch in feveral pro- vinces, and Farmer General under the dire6tion of Charles Cordier, in 1721. Duriijg the courfc of that leafe, he made a new book of rates, of the duties of ComptroU of the records of Notaries, with inftrudlions to diftinguifh the nature of each record j a very ufeful work to all Receivers and Comptrollers of thofe duties, and for which a gra- tification of ioo,coo livres * was given him. tic was kept in his place in the leafe of 1726, and in thofe which followed. He was a very laborious man, talked little, and was exceedingly harfh. His fon had the fui-vivor- fhip, though very ignorant, and one of the moft morofe men in the world. He affeds to be a man of virtu. La Bouexiere has refigned his place to his fon, and is retired to Gagny, where he lives like a Prince. His fon is unmarried ; he hac built an enormous palace at the foot of Mont-martre. The building is without any tafte, and ill-diftributed j the fur- niture immenfely rich ; there are 25,000 livres -|- worth of girandoles, and 60,000 livres || of look- jng-glafTes. It only confifts of fix rooms. This • A little above four thoufand pounds flerling. f About one thoufand forty-one pounds flerling. il Two thoufand five hundred poundst -i Louyrp A^ P P E N D I X. Louvre dwindles into the little apartment of a batchelor. He has a brother (M. de Gagny) Receiver General of finances, who is a very amiable man, and lives with him. De la Bouexiere is dead. 453 XIX. De la Gombaude, has been employed for a long while in the private tobacco farms, of which he was become Diredlor General, when that farm was given up to the India Company. At lafl:, fome time after the farm of tobacco was reunited to the general farms, he was appointed to a Far- mer General's place, which was juft vacant j but he did not keep it long, death having carried him off too foon. He left but a fmall fortune to his heirs, that place having coft him very dear. He was a very honeft man, laborious, and very cha- ritable. XX. De la Have, born at Paris, and originally from La Roche-guyon. His father was fen to a farmer of M. de la Roche-guyon. Through this Nobleman's procefbion, he was admitted in the under farms of Aids, where he began the for- tune which his fon has fince increafed fo much. This lad ferved an apprenticefhip in the Aids at Corbcil, and at Melun, where his father fent him AS wmmmmmm 3^4 APPENDIX. as Receiver, under the direftion of M. Chaumat, who was one of his creatures. As he was fond of plcafure, he did not think it neceflary to apply himfelf to his profeffion, which did not pleafe him much in the beginning. He frequented the beft company in the place, gave balls to the ladies, and, in a word, indulged himfelf in all kinds of pleafuresj fo that at the end of feven or eight months he was no better ac- quainted with his bufinefs than at firfl. His father, wanting to be informed of his fon's progrefs fmce he had fenc him away, wrote for that purpofe to the Direflor. M. Chaumat owned to him, that he had only minded his pleafures. He was or- dered to return to Paris, and the flrong ledures which he received probably had their effect ; for at his return to Melun, he attached himfelf fo • much to his bufinefs, that, at the end of eighteen months, or two years, he was able to direft a Court of Gl' )fidies, with the afliftance of M. Chaumat. His father, who wanted to employ him, not hav- ing then any Direction vacant, and not choofing to fufFer him to cool about bufinefs, induced the Company to confent that he fliould be deputed to dire6t the Court of Subfidies of Melun, inftead of M. Chaumat, who was appointed to that which was quitted by yoling De la Playe. Many perfons will not look upon this as a handfome proceeding. In fadl, M. Chaumat re- mained in this fituation for feveral years j but he loft nothing by it; for on the one hand La Haye, the father, procured him fucceflively the direction of f.f APPENDIX. of Montdidier and Amiens, which a^e cOnfider- able employments ; On the other, M. De la Haye, the fon, made him amends for the mortification he occafioned him, and has been the means of his acquiring a confiderable fortune. M. De la Haye has been for a long while Under Farmer, and was appointed Farmer General in the leafe of Armarid Lambert, in 17 18. Fie is in the fame fituation at prefcnt, and is one of the ableft men in the de- partment of the Aids. He is very harfh, and ex- ceedingly referved ; firm in his opinions, not Very obliging, and afFedls devotion. He has no Chil- dren, and is immenfely rich. He has two brothers, and feveral nephews and nieces, whom he takes care of. He died in 1753. He had bought of Dupin, Farmer General, the fuperb hotel Lambert, fitu- ated on the point of the ifland St. Louis, which he has prodigioufly enlarged. The catalogue of his library, drawn up by Martin, is printed in odavo. ^55 :!^^ XXI. Dejean. His father was Under Farmer of the Aids and Domains, in different generalities. He is defcended from a very good family at Berry. He was Under Farm.er for a long wh'"e, jointly with his father. He was appointed Farmer Gene- ral in 172 1, and was one of the ten that were dif- mifTed. He is a very fenfible, polite man, but fonder of pleafure t ^.^^5 ■};)■• \r APPENDIX. pleafure than of bufinefs, without, however, hurt- ing his affairs. He is at prefent one of the Far- mers of the V powder and faltpetre magazines. He is a nnan of great neatnefs, and of wonderful magnificence in every thing. He has tafte and de- licacy. He has a brother in the fervice, who was a Colonel in the reign of the late King. 'I vt ir,« De la Motte, formerly Cafhier and Receiver of the Farms. After having filled feveral other confiderable employments, he has been engaged in feveral undertakings. He is uncle by the mother's fide to the Marchionefs of Pompadour, at whofe recommendation he was made Farmer General. He is a good man, and friend to La Berthelin of the Opera. .This Berthelin is not an ad^refs, fhe is a girl of merity fifter to Berthelin called Neuville, Trea\ furer of the Opera, forrherly candle-fnufi^er. i^}^^^ fi •.».nU ■■:■ r.,,:i r.i . Ilk •*» 1 ; I. ... " .fi •**( De la Forte, the elder, fon to La Porte, like- wife Farmer General; a man of a great deal of knowledge. The La Porte in queftion was a great Courtier, and very capable of being at the head of the finances. He was a long time Ac- compcant General of the farms, in quality of Dean of the Company i of which employment he acquitted himfelf with great credit till 'his death. He ■A A P P E N D I X. He ufed to make great promifes, but did not al- ways keep his word ; which was fometimes occa- fioned by the interrerence of certain powers, who carry off the moft capital employments. In other refpefts he was polite, much beloved, and fond of doing fervice. He was very magnificent, and kept one of the beft tables in Paris. He had been married to the daughter of Soubeyran, King's Secretary at the Grand College, Keeper of the Mortgages, and Manager of the Hofpital of Paris i who left 70,000 livres * a year to the In- tendant of Dauphiny, fon to M. la Porte, of whom we are fpeaking. Though he was a widower very early^ he did not marry again, on account of his fon, to whom he gave an excellent education. He ought to have left a confiderable fortune, but hr died poor. as7 xxiy. -^ t)E LA Porte de Serancourt, was fon to De ia Porte de Serancourt, an antient Farmer General, and nephew to De la Porte, alfo Farmer General, who was made Keeper of the Accounts of the Farms, to aft in concert with the Comptroller General, as Chief of the Company. He was likewife brother to La Porte de Montel, Steward of the King's Houfehold. He was by no means fo able a man as his elder brother; but, on the other hand, he was amiable in fociety, and faw a * Near three thoufand pdunds flerling. Vol. L S great \m 'f1" ii'^' 458 A P P E N D 1 X. great deal of company. He was rather too fond of the table, and good living : accordingly he died in the middle of an entertainment, of an apopleftic ftroke, which carried him off, without giving him time to fpeak a word. ^i- ,:.' K'.u ■ 'jO'i; ■s/f; '!: XXV. .1 • ': V -> 1 .v*-- .^ I 'J w^ 1>E LA PoRTE DuPLESSis was appointed Farmet General after the death of N ,. de Serancourt j but though he bore the fame name, he was no relation of the two De la Ports we have been fpeaking of. He had been Dire(5bor General of the farm? at Lifle, before he was Farmer General, and had exercifed feveral other employnvents, in which he had always given proofs of his capacity. He was One of the ableft financiers in the five large farms. He was not proud — kept a good table — ^was very polite, and always faw good company. XXVI. ife R -^SY, nephew by his wife to the brothers i*aris. He was nar)-d Farnner General in the de- partment of Charles Cordier, in 1721, unr^crthe adminiftration of I.L Feilctier de la HouiTaye, Comptroller General" of Finances. He was dif- niflcd from this place in 1726, becaufe he was related to the Paris, and prote6^cd by the Dnkc of Bourbon ; whichy at that time, was a crime. He A I* P fe K D i X. He was a plain man, of whom one can fay neither good nor harm. ,-:^-J .. "^ ■ ■■ XXVII. ■ - -■:'■:'. De Salins, of a tolerable good family, origi- nally of Burgundy. Employed from his earlieft youth in the Farms Generalj he began by being Comptroller of Foreign Duties; and was after- "wardsj fucceflively, Receiver, Comptroller, arid Diredor of Farms, for a confiderable time. He ^as ta'cen from thence to be Farmer of the dif- tridl of Charles Cordier, in ijiii under the ad- miniftration of M. Pelletier de la Houflaye. He "Was continued in the leafe o^ 1726 j towards the end of which he died a batchelor. He left a confiderable fortune to forrie nephews and nieces. He was the ableft man in the farmsj and a living regifter of all the regulations made fince their eftablifhment, to his time. He was an honeft man — difpofed to be ferviceable — refpedled by his brethren — had no pride — and would never have any other equipagd than a fedan chair. De La Garde fucceeded him as Farmer General, j ..,JV A<. ■ 1f^ k-»..J ^ .*- XXVITI. De Saint Vallery was in pofleffion of capital employments before he was Farmer General, in the department of Charles Cordier, in 17 21. He Jikewife was turned out in 1726, becaufe heVas protected by the Duke of jjourbon. He was not s 2 a 259" i ■ 26o APPENDIX. a laborious man, nor fit for the detail of the farms $ he was haughty and mean, of a tradefman's family. It is of him that Greflet faid, in his Mecbani, Ce font les Veterans de la fatuitc *. "' <>y\ 'M XXIX. ^ Desvieux was fon to a Lawyer of the Council at Paris. He had been one himfelf before he belong- ed to the Under Farms, where he remained a long time. He was appointed Farmer General in 17 2 f, and was continued by M. le Pelletier Desforts in 1726. He remained there 'till his death, which happened in a manner rather uncommon to people of that profefTion ; for he died of grief, though he was worth at leaft three millions-]-^: the faft is this I »'«k' ^ij''^ (!^« • . / •• vf • "V' .< H- -.. V-i.,-"-. ■.-' J -^-ii ..■,'*«'*■ . . There happened to be a place vacated in his department, which he filled up, notwithftanding the application that had been made to him for it by M. de Fagon, Intendant of Finances, fon to the Firft Phyfician. Every body was acquainted with this Fagon, and with his haughtinefs. He was piqued at this behaviour in Defvieux, who was na- turally vain and prefumptuous beyond example. Defvieux, unable either to excufe himfelf, or to an- fwer in the manner he wiflied the reproaches ofM. Fagon, as foon as he got home, took to his bed, and died in three days. He left a fon^ prefident of the * Thefe are your veteran coxcombs, t One hundred and twenty-five thoufand pounds. '"' ' Court ■LZ . u APPENDIX. Court of Requefts of the Parliament ; and feveral daughters, who were well married, one of them to M. Joly de Fleuri, Attorney General of the Par- liament. !2$J XXX. Duche' was appointed Farmer General in the diftridl of Charles Cordier, in 1721, under the admin iftration of M. le Pelletier de la HoufTave. He was of a noble family in the law, originally of Montpcllier. His ancellors were Attornies General for the Court of Aids of that town. Some of them are ftill in pofleffion of that place. He had been in the army. After he had quitted it, he was appointed Farmer General, by the intereft he had with the Regent. He was difmifled in 1726 : and died without being able to do any thing for his family. He has had many nephews, who were killed in the army; was a very honeft man, and very fond of the fex, in iheir ten- derer years, Roufleau addreiTed fome of his piecej to him. . . lantry ftill fariherj the Lady being recovered by his good care, and withoiit his having fufFered her to be at any kind of expence, he undertook to recon- duct her to Paris, to be at hand to give her aflift- ance in cafe of a relapfe on the road. As foon as Ihc arrived, fhc engaged Dupin to vifit her mother, that he might receive her thanks. Madame Fon- taine, as well as her daughter, thought this beha- viour To uncommon, that fhc was inceHantly be-r Rowing enconiiums upon it ; fo that the famous Bernard was determined to fee Dupin. He found that his underflanding anfweredtp his appearance, and was very delirous of returning his obligations to him. He inquired exadly about his fituation* Dupin told him he was a widower *, and Bernard offered him in marriage the fccond daughter of Madanie Fontaine, with the two polls of Receiver General of the Finances of the three bilhoprics. The Lady was young and handlbme, andthe pro^ pofals were accepted. Dupin by his marriage fixed his abode at Paris. Some time afterwards the Farms General were advertifed — Bernard, by his credit, obtained of the Minifter, M. le Pelletier Desforts, one of the ten places for Dupin, who was made Farmer General the ift of O^ober 17*6; he advanced him all the capital he wanted. -ahM * He had a (on by this firft marriage. He procured him a place of Secretary of the King's cabinet, and of Receiver Genic- xal of Finances. He is called Dnpin de Francerail. ' ,'rixrx ' . ' "^ - TwQ APPENDIX. Two or three years afterwards, Madame Dupin was at her mothers -houfe at Pafly, who being a little indifpofed, wanted fomething which was locked up in her clofet : her woman not being at hand, ftie told her daughter to fetch it for her j Madame Dupin, fearching for what her mother wanted, perceived, in a filver waterings- pot, a paper, which (he unfolded ; ihe found that it was her hufband's acknowledgment to M. Bernard for 500,000 livres *, that he had advanced him for his place. Inftead of tearing the note, (he fwallowed it, for fear of any traces of it being found. It was not 'till fome time after that her mother found it out — recolleding that no one except hen daughtcfi had looked into her clofet, (he readily conjeftured that no other perfon could have taken away a paper^ which was of no ufe but to her or Ber- nard. This event has been known but by few people^ ;ind produced a quarrel, for many years, between Dupin 4nd his wife, and Bernard^ who refused to fee either of them ; but, as the hufband was not (Concerned in it, he forgave them, and made thena a prefenp of the fum. Madame Dupin had a (ider (alfo a natural daughter of Samuel Bernard and la Fontaine) who was married to la Touche, Secretary to the King i whom fhc forfook in 1737, to follow a gallant into England, from whence (he returned^ a few years after the death of her hufband. 165 ■^tazH (ivo^i^'i (O uiii; •.-*; i\ , f Ifear twenty-one thouCind pounds. OWl xxxiy. t66 it' u: APPENDIX. XXXIV. ' DuRAND DE Mezy, bom of a very good family, but not very rich. Though he had had a good education, he was in his youth fcrvant to M. Col- bert, Archbi(hop of Rouen, fon to the Minifter. One day (it is not very well known for what rcafon) this Prelate being angry, forgot himfclf fo much> as to give him a Hap on the face. Durand made the Prelate fenfible that he was not born to put up with fuch treatment, and immediately demanded his difmiflion. The Archbilhop, feeing him more affefted than perfons in his fituation feem intitled to be, repented of his vivacity, and was dclirous of knowing who he was : when he was informed, he ordered him to be cloathed according to his birth, gave him a fum of money, and a letter of re- commendation to M, Colbert. The Minifter having queftioned him, and finding he had all the talents requifite for a good financier, placed him in his offices, and in feveral others fucceffively, where he acquired a confiderable fortune. He was made Farmer General in the difl^rift of Charles Cordier, in 17^1, under M. Ic Pelletier de laHpuf- faye, and was turned out in the leafe of Peter 'Carlicr, in 1726, beaaufe he wasprotefted by the • puke of Bourbon : he was the moft able a^4 moft noted man of the farms» ' 'a ^^ *w i.Jtf •'. ,' •f*«*:rL::v^^*^.'!1^jii fmH»v^^,g*^ ^ XXXV. 14 T APPENDIX. ft^ XXXV, DuREY D*Arnoncourt, of a good family cf Phyficians, of Beaune, fon to a Receiver General of Finances, in the county of Burgundy, whole two places he is in pofleflion of. His ap- pointment to the Farms General is the confe- quence of his marriage with the daughter of M. Berthier de Souvigny, Intendant of Paris, nephew to M. Orry, Comptroller General. He is very little verfed in the finances of the farms, which he jdoes not even underftand in the leaft, and conlc- quently he does not trouble himfelf about the bufinefs, being moreover fufficiently engaged with his miltrefles, to whom he gives up all his time, ^nd very little money. His gallantries do not prevent him from being fparing in his domeftic poncerns, even to avarice. He is incapable of jdoing any good, except to a few mean flatterers, who encourage him in his two favourite pafHons, his avarice and his tafte for women. He fcarcc fees any perfons, but fuch who are attrafte^ by his table J which, however, is very moderate. He aflfcfts to t^e a man of wit, quoting upon every pccafion poetry, and fcraps of Latin j but he is merely an extravagant fellow. It has coft him more than 1 00,000 livres* to be continued in the Icafe of 1740. He is brother to Purey de Sauroy, formerly Paymailer General of the army in time of .': f BoCwecn (bur and five thoiif«nfl pottiids. war H;; 8'v! i a68 APPENDIX. war — of the Prefident Durey — and of Durey dc Noinville, Mafter of Rcquefts. He is immenfely rich, having a revenue of four hundred thoufand livres * yearly. He has only one fon, who has been obliged to quit his country on account of debts, which it is Ihameful in his father not to pay, and which are not very con- fiderable. He rather choofes to fee him lead a vagabond life, lofe the prime of his youth, and render himfelf unfit for any thing, than to make the lead exertion in his favour. His wife is re- tired to Morfan, where fhe lives at a diftance from him, fooner than be witnefs to a diforderiy life, v/hich he punifhes fo fevercly in his fon, after he has f^t him the example of it. . ^„, . ,, i „ De Vaucel, originally from Evreux, fon to a wholefale woollen-draper. He had gone through feveral employments, before he attained that of Farmer General. He was appointed to that poft in the leafe of Cordier, in 172 1, by the intereft of M* Tachercau de Baudry, Counfcllor of State, ' who obtained it for him of Mole, Comptroller^ General. He was continued in the leafe of 1726. :; He was a man of rather ilender abilities, plain ia^ his manners, rather dole, and who never went be*'^ yond his powers. M. le Pelletier Desforts pro* t tedled him more than any of hi^ colleagues. ,i ^ f Between nineteen and twenty thoufand poands« Ife xxxvn APPENDIX. 359 XXXVII. ^. I Al w>->«« 4 Stephen d*Augny, originally of the town of Metz, of a family in the law, in which there have been two Prefidents a Mortier in the Parliament of the fame city. He had a brother and two relations very high in the King's fervice. As for himfelf, although he was of a moderate capacity, he has always been in the firft employ- ments, where his affiduity and patronage fupplied the place of talents. After having been Under Farmer of the Aids and Domains, he was made Chief of the Office, in the excife for fait, of the farms, in 1779. He was appointed Farmer Gene- ral in 1721, to the prejudice of Durand,his brother- in-law, who had much more capacity} which oc- cafioned a great jealoufy among his brethren. D'Augny, howevel:, was the bed man in the world, and the moft humane. His birth, and tHe good education he had received, prevented hfrn from becoming a coxcomb. He was a very fober man, without paffions for either women or wine j but he was a great eater. In his life-time his foti had the furvivorihip of the farms given to him, the duties of which he filled with his father. He is Aiil Farmer General, but much unlike his father, (isice ne is very fond of women, and has a miftrefs who is vcrycxpenfive : this is la Gogo, who Ihone formerly upon the theatre of the Opera Comjque, and who at prefcnt belongs to the Comedie Fran- {eife. ■' ^'-^"v •'^''' ■•, ■ -'■.,.' 'V ,. ■/ tic was 970 AP!»ENDiX. He has a magnificent hotel at la Grange Batt' -* > "^ri ' '-^ ^^n^ V ,.;::., .... ,;• XXXIX. ■• • -' *'^ ■'^•••- • Fontaine, has been concerned in fupplying the invalids, and other contrads, and was afterwards Farmer General, at the recommendation of M. >. Portfcil, Firft Prefident of the Parliament of Paris, towards the end oftheleafe of Peter Carlier. This " place was given to him in favour of the marriage i of M. Portail the fon, Prefident a Mortier, witW the grand-daughter of this Fontaine j ysrhoft mother was daughter of a man called le Riche, who had gained an immenfe fortune in different affairs^ and on board of fhip. His fon has had : the flirvivorfhip of his place. This Farmer h x V very honed, lincere mas, but he does not dicker ^ take any great pains' in his fituation, nor i& he i ikill^d in the affairs of the farms, - iu^ -.^. ,..• «7t I J 1 ' • ■' -^ '■: <■■ .■ ' •■; • .- ■ •- .; *'. , ' , ' --"T • : r >QiRARD did not poflefs any conllderable efflh ployments before he was made Ovcrfeer of the Caflroms, eftablifhed in 1722, under the narne of Marun Girard. He .was appointed Farmer Gene- ral by the Duke of Bourbon, Prinnte Minifter, His brother was Secretary of the Commanderies of that Prince^ and of the States of the Province of Bur- gundy. He was turned out under M. Ic Pelkticf Dcsforts, in 1726, on account of the protedion of the ^^^ APPENDIX. the Duke of Bourbon, odfoiis to Cardinal Fletiri, who had juft lupplanted this Prime Minillei, the nth of June 1726. lie was a very mild and plain man. . f.-^ n XLI. • ■'. i'n . Grimod D£ la R£yni£RE was born at Paris. His father was Farmer Genera^ and originally of Lyons, of a tradefman's family. He entered into office very young, where he learnt the bufinefs of the farms. He was appointed Farmer General in the leafe of Charles Cordicr, in 172 1, and; con- tinued in all the fubfequent leafes. He under- Aands the buHnefs of the farms very well ; but his violence is fo exccflive, that it fometimes degene- rates ':iiu;i(>. -brutality, efpecially when he has the gout^ whiclji happens very, pften. He is alfp Farmer! G^efal of the Pofts. He is very riph, and ,h^^ 9- wife who is impertinent to a degree. One day, at a fermon in the church of Saint Andre, des Arts and having only two or three chairs for her ufe, fhe faid, very loud) fhe wifhed that a louis was paid fpr every chair. An old officer, who was behind fiery faid, " You are in the right, my good " dftAie, for yoii fcem to have more money than '' unddrllanding." She was followed to her coach by all the people, repeating this affront; which has not correfted her. This Grimod de la Reyniere married his daughter to M. de Malefherbes, fon of the Prefident de Lamoignon Blancmenil^ iince Chancellor of France. .^^^, v,^ ; V^.^.m'* •Mfc APPENDIX, «73 ,^i U XLII. *■ f GriMod DiTFORT, brothcf to Grimod dc h llcynicre, was alfo employed very young in the Hnancesi where he remained a long while. He ac- quired there fome knowledge i was appointed Farmer General in 172 1| and continued in the enfuing leafes. He was at the head of the farms of the pods, was very obliging, very noble in his manners, and very rich. His fecond wife was a Mademoifelle de Collincourt, of a good family of Picardy, who was with child of a boy at his death. She was a relation of M. d'Argenfon. This Du- fort followed the King in his laft campaign, as Intendant of the Polls. He had bought the hotel de Chamillart, buUcin a fumptuous manner by the Comptroller General of that name, and Dufort,not finding it conventeoc enough, fpent about aob,ooo livrcs * in embel- liihing it. .««. <..f with his brothers j with regard to every body elfe> he is haughty, fcverc, and felfifli. One of hi» daughters is married to M. De Coffe de Briflac. This family afFefts devotioii. " / '-'• • V ^ UJ XLVII. i »■ Haudry. This is one of thofe phaenomena of fortune which happen very feldom. His fathei was a poor baker at Coibsil, burthened with a large f^ily. He placed his fon with Brentin^ Direftor of the Aids at Corbeil. By his good fortune, M. Br^ntin,. perceiving that he was an itb- -eelfig^nt young man^ had him taught the bufmefs of the Aids> bfy the Clerks of the Cellars of Cor- betl. He afterwards made him his Reeeiretf from which poft he was created travelling Clerk* and then travelling CommifTary of the Aidis. Hfe^ 'was taken fnom thence in 17 15, to be directing -Manager of the faid Aids. He w^ in the under vfarhis and domains of the Aids ifl 1726^ and Farmer General under M. Orry.^ He is the m<^ . ., ■ • '-^^-^ -^ i^ aidricru^j^ii^ * Two thonfimd fire hvndied poands.. :A\/ .J H fc4«J ) '' 4- laborious APPENDIX. laborious man in the farms. His brother is dill a baker, facing Fort-i'Eveque, at Paris. .^i.^-^** XLVIIL iinj «'■ .rr r '^ I j_; i.<' iS)' JoLY, originally from Paris, and fon of M. Joly, Intendant of the late Princefs of Conti» na- tural daughter to Lewis XIV. was appointed Farmer General in 1726. He was already worth ieyenty thoufand livres J a year, when he obtained that poll. He was a very ordinary man, but had a great foul, was very generous and magnificent in every thing. 'sJ .' XLIX. La Live de Bellegarde has, in a manncx* been educated and bred up in the employments of the Farms GeneraL He worked in them when he was very young, and diftinguiihed himfelf iniuch a manner, by his underfttnding, that he becanoe bireftor General, and was appointed Farmer Ge- neral in 17 21, and continued in the following kafes. . He is one of the Secretaries to the King in the Grand College j he is exceedingly devout, very charitable, and a very honeft man ; and is very well verfed in the bufmefs of the five greater farms. De la Live d'Epinay, his eldeft fon^has got the furvivorfhip of his place. } Near ihret thoufud poondi. T3 L. VAiLL* 377 ill ■ lltJ! tm ITS APPENDIX. •■ r -•« >t ».-». ^■ >' ;■ <'! .k. L. L'Allemant de Betz was born at Paris, fon to an antient Farmer General, in the laft reign, "When he was very young, his father fent him into the provinces, where he made himfelf fit for employment. He was for a. long time Comp- troller General of the farms, and had the furvi- vorfhip of his father's place. He contrived to obtain from Cardinal Fleuri a fecond poft of Farmer General, for I'Allemant de Nantouille his brother. He carried this againft the King, the Queen, the King of Spain, and the Duke de la Tremouille, by giving Cardinal Fleuri two hun- dred thoufand livres -f ready money, to be laid out (as it was faid) in pious works ; a deftination V(sry equivocal, but which is of nO confequence to hif- tory. After the death of M, de la Porte, the pa- tronage of the farms was given to TAllemant de Betz, who was at the head of the Company. He had folicited ftrongly this place, and obtained it, to the exclufion of Normant le Tournehern, who cared very little about it, and who preferred his eafe to the continual buftle which was required in that place, in which one can do very little good, and difoblige many. He had the mortification to have this patronage taken from him, for hav- ing (as it was faid) cheated M. Machault, Comp- troller General cf Finances, by giving him falfe M f Upwards of eight thoafand poonds^- jm eftimates APPENDIX. cftimates of the produce of the farms. The pa- tronage was given to Rouflel, who had revealed to the Minifter* the fecret of the farms. iV .;nu'-^ M-f>IT- 1 ;• ) LL L'Allemant de Nantouillet is brother to TAllemant de Betz, as we have juft now obferved. This is a haughty, giddy, and obftinate man, in- toxicated with his good fortune, and frequently blundering in the affairs, which he fcarcely under- ftands ; befides this, he afFefls to be a devotee. Thefe two TAllemants have had a brother Bifhop of Seez, and another (I'Allemant de Levig- nan) Intendant of Alen§on fince the year 1726, Llh ■r'; I ■1; ;nro frier ^-T':^*! ■>' ' * ' Lantage de Felicourt, is born at Paris, and is fon to Lantage, Under Farmer of the Aids. He had filled feveral employments and offices of Di- redlor of the Aids, in conjundtion with his father. At length he was appointed Farmer General in 17 2 1, and turned out in 1726, becaufe he was a creature of the Duke of Bourbon. This is a very polite man, has had a very good education, and is of a mild difpofition. His greateft plcafure is to oblige, and he does it with infinite grace. He is at prefent Farmer of the gunpowder and faltpetre magazines in the kingdom, in which ppft he is very much efteemed. j^^ Succeflbr to M. Orry, turned oat in 1745, :;v > \niC T4 LIII. U m ) . '^ 2Z(9 A P P E N t) I X. ' UII. - ft.. Le Mercier was of a very good family ot Paris, in eafy circumftances, and has been edu- cated as completely as a young man can polTibly be J he has always been in poffefTion of confidcr- able employments, and places of truftt his lift poft was that of Receiver General of the Port Saint Paul, He was made Farmer General in X721. This place was only takeo from him under pretence of his being a creature of the Duke of Bourbon, which was a capital crjme un-^ der the adminiftration of Cardinal Fleuri. How-. ever, he got into the under farms under ^the name of Quiberdier. He was the plaineft and mod generous man in the world, and was called the father of the Clerks, ..;, ,\ v/'^ta r-it^rc^n^-^thA- K>a a '»,«. '-;>•' "■ '• '«! w • I ■ nl^ • >• .lav'i r»> ■- .tilt' at'jj.)!. ■, ^l/S 1 .*'i^ Le NIonnoier, born in the town of Elbeuf, in Normandy, is fon to a manufadurer of woollen cloths, which ftill bear his name. He has been Receiver of taxes at MontivUier, in the fame generality of Rouen. He had married a maid of an inn, who was extremely beautiful, James de Vitry, Farmer General in the reign of the late King, fell in love with her, and did him a great.' deal of fervice. He was made Fanner General in, i 1 7 21, by the patronage of the Duke of Luxem- • bourg, who found his wife handfomc, and by no :-- '■' ■■' * means A P P E N D I X. means cruel. His grand-daughter is married to M.de Clermont deRenel*. She is a widow. Thit man is capable of doing good frOin vanity, is ex- ceedingly triiiing, but upon the whole ^ofcrably 2lt i'', '^'"f! t'jrt*^'* t !$♦ set" LV. i' < •.'fjf* ."vi.f: *;? ,*»Vv"Jv|4 "hft v»^ I ' Lb Ricre de la PouPBLiNiEttlE is foh to ti Re- ceiver Gcacral of finances, and was appointed Farmer Gfneral in the leafe of the yekr 1718, when Count d'Argcnfon waft Keeper of the Seals. He has a great deal of wit, is a man of the world, and keeps ^good table i at which he invites all men of wit and tafents, to whom he is fervic'eable from motives of vanity. He is extremely fond of flattery, and indeed he frequents none but thdfe who will beftow it upon him for his money. Sometimes, however, he fees the beft and the mod agreeable company. He is very polite and amiable, when he is not in his days of caprice. He is very fond of women, of mufic, and in general of all kinds of pleafure; which prevents him from attending very clofely to bulihefs. His peffon has made him fufpe^ed of being a man of intrigue, and it is certain that he hias had'fome adventured. We :i:. * From this mairi^ i»liom K«4-« db Clennoiit de Aenet, wi& to the Cpi^pt dp Stainville d« Choir«al> the yqunger t^mther to the Duke de Choifeql, formerly ^ount de StainY^lIer Aj9- baflador at Rome' and at ViieDna, at prefent Miniiter and Se- cretary of State iti the war depattmwit, Ccftbnel Geritfal of the Swifs and Grifoas, Govrrnor of Toun^tte; Bftfcr RSband, Ac. kc, 3 ihall V AM !< a82 APPENDIX. I fhall content ourfelves with mentioning only two of them, on account of their contrail to each otner* wr. ».^.,> ■.?..■ , * .,.;:. ■■,. «v^.. i. ,*.. /^./^v* As he was pafling a night with la Hantler of the opera, at prefent Madame Truchet, who was then miftrefs to the Prince of Carignan, the Prince, who had a mailer-key to all the doors, came to her that very night, and found his place occupied by M. le Riche. There arofe a great difpute between thefe two competitors, of ranks fo 4ifpropor-r tionate to meet upon fuch an occafion. It is pretended that M, le Riche fubmitted to corporal challifement, receiving fome llrokes of a cane, which the Prince caufed to be given to him. This is not, however, very likely j for, in that cafe, the Prince would, in all probability, have beei> contented with this revenge. He went the next day to Verfailles, to defire Cardinal Fleuri to expel le Riche from the farms, for having had the in- folence to put himfelf in competition with his Highnefs. The Cardinal anfwered — that the King did not difmifs a ufeful man for fuch a reafon; but, tp giv? ^hePrincp Tome kind of fa;i?fa6lion, and to leave, him in the free and quiet polTelTion of his miHrefs, if fhe could polfibly be fatisfied with him alone, M. le Riche was fent to Mar- feilles, where he remained during three years, un- der pretence of it's being his turn. No other Farmer was fent into the country while he re- mained there. He fpent a great deal of money i(i that city, and gave feveral entertainments tp . the ladies, who regretted him very much, -j -ot. a-vvt- kH(»\^- APPENDIX. The other adventure is not of the fame nature, or at leaft M. le Riche does not appear to any great advantage in it. This incident has made too much noife, not to be known by every body; but the pifture we Iketch would want a very prin- cipal feature, if we were to omit it. It is well known that le Riche's amiable wife is daughter to Mimi Dancourt ; that (he was deftincd to the ftage from her birth, in which profeflion fhe would have excelled, having all the qualities neceflary to make a good adlrefs. The amorous financier in- humanly deprived the public of her. It is faid that Ihe was his miftrefs for twelve years, and, if her fidelity was anfwerable to her pcrfeverance, he owed it, no doubt, to his profufion. He thought th^t an attachment fo rare could only be rewarded by giving her his hand. At the time of their mar- riage, a promife of fidelity was made, which was only to terminate with their lives. Their days were paffed in pleafure, and crowned with fplen- dour and feftivity j but the fortunate deftiny of M. le Riche could not proteft him from the com- mon fate of hufbands. The wit and charms of his wife could not be concealed. A hero *, equally the favourite of Venus and Mars, took a liking to her. A woman is not a ftrong for- trefs, when fhe has no other defence than her huf- band, fhe does not hold out long againft the at- %acks of a man accuftomed to pleafe and to fub- due. Madame de la Poupeliniere foon yielded to the conqueror j but, in order to indulge more commodioufly with her lover, fhe contrived a ' ' > * The Puke de Richelieu. chimney 28j ^('m ■rip 184 APPENDIX. chimney that turned upon fprings, by which (he could pafs into the next houfe, that was hired by fome perfons unknown. This intercourfe lafted a great while, and was at length difcovered to M. le kiche by a femme de cbambre. He was fo much piqued, that he broke out in a moil furious man- ner, and parted from his wife j who, it is faid, is not forry to be her own miftrefs, that Ihe may fol- low her inclinations without controul. < ^ :,''^ » •► » >•. r --'^^ :^ "lyV ■■ ,::»'. f^^«? j/>j^^¥l-.... Le Normant j>'£tioll£s is born at Paris, Ton to le Normant, Treafurer of the Mint, grandfoo of the father of M. de Tournehem, Direftor of the King's buildings. He was under farmer^ and married the daughter of M. PoifToni fprmer}y concerned in the King's ai&irs. His wife W^ Marchionefs of Pompadour. .: , . ,, ..,„,. LVII. %K. Le Normant pe Tourkhem is born at Paris, :tnd fon to an anticnt Farmer General, who came originally from Orleans, of a very good family in that town. He had been Secretary to M. Hott- man, Ambaflador from France in Switzerland. He was made Farmer General at the death of his father, and Diredor of the India Company, for the arrangement of the Farms General, in the leafe of the year 17 15. He was continued in i72t|juid^ ^n the following leafes. He was ap- '^ *^ pointfd 1. APPENDIX. pointed Direflor General of the King's buildings, through the patronage of the March ionefs de Pompadour, wife to le Normant d'Etiolles, his nephew, to whom he ceded his place of Farmer General. He was a man of wit, and a fubtle Courtier, He died at EtioUcs, the 27 th of November 17s i> 3ged 67. 185 .T •.(■■. I i' ri.fc ji,.»#^ J »»".*!; LVHI. Malo, originally from Burgundy, of a good family. He began by the fmallctt employments in the offices for Extra- affairs, where he gained a conliderable fortune. He was made Farmer Ge^ neral in 1721, and afterwards Paymafter General of the forces in time of war. His fortune has been fuddenly overturned, it is not very well knowa how. He was a good man. LIX. '''■ ■ Mare'chal is born at Paris, and is ion to the King's Firft furgeon. He was Steward of the Houfhold to his Majcfty> before he was Farmer General. As it was merely on account of his daughter that he had folicited that place, he only kept it till he found a proper match for her. She was married to M. Kouflel, to whomMarechal ceded h\% place. This wa$ a ycry honeft man.^' ^:i i If af6 A 1» P E N D I X. . .')■• ^ t I, LX. Masson was Ton of a crier of the Parliament of Paris. He obtained an employment in the Aids when he was very young, pafled through a va- riety of employments, and was made Farmer General in . He left a fon, who is a perfeft bear; he was called MafTon de Maifon Rouge, and died after a confiderable bankruptcy. -' . I JO-'. T it Of ',!. LXI. •-*.-,v r. .1. Mazade came from Gafcony, of an honef^ tradefman's family. He entered into employment very young. He acquired, by his intelligence and afliduity, to be raifed from a iimple Clerk to the Diredorihip General of Marfeilles. He was made Farmer General in 17 21, and continued in 1726. His fon has had the furvivorfhip of his place, and did the bufinefs of it in his father's life-time. He was very able, and though he had preferved the charadteriftic of the country he came from,yec he was a ve^ good man* »-.■.. i. ^ i/'f tiJ '. lrfA.VIK f-uf\ *.^n.'J itl\'ai .'.»»♦ . RoLLAND D'AvMKVii, was made Fanner Gene- ral in 1726, in the leafe of Peter Cailicr, under M« lePelletierDesforts. He continued in the gene- ral farms till his death. He was of an honeft tradefman's family, was not very rich when he diedy having rendered many fenrices in his lift-time^ for which he was never repaid, rul • sj.vj ^j.vr s.ti, ' M rrrc-iiv^ W\^i tyvtIT * ^^ ^ '^'*' "" ''^'^'^^' ' • ^ ; • ; k> ' k.i ihi'.'i iyjvj'v. > RoLLAND DB Soi/FFBRRisRB was Captain of Carabineers, and returned his commillion to the King at the death of M. RoUand his brother, whofe place he alked, and had no great trouble in obtaining. He acquired immenfe riches, and was a very different mart from his brother, thinking every thing allowable that he got money by. | , RoLLiN was brother to M. RoUin, Under Far- mer of the Aids in fcveral generalities, and Secre- tary to the King in the Grand College. He was appointed 10 L^'i APPENDIX. appoiiucd Kinm-r General in 1726, and continued in rhc cnfujnp; Icafcs. He is of ad honeft tradcf- ni.m's faiiiily, and clicrc is ncichcr «;ood nor evil to be iaicl of him. 289 ^ 7 *» » LXX. Rou$SF.!, is a native of Paris, Ton or a notary, and gr4ndrt)n to a ralcHnau in the market-place, nephew to M. de la Garde. He married the daugh- ter of M. Marechal, (Icward to the King's houfe- hold, who gave him up his poft of Farmer Gene- ral. He was a man of a handfomc perlon, fpoke well, arid told lies with a good grace, having all the difpofitions proper for his profcfllon. This RouflTcl, loaded with debt on account of his immoderate luxury, at laft quitted the finance, being obliged to give up his cftate to his creditors, and was fucceeded by a man named Marchand, hia brother-in-law. He has two fons, one of whom is confined in St. Lazare for his bad condu*5l : the other has an employment in one of the provinces. RoufTcl drowned himfelf. ■'•» *h Savallette is born at Paris, fon of a notary, who was fon to a vinegar-merchant. He was only Clerk at M. Fagon's, and afterwards employed in feveral contrads. He was married to Mademoi- felle de Noce, whofc mother was the fj lend of Count Noce, a favourite of the Regent, and who made him Farmer General. One; of his daugl>- ters was married to M. de Courteilles, Ambaf- VoL. I. U fador m t . t ■Mi m ■ ,1 I- 290 APPENDIX, fador in Switzerland, and another to Count de Revel dc Broglio. He is excefllvely rich, very proud, and died the 5th of May 1756. •I-'- t. . LXXII. Saulnier de la Moissiere had been all his life-time in the under farnris, for the flamping gold and filver. He was made Farmer General in 172 1, and turned out in 1726, having loft his pro- tcdlor. He was an able man. of an excellent dif- pofition. It is not known whether he left any children, .'^t ir ;ivf-.: .^< j. •< i;S],.nf h-w^: .5! 'if? ■ ?f. t r \ ■■ t LXXIII. >H . • Texier is from a village called Audeme, four leagues from Montpelier, fon to an inhabitant of that place. He came very yoong to Paris, and it is affirmed that he wore a livery. His firft employment was the be-ing Clerk of the Aids of Rouen, and afterwards Direflor. He had amafled a fortune, fo that he married a young lady from St. Cyr. He was made Farmer General by the means of the Regent, in 1721. He was haughty,, fevere, and impertinent. •'i^d ' .n» - ji i' I'M ,, .-.i LXXIV. Thiroux de Lailly is born at Paris, fon to an- antient Farmer General, originally of Burgundy, of a noble famiiyi This man was Treafurer to the King's r^l:-- APPENDIX. King's houfehold. He was made Farmer General in 1721, and continued in 1726, and was ap- pointed Farmtr of the pofts. He has a great deal of wit, but pays very little regard to his word. LXXV. Thoinard is originally from Orleans. His father was Lieutenant Crminel in the Special Court of judicature of that city. He is of a very good family, and in eafy circumftances. He was put in the employments very young : the laft he filled was that of Receiver at Rouen. He was after- wards in fcveral under farms, and Infpeclor Gene- ral of the farms at Rouen, Caen, and Alen^on, in 17 1 9. He had the addrefs to get all his bills placed in different funds, and received ready- money for them. There was no perfon in the world, but his wife, could vie with him in avarice j befides, he is a felf-fufficient coxcomb, and, in a word, one of the refufe of mankind. •j-ik^ffa b t" '\'>'i VUi'"' LXXVI. : ..-i Vatbois du Metz. This man Was not known, in the under farms. He became rich by Law's fyftem, under the patronage of Cardinal Fleuri, from whom he obtained one of the ten places of Farmers General in 1726. He left a cortfiderabla eftate at his death. He was a good kind of man. His wife was the mod elegant woman in Paris, and was very haughty. Soon after the death of her hu/band, fhe married Count Wtamcr, Cap-^ tain in the Guards. U 2 N- VI. 291 \ i ir * .1 f'l ajl APPENDIX. ['^i-'S N'' VI. •': I ; Letter of the DuUe of Bcurhcn to the Firji "Pre- fident of the Parliatnent of Paris. ---• i Fontainebleau, 15th September^ 1725.- IT is with infinite concern I lee that the people have not reaped the benefit of the feveral or- ders I have given to procure them a fpeedy re- lief. I am much afiecled with their fituation i bur, as the dearth they experience is the necef- iary confequencc of a barren year, to which fuc- ceeds the confufion of the feafons, and other ac- cidents, which human prudence could not fore- fee, it is not pofiible for me to add any thing to the orders I have given, nor to the precautions 1 have taken, with which you are acquainted. The fuccefs that will attend the execution of them* will quiet the murmurs of the people. 1 for- give them their unjuft complaints, becaufe they arife from their fufferings, becaufe mifery dif- turbs their reafon, and becaufe they are not ca- pable of judging with how much attention I la- bour to preferve them from their terrible fitua- tion, with which I am hurt beyond exprefilon. .' But I Ihall not conceal from you, how much, , my indignation is raifed againft fome members of the Parliament, who cannot be ignorant of the 1 purity of my intentions, who know the motives V of your Affemblics j who, never thelefs, carry their i\ir;t»^'.''p; . ' boldaels w APPENDIX. boldnefs and temerity fo far, as to fpeak agalnft their own knowledge, and who, by difcourfes equally falfe and fcditious, keep up the clamours of an ill-informed people. Perfons whom their oaths, and the offices which they have the ho- nour to be invefted with, engage more particu- larly to fupport the authority of the King, and to maintain order and public tranquillity, I have given very fpecial orders to difcover thofe who purfue a conduft fo blameable, and their licentioufncfs ihall bepunifhcd withdeferved chaftifement. What I have been fiying to you, is no fecret, and you need not have any kind of fcruple to publifh my letter. With regard to what you fend me word, that corn-merchants and bakers cannot be punifhed by reafon of their being wanted i I think it is a very fad circumftance, that one cannot proceed againft Itich dangerous maiverfations. This, however, is a cafe that concerns you ; and I think that you ought, at lead by your converfa- tion, to Ihew the public the motives which pre- vent the punilhment of their criminal proceedings. As to myfelf, I will fupport, with all fuitable au- thoriity, the remedies that fliall be indicated to me by the Aflembly over which you prefide. * ' I have examined with mach attention the me- morial which the Attorney General has fent me, and I have given orders accordingly to M, Dodun, who is gone to Paris to regulate all aiatters in concert with you. As he is pcrfedlly t" Uj acquainted 29J >i: 494 APPENDIX. acquainted with the bufinefs, he will take care to avoid the inconveniences mentioned in your let- ter, &c. '• .{ ' ! .\A}. -}'Al ■ rf: • «*^>" • The Speech of his moji Chrijiian Majejiy, pronounced in Council i on the \6th of June y 1726. '-\fl ■.■?i. IT was time that I fhould take upon myfelf the government of my kingdom, and that I Ihould give myfelf up entirely to the afteftion I owe to my people, to fhew how much I am fenfible of their attachment. '•.:*" '>n■^^\hiomi' -m' ffr3'/> -I have already given orders, that the refolution L have taken to afTume the government of my kingdom into my own hands, ihould be commu* mcated to my Parliament of Paris, and the fame fhall be done with regard" to my other Parlia- ments. I fhall make it known by circular letters to all the Governors and Intcndants of my pro- vinces, and 1 have alfo ordered that notice fhotald be given of it to my Minifters in foreign Courts. My intention is, that evtry thing which concerns the offices about my own perfon, fhould ' be upon the fame footing as under the late King my great-grandfather. In the room of M. Dodun, APPENDIX. who has afkcd my leave to refign, I have chofen M. Pelletier Desforts to fill up the poft of Comp- troller General of my finances ; and M. de Bre- teuil having aflced the fame permiirion of me, I have appointed M. le Blanc to his poft of Secretary of the War department. . ■ .".. '• ..: ' The Councils Ihall be punftually holden on the days appointed for them, and the affairs will be condu(fted there as ufual. With regard to the favours I mny have to beftow.> application muft ' be immediately made to me, and I will put the memorial into the hands of my Keeper of the Seals, my Secretaries of State, and my Comp- troller General of finance. ■>., ;T, ;y I Ihall appoint ftated times for the tranfadion of bufmefs, at which the antient Billiop of Frejus will always attend, as well as at the other details with which different perfons are intrufted, by vir- tue of the offices they fill. In a word, I mean to follow in every thing, as much as poffible, the example of the late King my great-grandfa- ther. If you Ihould think there is any other thing to be done, in thele early times, you may propofe to me with confidence j and I expert, from your zeal for my fervice, that you fhould affift me in the dcfign I have of rendering my government glorious, by making it ufeful to my State and to my People, who|^ happinefs {hall ever be the firft objedofmy care. „.,,,,,,,,, ,_ . ,_ II • I kfj I • m 'J " i 1 3 « « « Com- 2$6 APPENDIX. ',:>.., •^».;v■^. '.\. ^b i-i'. .i>.-:iH .'Oi: ;Tri; * * * Compliment addrejfed by Cardinal Fletiri to his moft Chriftian Majejiy, after he had received his : Cardinars bat from the King. -friiKai DdT SIR,-.., ,, ,:s: .!• ,-^ii icriki ,'i,C*iJr-;;iii THE new dignity for which I am come to pay homage to your Majefty, how great foever it may be in itfelf, is ftill infinitely more valuable to me, becaufe I hold it only from your Majefty's hands, and, if I may venture to fay it, becaufe it reflects no lefs honour on your Majefty than on myfclfl ' •';'* '»^ 'unx i^\ feirv, .^'omic ai^vsov^t •^ Let me be permitted, Sir, publicly to make known, on this obcafion, what the goodnefs of your heart hadfuggefted to you in my behalf, at the time when your Majefty was not yet become the dif- tributer of favours. Not only you had defigned for me your right of nomination to the Cardinal- fhip, without my having taken the liberty to fpeak of it to you, but you have further, without mentioning it to me, folicited, before the ufual time, that this favour fhould be bcftowed upon me. 'h:.w'j -yi^'t jov *si^'.^'. ^''--^ ^i^^x v;m -nf: I acknowledge. Sir, that there is perhaps fome fecret and inward motive of felf-love, in ac- quainting the public with a mark of attention in your Majefty, fo gracious to me j but, on the other hand, ihould I not with reafon be charged with ingratitude, if I. fhould neglefb announcing to the people of France, that there is in your Majefty a fund of goodnefs, of fentiment, and, I ;! ( I -N am I (!i: •: .h:^i; ;Tri- APPENDIX. am not afraid to fay it, of gratitude, which ought to afford the greateft comfort to your fub- jefts ? - ;■ v.'^ .■> ■w\ .^ .{■■■\>\h: ^ ,\\> ^.3 Ju'<^; • The majefly of the throne attrafts only our refped. The great talents of Princes excite ad- miration ; their power commands awej but it is by mildnefs, goodnefs, and humanity, that they cllablilh their fway over our hearts. And what are not the French capable of undertaking, of doing, and even of fuffering, when they think themfelves beloved by their rulers? '.' -if :<- ics ,'■ The Eaftern nations render to their Sovereigns a worfhip almoft equal to that of the Divinity. Among the nations of Europe, there are fome who wifh tp. govern their Kings : others, which though much attached and very faithful to them, yet rather refpeft than love them. But the pro- per charafler of the French, is love for their King, is the defire of pleafing him, the wilh of feeing, and drawing near to him, and of being beloved by him. Ji, rjjov Kfr-? .>iij:^^ < .*!! wo. ;iiv.:»ii if. Your Majefty has received, from your earlicft infancy, proofs of this affedlion. Your fubjeds. Sir, have loved you, before you were capable of returning their love. - ■■ «>; - --^a^^^ , . I Their confternation in your lllneffes has been equal to that of a family trembling for the fate of him on whom they depend for fupport ; and the joy they have teftified at your recovery has been fometimes carried to fuch lengths, as almoit to exceed the bounds of modera- 297 pon. •i-^iinni'ii i^ -r,A;^ikii^v»-.-.3 ./.•--, '^i'-^-' - '■'M i ^rn With 198 APPENDIX. With what acclamations have not your faith- ful people received the declaration your Majefty has made of taking the government of )our kingdom into your own hands ! And what hap- py profpeft do they not think they have a right to flatter themfelves with, when they fee the eminent qualities of your auguft great-grand- father, whom you have chofen for your model, difclofing themfelves more and more in your Majefty ! A fpirit of order and juftice, a con- ception from which nothing efcapcs, an impene- trable fecrecy, a redtitude of judgment, an eafy and mild accefs, no figns of impatience, never one word, one fingle word difagreeable to any one, an averfion for every kind of luxury; but, what is infinitely above all, an invariable attach- me*" to religion and refped for our holy myf- tcries, which no external inattention, no bad ex- amples, can interrupt. Thefe, Sir, are the qualities v/e already ad- mire in your Majefty, and upon which aFC- founded the reafonable hopes your fubjefts en- *' tertain, of feeing you one day equal to our greateft Kings. ' • ^. ^.' Nothing is more hazardous nor more diffi- • cult to anfwer than a great expectation j but I dare affirm, that it is in the povver.of your Ma- , jcfty not to fruftrate our hopes. . * *^ ? ■fv. {^^ May you. Sir, fulfil them in all the- extent. •' which our neceflities require ! May we have the confolation to behold, renewed in your facred perfon, the prudence of the King, your greafri*,^ arr.'; grand- A P P E. N D I X. grandfather, in the art of government; all the goodnefs of tlie Dauphin, your grandfather, and all the piecy of your auguft father. This' will be. Sir, to me, the moft afFefting reward, I can ever receive, for my refpedful, and, if I may be permitted to lay fo, my tender attachment to your Majefl-y. • .t' ,'«v^ "^o • ?'. »ii.Of- v.jffri . .. k «"'r'r.'r '''■''•'. ^99 'r A^«4 f 1 r • • .J ^ C^.^X' ^* i t *' "> , t--*-. r ' .' ^.j.. N° VII. ^■1 >• V ,V!(... A*-"' *k::. Memorial for Count Broglio, Amhajfaior in Eng^ landy refpe£iing the French colonies in America, .-. , At Verfailles, II th April, 1724, ,. North America. r. ; . u:!» f .* -/Kt'.. BY the treaty of Utrecht, the King has ceded to his Britannic Majefty Nova Scotia, other- wife called Acadia, in it's whole extent, agrec- 5fcly to it's antient limits, as alfo the city of ' Port Royal. The claim of the Englifh is, to include under the name of Acadia, not only the land of the peninfula, but likewife all the continent which lies to tht fouth of the river St. Laurence, as far -as the fea, which would render the Englifh mafters of all the French poflefflons that lie be- iw^cn Cht Gr^en Bay and Quebec. If this plaim werp *v^ WQi i m 'm ;oo^-^ APPENDIX. were to take place, France would lofe a part of Canada, and would be rendered incapable of keeping the reft. England has no right to fupport this claim. The letters of grant which Sir William Alexander obtained in 1621, from James I. King of Eng- land, of the lands of Acadia, under the title of Nova Scotia, and of the lands of the Gulph of St. Laurence, as far as Gafpe, together with thofc of the coaft of Nourembcrg, the country of the Etechemins, from the bottom of the bay v: flir as New England, cannot afford a title to them. In 1604, the French were forming a fixed fcttle- ment on the coaft of Nourembcrg, in the county of the Etechemins, and another at Port Royal. They had, long before this, taken pofleflion of the lands, extending as far as the 33d degree. In the mean while, in 1607, a compaviy was formed in England, which undertook a new fettlcment in Virginia, which, .is Atu.ated . between thp 35th and 4c th degrees. - • - . - r. * TheEnglifh,notfatisfied with the colony they Iiad fettled, would alfo feize upon the lands occupied by the French in i6j3 j they drove away thofe who were upon the coaft of Nouremberg, in the country of the Etechemins, and at Port Royal, and continued their hoftilities 'till 1629, when they took Quebec, and made themfelves maf- ters of all the continent which belonged to France, long before they had been there. It was during thefe hoftilities, that the grant was made to Sir WiJliam Alexander. He afked it to a greater ex^ • ' ]T, ' ' ■' " * ' tenc APPENDIX. tent than it could be given to him, In hopes that his country niiglit take the reft : in which he was miftaking; for all the lands of New France, Canada, and Acadia, having been reftored to France by the treaty of St. Germain en Laye, of the 2c;th of Marih 16^2, this grant could not give him a title ajj;ainlt France ; and the E.nglifli have in fome mcafure acknowledged this by the treaty of Utrecht j fince it is not faid there, than France fhall rcfiorej but fliall ce^Ie Acadia to Flnglandj which has even required letters pa- tent of this cefiion, that have been difpatchcd on the 6th of May, 1713. It cannot be faid, that, the terms of ce.Tion and rellitution are fynoni- mous, or, that the P^nglifli have been inattentive to the exprellion, fince, in the fame treaty, the word io rejiore to the Englijh is ufed in fpeaking of Hudfon's Bay. The qucftion therefore is, to find out, without regard to the title here fpoken of, what were the antient limits of Acadia. There is no doubt but that the French have difcovered the continent of North America be- fore the Englifli j the inhabitants of Britany and Normandy, having been a fifliing on the ifland of Newfoundland in 1504, FVancis I. in 1533, caufed a difcovery to be made of the lands lying from the 32d degree to the 47th of north latitude, and it is part of thefe lands that are now in quef- tion. John Verafany was the perfon employed j he arrived at a new land, in about 34 degrees of latitude, where he went on (bore, and took pof- fefllon 301 '■f'P mi 111 301 APPENDIX. IcfTion of it for France. He ran along the coaft as far as the 50th degree, and difcovercd in this voyage an extent of country of more than 70 leagues. He landed at different diftances, in order to furvcy the country, and to take poflcilion of it. He named all this extent of land New FrancCy a naine which it has lincc prcferved. Baron Lery was fent, in 153S, to form a fettlement there. He landed at Sable Ifland, where the fituation of the fpot determined him to ftayj but he was obliged to give it up for want of frelh water, and on account of the badnefs of the foil. He left fomc cattle there, which have multiplied, and fomc of which arc ftill to be found. James Cartier was employed after him to go to New France : he furveyed, at his firft voyage, the ifland of Newfoundland, and dif- covered the Gulph of Saint Laurence, with all it's coafts. At the fccond voyage, he penetrated to the ifland of Saint Laurence. He returned there in 1540. He was obliged by ftrefs of weather to fland in for the port of Carpou, in Newfoundland. From thence he went to the river Saint Laurence, as far as the port of Sainte- Croix, where he landed Count Roberval, who was chofcn by the King to make the fcttle- ments in New France, and who conftrufted a fort at the diftancc of four leagues from Saintc- Croix. Count Roberval returned the following year, and Hi APPENDIX. and alio formed a Icttlcment on the ifland of Cape lJrcr()n. Ihc arc that was taken to fettle the northern part of New Francr, did not occafion the fouthcrn part to be nc^Hcc'ccd. John Kibaud wiis chofcn, in 1562, to go and make a fectlenient towards the 34tli degree, where Verafliny had fnft landed. Riband named the Cape at which he arrived, Cape FranciSy which is diftant from the Equator about 30 degrees. He caufed to be fixed upon the borders of a river, which he called River of May, a ftone pillar, with a paper on which were engraved the arms of France. He named this place Charles Fort, in honour of King Charles IX. In fome ancient Dutch charts we find the names of all thefe rivers, wiiieh have been altered by the Englifli. They have called the place where Charles fort was, Charles Town. John Ribaud returned into France, and left fome of his people in the country. Several of them pe- rifhedj and the furvivors built a veflel to carry themfclves back to France. They were thrown on the Englilh coaft, where they found an Englifli veflel, which came up with them, and in which there was a French feaman, who had failed the year before with Captain Ribaud. The weakeft of the people were put on fhore, and were conduced to the Queen of England. It cannot be doubted but that it was from the account they gave, that the Queen refolvrd to fend fome people into the country fronn whence they camcj for in 1565, four Englifl* 10 vcflels 303 w \S ill III 30+ APPENDIX. vefiTds arrived on the coafl, and allied of Captain Laudonnier, who had been fent there in 1564, permilfion to take in water, of which they were much in want. They landed only upon the fpot were the French were, and Captain Ribaud arrived there almoft as foon as they ; he then returned in- to Europe. , Captain Laudonnier gave the name of Carolina to this iQand, in honour of Charles IX. . In the fame year fix large Span! Hi fhips arrived there, who took the fort from the French, and treated them with great cruelty. The Spaniards were driven away in 1567, by Captain Gourgues of Bourdeaux, who returned the fame year into France. Captain Ribaud went there again a few years after this. Although this continent belonged to the FrenCri, the Englifh did not fcrupie to form fettlements there. Humphrey Gilbert went from England in 1585, -with a defign to ellablifh a colony in New France. Ke landed on the ifland of Newfoundland, at a port which he called St. John's. He found there leveral filhing-fmacks belonging to different na- tions, and took two French flups that Were there. Philip Amadus and- Arthur Barton fitted out an expedition in England to go and-'fetde a colony on part of New France i and on the 4th of July, 1584, -they landed in the 34th degree of latitude, above Carolina, In honour of Queen Elizabeth, they called the country Virginia } and after having car- ried on fome kind of trade with the natives of the country, they returned into Europe. '^ -^' The APPENDIX; The Englifli went there again the year follow- ing, and left 107 men to fettle there j but they ftaid no longer than one year, when they went back to England. The Englifh returned with fuccours for them j but as they did not find them upon the <:oaft, they left only 15 men there. In 1587, they fent a hundred and fifty men, who were maflfacred by the natives of the country; this difcouraged the Englilh fo much, that none of the fleet fent there in 1590 would remain. The French, who were prevented by the conti- nual wars prevailing in Europe, from following up their eftablilhments in New France, continued however to fend fhips there, in order to trade with the natives of the country, and for the cod and whale fifheries. The Marquiflcs of Courtenval and de la Roche began thefe fettlements again in 1596. M. Chavin fucceeded them, and went to Tadouflac, to Quebec, and in the river St. Laurence, where he left men to (ettle. '-'■■'-'- ^ ! M. de Mens, Gentleman in ordinary of the King's Bedchamber, and Governor of Pons, under- took to fettle a part of New France in 1604. He fent fome (hips to trade with Canada, and went to the ifland of St. Croix, upon the coaft of Nou- remberg, the country of the Etechemins, where he ftaid three years. He then went to Port Roy- ^^' He employed the three years of his ftay in the country, in vifiting the coafts, as far as the for- tieth degree of latitude, and found feveral favages, with whom the French fifliermen traded. He left 1 hi ' nl Vol. I; M.de 3o6 APPENDIX. M. de Potricourt, who attended to the fettling of Port Royal. After his return into France, he ufed • to fend every year Ihips into the river St. Lau- rence, to trade there. - ' ' 7' . < ♦- In thofe times, the linnits afcribed to New France, on the weflern fide, were, the land extend- ing to the Pacific Ocean, beyond the Tropic of Cancer i to the fouth, the iflands, and the At-? lantic Ocean, on the fide of Cuba and Hjfpaniolaj to the eaft, the northern fea, which wafhes the coaft of New France i and to the north, the fea which is called the Unknown fea, towards the Frozen ocean, as far as the Ardtic Pole. ..>.,•., 1 .,i.- . This is a plain relation of what has happened among the European nations, with refpeft to the continent of North America. It belongs to France on the claim of firft pofleffioni and, as this right cannot be loft, but by forfaking the thing pofiefiied, it muft ftill Ije reckoned ?'• belonging to France, ]3ecaufe, far from having forfaken it, the Fren.cl^ have continued, and ftill continue to form efta- l^lifhments there. It is true, that thefe feftlements have not been made upon the fame fpot j but as they were upon the fame continent of land, France cannot be fuppofcd to have relinquifiied the terri- tory, the fettlement of which fne had difcontinued, pr that upon which ftie had not yet made any fet- tlement. All the nations of Europe have agreed in giving the name of New France, upon their maps, to the continent of North America; and itfhould , feem, that acknowledging by this the property of . France to it, they ought not to have thought of fettling there. Nevcrthclefs we have feen, by 2 / "Vvhai; A P P E N D I X. what has been before related, that the Endifli fettled in 1607 in Virginia; that they remained quietly there till 1613 j that they continued hofti- lities from that time till 1629; and that they made themfelves matters of all the ports that the French had upon the continent: which werereftored by the treaty concluded at St. Germain en Layc in 16^2, :rr. -^.-..- .. .-,... • •— — • V . The Dutch alfo fent into Newfoundland in 1609, to trade there, and in 16 15 they built a for- trefs on the borders of the fea, in about forty de- grees of latitude; they built an inland fort, which they called Orange Fort, and named the country the New Netherlands. David Hudfbn had made them acquainted with this landj for he had been on fhore there, after having attempted in vain a paffage by the North of America, to go to China ^nd Tartary, and he had called the country Mo- tance.-;^^:: ■\^tb:['^^ ^i^v ". '"" .rr'nf T •*■.;' ';/t.' At the fame time the Englifli fent to form a fettlement in about forty-one degrees of latitude. They eftablifhed a colony there, and gave to the country the name of New England. The Dutch afterwards gave up their fettlement to them. ^ - The Englifli have continued pufhing on their fettlements upwards, along the coafl:, notwithftand- ing any.oppofition they met with from the part of France, to whom the country belono-ed. At length, in 1700, they wanted to ellablifli themfelves beyond the river St. George. M. de Cailliere Governor General of New France, oppofed them, which occafioned fome conteft between the two nations. . ..:;-•. X, It v1«>7 m':m M •■ *« r-ii i ;o8 APPENDIX. s It was agreed, between this Governor General and that of Bofton, that the river St. George ftiould mark out the limits of their government, vpon the. borders of the fea. .,, A French and Englilh Officer were fcnt to fix a po ft, with the arms of their refpeftive nations; this was executed upon a point projeding into the fea, at three leagues diftance from the mouth of the river. It would be an advantage to the En- glifti, if the French would acknowledge this boun- dary } but, as part of the lands of the Abenakis are comprifed in the Englilh portion, this boun- dary cannot take place, and muft therefore be fixed at Kafkebe, where the territories of the Abe- nakis commence. T^his is even conformable to the fpirit of the treaty of Utrecht ; which fays i that the Commiffioners are to decide which are the favages in alliance with the refpe£live nations. There can be no doubt but that the Abenakis^^ who are all Catholics, muft be the allies of France ; and confequently their land cannot belong to the Englifti. The queftion therefore is, to decidie what are th? limits of Acadia, which the King has t^cded to the Engliih by the Xllth article of the treaty of Utrecht, in the following manner. ** The moft Chriftiari King will catife to be put V into the hands of Great Britain, on the day that ** the ratifications of the treaty of the prefent i^cace "are exchanged, letters and aiiitheftricdbcu- . /^ftients, which will teftify the 'cefliDn made in ~^ "perpetuity to the Queen, and to the Crown of ♦^ Great APPENDIX. *' Great Britain, of the ifland of St. Kitt's, which '* the fubjedls of her Britannic Majefty hcnce- ** forward (hall only poflefsi of Nova Scotia^ other- wife called Acadia, in it's whole extent, agree- ably to it's antient limits ; as alfo of the town " of Port Royal, at prefent called Annapolis Royal ; and generally of all th6 dependencies of the faid lands and iflands of that country, to- gether with the fovereignty, p'ofleffion, and all rights acquired by treaty, or otherv/ife, which the moft Chriftian King, the Crown of France, or any of their fiibje(5ls whatfoever, have hitherto " holden upon the faid idarids, places, and their " inhabitants; fo that the moft Chriftian King " cedes and transfers the whole to the faid Queerij " and to the Crown of Great Britain, and that in manner and form fo ample, that it ftiall not be in future permitted to the fubjefls of the rinoft Chriftian King to carry on the filhery in the faid feas, bays, arid other places, nearer than at *^ the diftance of thirty leagues from Nova Stotia " to the fouth-Weft, beginning from Sabk Idand " inclufive, and continuing towards the fouth- " weft." This sirticle contains different arrangements. That which concerns the ifland of St. Kitt's, and it's dependencies, has been fulfilled. The f^ond, concerns the ceffioft of Acadii ac- cording tp it's antient limits, which are to be de- termiried ; and this is the matter in difpute be- tween the two nations. . . . . ^ 3 ... ......... .Upon, 509 iC €t CC (C €i tc tc CC CC CC CC CC f\ii 'i ■[i^;|i f 1 5rn (ti jio APPENDIX. • iTponfuch an occafionjth^ only way is to have recourfe to books which have treated of this » province, and which, having been written in un- ftifpicious times, bear teftimony to the truth, which h h intipoffible to deny. ?? " *i , j^ »' i- v u*i j M. Dennis, proprietor of the land in 1604^ from Cape Canfo inclufive, as far as Cape RoHeres, and Governor and Lieutenant General for thfe King, hath publilhed, in 1662, a geo- graphical and hiftorical defcription of the coaft of •JriH (Sit t* «C North America."' v'^*~''^^'^r>:.>^r:fi-v ' In page 29 he fays, that " from the river Penob- ** fcot, to the river St. John, there may be about *' from forty to five- and-fbrty 1 agues. The firft ** river is that of the Etechemins, which bears the name of the country, from Boftori to Port Royal. The favages who inhabit, it, have alfo i** the fame name." It cannot be doubted from this, but that that fpace of land was- called the couhtty of the Etechemins. In page 35, the title of his fecond chapter fays, that, he treats of the rivir St. Johff,tftle mines cf Port Royal, of all the -French Bay, "^c. This titkihews, that all the places fpoken of there, were not Acadia j but he explains this matter, much more clearly, in the following articles : » 3.h ^a^^[^M6-'t\*ttyk»'^J'T In the firft, at page ^6, he fays :?? Coming "from Poit Royal, going towards Long I (land, " and continuing fix ror feven leagues along the «* coaft, we meet with creeks> and rocks covered " with trees, as far as Long Ifland, which is about n:7V. «- X': '-^^^^ Jv :uai?-vdx '* fix <( (( APPENDIX. ** fix or fevcn leagues in extent. It forms a paf- fage, to go out of the French Bay, and to pro- ceed towards the land of Acadia, &c." By the fecond article, page 58, chapter 3, he fays, " coming out of the French Bay to enter " into Acadia^ and going on towards Cape ** Fourcbuj &c." ' It is therefore indifiHitable, that the French Bay, from whence one goes to the land of Acadia^ is a different province. This again is^ very clearly feen j for after M. Dennis hasTpoken, at page 61 j of Cape Fourchu, -'-^which is as it were the end of the French Bay, .on the fide of Acadia, and efpecially of Port Jlyfignol and la Heve — he intltles the following chapter, at page 105, Continuation of Acadia from ia Heve to Canfo, where it ends. '- T'hus are the limits belonging, and tending to Acadia, very clearly defcribed : that is to fay, be- -tween Cape Canfo,- inclufiye, on the fide of the Gulph St. Laurence. * .This is further confirmed, in page 126, chap- ter 5, where he fays : " Canfo is a harbour,* which .** has fiull three fatiioms deptli, which, from the "** Cape^ begins the entrance of the great bay of *' St. Laurence." ' .. " - t. Confequently the land from Canfo inclufive, to Cape Rofieres, js a province diftinft and feparate from Acadia y and this is fo certain a fad, that M. Dennis was Proprietor and Governor of it, at the time that M. de St. Eftienne was Proprietor and Governor of Acadia. . •:' X 4^ The 3ii n^ A''\ \it m ■t; If! ?>? 3i% APPENDIX. The third arrangement contains the ccflion of Port Royal, now called Annapolis Royal. There is no difpute upon this article i but it is proper to obferve, that the Englifh having fpeci* fically demanded the ce(fion of this town, have acknowledged that it did not make part of Acadia ; it cannot therefore be doubted but that they were acquainted with the limits mentioned by M. Dennis. The fourth arrangement is the celTion of all the dependencies belonging to the lands, fovereignty, property, poflefllon, and all rights acquired by treaty and otherwife, which the Kingy the Crown of France, or any of their fubjefts whatfoevcr, have hitherto holden over the faid idands, lands, places, and their inhabitants. With refped to this article, the bufinefs is to determine what can depend upon the lands of Acadia> and the town of Port Royal. 1 he lands of Acadia can h^ve no other dependencies than the iOands and iflets ad- jacent. ' . The ordinary dependencies of a town, are it's precindls ; it appears, therefore, that the Englilli cannot pretend to any more with regard to the town of Port Royal. But if in ceding to them this town of Port Royal, it was meant at the fame time to give up the province, the boundaries of that begin oppofite the river St. John, following the cQaft as far as Cape Sable, and in the inland parts of this province adjoining to Acadia. There .c?n be no difpute about the left, fince it contains only :a. general and irrevocable ceflign, ; z ; ., ; .^ . APPENDIX. AH that has been mentioned abovej is only that Count Broglio may be informed of the rights of France, and of the claims of the Englilh. It is not proper that the limits fhould be fettled in Europe j it is expedient, on the contrary, that they Ihould be foupon the fpot, by the commiflloners which fhall be appointed by the two King^N What Count Broglio is to negociate at London, is, that orders ihould be fent to theEnglifh Governors at Bofton, and in Acadia, to withdraw the troops and inha- bitants, which they have placed on the lands of the favage Abcnakis, the allies of France, and to abandon the forts they have built there ; that they ihould leave thefe favages in peace, till theie li- mits have been fettled, and till it has been decided to which nation thefe people are allied. ' There has been for fome vears a cruel war carried on between the Englifli and the Abenakis : The firft are defifous of fettling and poiTefTing them- felves of the lands that do not belong to them; and the laft will not fufFer itj this puts the whole continent into ccnfufion, and thefe unjuft ^pre- tenfidns of the Englilh may, in the end, bccafion a rupture' between the French and them. The Marquis de Vaudrcuil, Governor and Lieutenant General in New France, has written ftrongly to the Governor of Bofton, that he ihould withdraw him- felf from the faid lands, till the limits wefe regu- lated. IHformation has not been received of what he has done; but as mod of the favage nations efpoufe the caufe of the Abenakis, it is to be feared that all this will caufe agreat confufion in the country. 313 ,! i; * 1 3«4 APPENDIX. country, if the Englifh pcrfift in keeping and in in- vading a territory, to which, from all that has been related, it is eafy to judge that they have no right ; and the King hath every reafon to complain of their attempts upon this occafion. The faid Count Broglio is to manage this affair, and make the Court of England icnfible of the injufticc of the proceeding. His Majcfty could have put an end to the matter, if he had permitted the French Canadians to join the favages. The condudb of th^ Engiifti Governors would have juftificd him in doing this •,• but he has rather chofen to preferve the union with the Crown of England, being per<- fuaded that that Court will fettle the bufinefs. a If Fijhery. The Hfth arrangement of the XUth article of the treaty of Utrecht, after nncntion has been made of Acadia, is couched in the following terms :'-^ " fo that the moft Chriflian King cedes and tranf- " fers the whole to the laid Qiucen, and to the *• Crown of Great Britain, and that in manner an^ form fo ample, that it fhall ttot be in future permitted to the fubje6l8 of the moft Chriftian King to carry on the fifhery in the faid feas,- bays, and other places, nearer than ait the dif- ** tance of ^o leagues from Nova Scotia to .the " fouth-weft,, beginning from Sable Ifiand in- " clufive, and continuing towards the fouth- " v;eft." It is to be obferved, the reafon why the.Englifh fnake mention of the fifhery, is, that when thefe peo- ple right ', }lain of he faid id make iftice of put an French idu6b of ied him preferve ng per- efs* wiJ, ■- f * ticle of ^n made rms:'— d tranf- d to che ner and I future hriflian id feasy the dif- to .the ind in- fouth- Englifli .fe peo- ple APPENDIX, pie wanted formerly tofifliupon the coaft of Acadia, M. de la Tour, and the other Lords of the coaft^ by grants from the King of France, made them pay 50 livres * for each boat, and Hopped thofe who were not provided with their permits. Though it fhould feem that the treaty eswlains itfelf pretty clearly upoo the fubjeft of the filhery, yet this matter occafions fome conteft between the Englifh and French. Captain Cyprian Soup drick went to Cape Breton in 17 18, to fettle xh^s fiihery with M. de Saint-Oyide, Governor df this ifland. He pretended that aline rnufl:'- be .drawii from the wefternmofl" cape of Sable Ifland, ^oing thirty leagues eaftj tnac another fliould be drawn fixty leagues north and fouth, which fliould join tht firfl: line, in the well j and that from the ends of the fecond line, a third fliould be drawn on the fide of -the eut, which makes the figure of a "femicirclej and afterwards, that, at the extremity of the firll line, fhould be drawn the one fpoken of in the treaty, which is to be at thirty leagues diftance from Nova Scotia. By this method, the -Captain, contrary to the fpirit of the treaty, wanted Mto make the French lofe a confiderable quantity -of land which incontrovertibjy belongs id ^heoQ, ifince it is facing Cape Breton, w-^ v. ,^- •>;:, M. de Saint-Ovide oppofed to this prppofel the 'proper terms of the treaty, which fay^ that the 'French fliall not be permitted to fiih nearer than thirty leagues diftance from the coaft of Nova 1 Scotia to the Ibuth-eaft, ftom the ifland vulgarly 3»5 fib*^.;- :-/:Ar^yr^\ -«■ ;» 4*. ■ f . ^ About two guineas. called i ■n H6 APPENDIX. called Sable lAand inclufive, proceeding towards the fouth-wed. M. dc Saint-Ovide infiflcd, that in order to conform to the words of the treaty, a line muft be drawn, which (hould run fouth-eaft* and be continued to the mofl wedern cape of Sable Ifland i and that from thence another line fhoutd be drawn towards the fouth-wed, which fhould be at thirty leagues di. ance from the coads of Acadia. Captain Soudrick perfided in his opinion, and no- thing was fetilcdw ':.• ' '*; ^ '^ - As difputes may awfc every day between the French and Englifii, with regard to this Hlhery, the King defires, for the tranquillity of the tw6 nations, and to avoid every fubjed of mifunder- ilanding, that the treaty of Utrecht fliould be executed, and that, in confequence, the King.of England fhould give precife orders to the Go- vernor of Bofton, or any other perfon, to agree fairly about the limits of this fifhcry, and to fettfe them with M. de Saint-Ovide. b'^;';^''iv03 fiolJ ■--'- — r '"' * ** ^ ■'•' v.>^ . .^ ■ ' •• 't •, i'' -.•,\-; ■.«"■■ Canfo. By the Xlllth article of the treaty of Utrecht, [h is faid that the ifland of Cape Breton, and all tbe other iflands whatfoever, fituated at the mouth of and in the Gulph of St. Laurence, fhall hcreaft«r belong to France. w:^,^.^.^ i);: • .t.' ,.a;^ , In conformity to this article, the French had taken poffeffion of the iflands of Canfo, which are fituated at the mouth of the Gulph of Su Laa- rencej they are at the entrance of that arm of the fea which forms the ftrait of Fronfac, made ;by one of the openings of the Gulph of St. Lau- rence^ APPENDIX. >cnce, and confcqucntly they belong incontcftibly to France. Relyini; on tlie faith of the treaty, the Frencli were in full and peaceable pofTcnion of them i they fifhcd there, dried their cod, and car- ried on their trade without any dilturbancc from the Englifh in the neighbouring colonies, with whom they lived upon a friendly footing, till the year 1718, when M. Smart, Commander of the veflcl of the King of hngland, called the Squirrtl, made a defcent there, and, without any other reafon than that of being the ftrongcft, feized upon the mer- chants (hips, upon all the cod of their Hfhery, upon the merchandize, utenfils, and other efTedts, and carried the reft away to Bofton. . *i ^oScii ^.i M> The King caufcd complaints to be made to the Cpurt of England ; and M. d'Heribciy, a mer- chant of St. John de Luz, who was one of the jTench proprietors who had bee'.i plundered, went to London, where, upon the report and informa- tion of the Board of Trade, he obtained orders from the Lords Juftices, depofitaries of the royal au- thority in the abfence of his Britannic; Majefty, for the reftltution of his (hips, cod, merchandize, and other efFeifts. He repaired to Bofton to folicit the execution of thefe orders; which he could not obtain, becauie, before the firft complaints had been conveyed to England, M. Smart had taken the precaution to get the gift of thefe articles from his Britannic Mdjefty, and had difpofed of them before the ar- rival of M. d'Heribery at Bofton j which obliged this nJerchant to return to London. -•■ ■' - ■ . - ■ - ^ •^-■""TFIe 3«7 1 'a ^li APPENDIX. He renewed his folicitations. M. Craghs, who was charged with this affair, afifured him repeatedly that he and the other perfons fliouldbe indemnified in money ; and the Commiflioners of the Board of Trade, being confulted again, declared they had nothing to fay againft this determination. M. d'Heribery was defired to give in a flate of his claims, which he complied with ; fo that there was reafon to think this affaii would foon be ter- minated. In the interim, the Board received advice that the fuvages, with fome French, had thrown them- felves into the ifland of Canfo, and had taken from the Engiifh a quantity of efFedbs to the amount of feven or eight hundred pounds fterling ; M. d*He- ribery was put off till they fhould acquire a fuller account of this matter. - ■U^'^Ul^fi■,'■ Th\s obftacle was foon raifedj M. de Saint-Ovide^^ Governor of Gape Breton, having caufed a refti- tution to be made cf part of the effefts, which the French had only feized after the Engiifh had abanV'' doned the ifland, having befides had no connexion with the irruption of the ravages. ''^■'' *^'"^**'^*^'''* This inilance of juftice was a frefh motive for obtaining the effe(5t of the afTurances that had been given. Neverthelefs, after hdving made M. d'He- ribery wait for four nnonths, the whole terminated in propofing to him the acceptance of an ordef '' for two hundred pounds flerlingj which he would not receive, becaufe the effe(5ts amounted to more , than 20,oco pounds flcrling. n, ^if^i^ ti^:^m^m^: p^- APPENDIX. M. Craghs dying fome time afterwards, the affair was referred to Lord Carteret -, who, at the beginning of his miniftry,had promifed to ufe every means in his power to get juftice done i but all his promifes ended with faying that he could do nothing. The objefbion upon which this Miniftcr infilled the moft, was the fentence pronounced by the Admiralty of Bofton in favour of M. Smart : to which it was anfwered, that the attempt in queftion being an infradbion of treaties, committed by a Captain of one of the King of England'^ fhips, it was from his Britannic Majefty himfelf, and not from the ordinary tribunal, jthat juftice was to be cxpefted j that the Lords Juftices, depofitaries of the fovereign authority in his abfence, had been fo well perfuaded of it, that, upon the firft repre- fentation, they had given orders for a full and entire reftitution of the efFefts carried off, with* out paying any regard to the fentence paffed at Bofton, or to the grant Captain Smart had ob- tained of them by furprize j and that an order of fo authentic a nature could not be annulled. This is fo certain, that when it was propofed to refer the matter to the Council, M. d'Heribery could not find a fingle Lawyer who would plead for him, becaufe, according to them, it was an affair of State, and not of Law, and that the point in queftion was the execution of an order given by the Lords Juftices, upon the report, and with the confent, of the Board of Trade. This was in fa(5t the only point to be determined. Lord 3»f ^1 : m ♦■If :T mi '.il' J20 "APPENDIX. ^' Lord Carteret fcrecned himfelf, by obferving, that the order mentioned, that it was granted by favour, and on account of the good underftand- ing fubfifting between the two nations. Upon which it was anfwered — that whatever motives the Lords Juftices might have thought proper to allege, their order was not the lefs abfolute, nor the lefs founded on juftice, fo that it ought not the lefs to have it's efFeft. This was dated to his Lord- jhip both by word of mouth and in writing j and at length he anfwered plainly, that this order had been given improperly. The faft is, that when the order was given, it was thought that the effcds were forth coming, and in that cafe the reftitution of them might have been made without any cx- pence to his Britannic Majefty j but as, by virtue of the gift Captain Smart had obtained, he had haftened to difpofe of the faid effedls, even before the proprietors could get to England to lay claim to them, the indemnity muft neceffarily have been taken from the civil lift. At laft, all that M. d'Heribery was able to obtain, was an order upon the Treafury for eight hundred pounds fter- ling, in the month of July, 1722. This was in- fufiicient to pay the confiderable cxpences he had been obliged to make in a voyage on purpofe to Bofton, and two voyages, with a refidence of three years in London ; fo that he has received no ref- titution for the plunder of his efFedls, amounting to upwards of 20,000 pounds fterling.jf ^t .»^fi-*^ ..I The attempt of M. Smart has been niade in time pf fuU peace, againft Frenchmen and allies, in an - . * ifland to time an and APPENDIX. iilahd belonging at all times to France, and the right of which has been confirmed to her by the treaty of Utrecht. It is true* the Englifli have contrary claims, and it may be faid, that they are without foundation; but till thefc have been fettled by the Commiflioners appointed to regu- late the limitS) a£ts of violence are illegal, and con'* fequently the aft in queftion requires fatisfaftion to be made. This is what the King defires Count Broglio to afk, and wifhes him to attend to this affair, till juftice has been done to the French plundered by Captain Smart. •(•^^tcX 'Vn. AiTi^A ^VK -> J ' .oi^ We fee 1 to Settlement of Canfo. Ai « cording \ it has been (aid above, that, ac- Liic Xlllth article of the treaty of Utrecht, the Ifland of Canfo belongs to France. The Engli(h, not fatisfied with having plunder- ed the French in this ifland, contrary to all equity and reafon, proceed to form fettlements there, have irofted garrifons and conllruded forts j which is abfolutely repugnant to the treaty, and to this rights of France, to whom this ifland belong?. If even the claims which the Englifli have upon this fpot, were as welt is they ate ill-founded, ftill it would be irtipropei^ they fliould take pof- feflioh of it, before it had been determined to which of the two riations this ifland belongs. The King wiflies that Count Broglio would defire the King of England to order, that this ifland fliould be fevicuated, and that it' fhould Vol. Ir- ■ a '^ 32 ( m 3U APPENDIX. no longer be inhabited by the Englifh : his Ma" jefly being willing, although his right be in- contfcftible, that no fettlemcnc ihall be made there, 'cili it be decided between the two Crowns, to which of them this ifland ought to belong. - His Majefty could have taken other meafurcs, fome time ago, for the fulfilling of this part of the treaty of Utrecht, and he had no occafion to do any thing more, than to fufFer the zeal of his officers to aft; but his Majefly has been ever willing to avoid any thing that could interrupt the good underflanding he means to maintain. He is perfuaded, that his Britannic Majefty is in- fpired with the fame fentiments, and therefore, that he will not fufFer any further complaint of this infradion. J V*f , ^* ix*» 'k \t K/ South America. ■i;i".4i iiJ^'i iliLC ... ,-'.-,-'1- 1 I/land of Saint Aloufta, or Saint Lucia, "'^jH -'' The King, by edift of the month of March, 1642, ceded to the Weft India Company all the American iflands belonging to him, anKwig which was included that of Saint Lucia: this Com- pany fold fevefal of thefe iflands, and among others, to James Houel and M. du Parquet, they fold MartinicOj Grenada, the Grenadines, and Saint Luciaj by a contraft of the 2 2d of Septem- ber, t65o> confirmed by letters patent of the month of Auguft 1651.?:, v-^r-- ~t -^--r,- vi^-.^" M. du Parquet having obtainiid the govcm- 'ttjcnt of thefe iflands, on the 22d of Odober fol- •-> i - lowing. idwi hiad the( 165^ M. c to en turn ing tl that i verno Houe Lucia ' lt\ iliminj Saint Molla ^urrenc his trO ; The Court the n< Englar that na to M. t\i Sup Agent intreat ivhich I the Fn boats nong they and APPENDIX; idwing, cortftruftcd a fort at Saint Lucia, and hiade a confiderable eftabliflinrient there. ' M; de Vendrdgues was appointed Guardian to the children of the faid Du Parquet, who died in 1658, and the King cohdefcehded to bellow upon M. du Vendrogues the government of the iflands, to enable him to make the ed^tes of the minors turn to the beft advantage. * "'i' r tc y^.^n :> r. The Englifli then thought fo little of conteft- ing the property of Saint Lucia with the French, that in a treaty niade in 1660, between the Go- vernors of the French and Englifh iflands, M. Houel affumed the title of Governor of Saint Lucia, without it's beiilg dilputed with him. ; .' It is true, that irt 1664 an Englilhman, af- luming the rank of Colonel, made a defceht at Saint Lucia, and attacked the fortj which M. Mollardi who commanded there, was obliged to iurhjndei" by capitulation, and to withdraw with his trdOpS.'- ■^'^'i'^' ■'•- .:^i-;-. .^ >'';;^. . ;.:w,:V^ The King catifed complaints to be made to the Court of England of this infradlionj but during the liegotiationj and in the month of Odober 166^ J M; Robert Saulk^ who commanded for England at St. Lucia^ and the inhabitants of ihat nation who were fettled there, fent Deputies to M. Clodore, Chief and Prefident of the Coun- fcil Superior of Martinicoj and to M. de Chaniibre^ Agent General for the Company in France, to ihtreat them to take back the ifland of St. Lucia, Which they acknowledged to be the property of the French, defiring. him to fupply them with boats to pafs over into fome of the Englifh Y 2 iflands; 32J 324 APPENDIX* iflands ; declaring, that fince they had feized iipo^ the idand of St. Lucia, they had always had a ' war to maintain againfl the Caribbees, natives of the country. An authentic a6t of the whole was executed at Martinico by the Deputies, in pre- fence of a Notary. ^^*^ The Englifh having quitted St. Lucia, Mcffieurs de Clodore and de Chambre took poffeffion, and enjoyed it in peace. In all the commiffions, and in all the inftrudions that have been fent to thci Go* vcrnors of Martinico, the ifland of St. Lucia has always been included. > r- ^ t-;: .- i^^^i^^^i In 1686, an Englilh fifty-gun Ihip appeared oh the coaft of St. Lucia; the Captain declared to all the inhabitants, in the name of the King of England, that they were either to withdraw, or to receive commiffions from his mafter, and that he was come to take poffeffion of the ifland. He wrote accordingly to M. de Blenac, Governor of the French iflands. Afterwards, having plant-' ed the ftandard of the King of England, he pil- laged and burnt all he found belonging to the French. M. de Blenac, after having anfwered the Englifliman's letter in a proper manner, fent fome troops to fupport the French at Saint Lucia, which has remained ever fince in the poffeffion of France. . r. ,- The King complained to the Court of Eng- land of this enterprize. Commiffioners were ap- pointed to fettle the claims of the two nations to this ifland. The Englifli, who thought by fomc ufelefs proceedings to give themfclves a title of - property, APPENDIX. property, encouraged the Governor of Barbadocs to write, on the 1 3 th of July 1700, to M. d'Amble- mont, General of the French iflands, that the King of England had ordered to fend away all the perfons who were fettled on the ifland of St. Lucia, and that as there were feveral French- men there, he begged of him to recall them. M. d'Amblemont anfwered — that the King of England had no right to the ifland j and that if he undertook to drive the French away from it, he would repel force by force. , - , The Governor of Barba^^oes did not think pro- per to undertake any thing, after fuch an anfwcr ; but Marlhal Tallard received orders to make complaints to the Court of England, of the de- mand of the Governor of Barbadoes j and by the lirft anfwers he received, it feemed as if the Go- vernor had aded without orders, and that juftice ^ould foon be done in the bufinefs. Affairs between France and England being af- terwards in difpute, nothing more was done in this matter ; the French remained mailers of St. Lucia, and have preferved their fettlement there ever fince. The King, fince his acceflion to the Crown, having given this ifland to Marflial d'Efl:rees, the Englifli expoftulated upon the bafis of their claims on this ifland, which had formerly given rrife to negotiations that were not yet clofed. •His Majefl:y was willing that the .ifland fliould ■^ be put into the fame Hate it was in before the , gift, 'till fuch time as the claims of the two Y 3 Crowns 3^5 '''^ ii! m if .1, i II ! ■ ^1; I t! m fi/ .'If mm I ii 3a6i APPENDIX. Crowns fhould be adjuftcd ; but the eftablifli- ments which the French had there before, re- mained as ufqaL After fuch a condefcenfion on the part of France for England, his Majefly was much fur- prized to find, by public reports, that the King of England had given this ifland to the Duke of Montague. The King thought that his Britannic Majefty had been impofed upon ; and ordered complaints to be made to him ; but as no direft anfwer was received, and that fliips were getting ready at London, to take pofleffion of the ifland, and form a fettlement upon it, his Majefty fent orders to the Chevalier de Fcuquieres, Governor General of the French iflands, that if the Englilh fhould undertake this fettlement, he ihould call upon them to withdraw, and if they, refufed, he was to compel them by force. This General haying received advice, on the 27th of December 1722, that the Englilh had landed at St. Lucia, fent two Captains of infantry, to fummon M. Wereugh, Commandant for the Duke of Montague, to withdraw from the ifland^ he wrote at the fame time himfelf to the Com- mandant, and fent him a copy of his Majpfty's orders. The Captains were well received : M. Wereugh aflembled his Council j but having ^nfwered, that he could not evacuate the place, *tiU he had re- ceived orders from England, the Chevalier dc Feuquieres fent fome troops there, under the com- j:pand of the Marquis of Champigny, Governor 9f A P P E N I X. of Martinico, and recommended it to him, in- compliance with the orders of his Majcfty, to avoid the efTufion of blood as much as pof- Iible. c j^mV i.., t:,i;u;r;i-i^.., .M,-.'. . .; ,. I .; TV'. • The Marquis of Champigny landed in the " night from the 15th to the i6th of January ^ 1725, and M. Wereugh having received advice of it, fcnt two officers, to defirc that no vio- lence (hould be committed s which was Uridtly at^ tended to* : crf-'):;!-;^; '-Ki^o: ■Ain'ukv-cKV^' -^ .^Ab.w ' On the 1 8th of the fame month a treaty was made, a copy of which, his Majefty fends with this, by virtue of which, the Englilh were to, evacuate the faid ifland, after having razed the , works they had con(lru£ted for their defence, -r,'; The King defires that matters (hould remain . > in this ftate, 'till it be decided to which of thefe , two Crowns the ifland is to belong, t>^ / ^^ ^ r t-^v ^ The French obferve thefe regulations very 5 itriaiyj but the Englilh ufe all their endeavouri , 327 '■'1 i m ii f jftS APPENDIX. to introduce into the French colonies, negroes^ provifions, and merchandize. Englilh veflcls arc flopped every day, and moll of them arc confif- cated. The Englifli merchants are very ready to run this rilque, and his Majefly has made no demand upon this fubjedt of the Court of England, becaufe he intends that all the veffels which are flopped fhall flill be confifcatcd. But the complaint his Majedy has to make, is, that Englilh men of yrar come frequently to the French colonies, and anchor under different pre- tences in the ports and roads, where they frau- dulently introduce negroes and merchandize. There are even fome who bring laden boats along with them, and protedt their trade. Thefc Eng- lifh vefTels would already have been attacked by thofe of the King, if his Majefly had not taken care to recommend to the Commanders, to treat the Captains of the King of England's fhips with politenefs ; which attention hath hitherto reflrain- cd his Majefly *s ofHcars. * But as it appears, that the Englifh officers make an improper ufe of this politenefs, he recommends it to Coupt Broglio to defire the Court of England to forbid the Englifh Officers from going to the French colo- nies, to trade there. This is reafonable, and fo much the more neceffary, as his Majefly cannot avoid taking meafures to prevent the continuance i qf this infradliofi. n?**^^': .) rm? -:;,:? > Dons at VcrfafUes, the nth of April 1724. (Signed) .m; Lewis. : :« And lower down, Phelipeaux. Memorial APPENDIX. a*9 . I /- I 1 ^ .V . L. J ;;; W- ; ftfc . _» J, « iltiiC the :olo- fo nnot ance 24. fx. orinl 1V Memorial concerning maritime Commerce, Navigation^ and the Colonies ; to ferve for InJiru£iions to Count "^" BrogliOf Lieutenant General of the King's forces, ' ' and jimbajfador Extraordinary from his Majefiy to the King of England, ■J'it f/U /l-.l ;r HIS Majefty having chofcn Count Broglio to rcfide in quality of AmbafTador Extraordinary to the King of Great Britain, is fo perfuidcd of the Count's zeal for his fervice, of which he has given fo many proofs, that the King doubts not of his paying every poflTible attention to the affairs con- cerning maritime commerce, navigation, and the colonies, as alfo to what has been regulated upon thefe points, by the treaties of peace and commerce concluded at Utrepht, the i ith of April 17 13, •<^-5 ».l 1 f -l.'':.'! ,r.\:v:>' Herring Fijhery. ;1 'i . The herring fiflicrf which is carried on, on the coaft of Yarmouth, being able to increafe cpn- fiderably the commerce and navigation, of the French, his Majefty wifties that the Count would prevail upon the Englilh to grant him, upon this point, the fame proteftion and the fame advan- tages they give to the Dptch, and that the fub- jeds of his Majefty may have a fufficient extent of this coaft allowed them to carry on this fiftiery, without being obliged, as before, to keep thera- £:}Yes at diftance from land, to windward of the Englilh , »» u 1 \^ ,. a 330. APPENDIX. Englilh and Dutch j — that, when they arc under a neceifity of drawing in their veflels to Ihore, either from ftrcfs of weather, or to refit them, or to (hip the fiHi, they fhall not be obliged to pay the du- ties of import, which ought not to be required till the fifli be cxpofcd to falc j— -and that the frigates which the King of England keeps upon this coaft in the feafon of the filhery, (hall not exaft any thing from the French filhermen, under any pre- tence whatfoever. If Count Broglio can obtain all thcfe demands, which appear equitable in thcmfelves, and are very important for the fervice of his Majefty, he defires the Count would get the orders for this purpofe in writing, and fend them away immediately, addrefled to the Secretary of 3tate for the marine department. Maritime Forces of England, The Count will readily judge, that he cannot do the King a fervice more agrefcable to him, than to inform him exais imaginary poflefiion of an element which God has created to be common to all mankind, de- feats itfeif, and falls to the ground alfo, according to their own principles, when we confider that t^hc coaft of France in the Channel, is much more ex- tenfive than that of England,, and that the ports which his Majefty poffcfles there, are more nu- merous, and may eafily become as confiderable as thofe of England. Therefore, the reafons the;y allege, far from being favourable to them, would on the contrary turn to the advantage of France, if his Majeily were not convinced that the fea i$ open to all nations, and does not belong to any particular Crown. It muft further be confidered^ that when the late King fhewed fome complaifance to England upon this point, on account of the peculiar friendfhip fubfifting between his Majefty and the two Kings, Charles II. and James II. the navy of France had not yet acquired that degree of eminence to which it has fmce been raifed, and which hath rendered it fuperior to that of other nations. If it has fince fufFered fome diminution, -' • ' - and •■> •M-T'i-ri' .-v,—'-* B33 'f ;. i-'ji li^'UI l!^;ii ffln in :i| H "4 jnfl i' imB p HI ^ Ml 534 A P I* E N D I i. and been a little weakened, it is ftilli however, rc- fpeftable by it*s ftrength and it's bravery. Be- fides, the rights of his Majcfty, and the dignity of his Crown, ftill fubfift in their^fuU force. Nevcr- thelefs, as the King's intention is ftill to niaintain a good underftanding between the two nations i chat he has nothing more at heart than to pre- vent every ftcp that might contribute in the leaft to interrupt it ; and that the queftion about the falute might occafion differences, and even fca-en- gagementSi between the fhips of the two nations ; his Majefty, in order to give new proofs of the efteem he has for the Englifh nation, is willing that Count Broglio fhould confent, that the fhips of ieither ftate and of equal force, (hall ftot falute each other iri the Channel, when they meet there, and that fhips of fuperior rates fhall be faluted by thofe that are inferion 'With refpedt to the other feas, tlie £nglifh are iibt to pretend to difpUtfc the falUte due to his Majefty^s flag. The rank which his Am'bafTador^ hold, and the precedency they enjoy in all Cdurts^ is a certain proof of thisi and it would Be ah ex- traordinary thing, while the AmbafTador of En- gland is obliged to give way to that of France; the Englifh fhips fhould difpute the falute with French vefTcls of equal rate. If the King of Great Britain fhould therefore propofe this quef- tion to Count Broglio, his Majefty defires that the Count would not give way upon a point whiqh is fo legitimately due to the Crown of France. But,' APPENDIX. ,, But, in order to fliew ftill further the refpedt which his Majefty entertains for the Englilhi he thinks it proper that the Count fhould a^ree that the falute fhall be returned by the French fhips in the moft refpedlful manner $ that is to fay, gun for gun between fhips of the fame rank, and men OI war* , ,,.;-, .^,.. :,^, .>.•;' ,;.-!, ,M ■-•t'^i •ff'. ♦r-«r)' The Count fhall likewife agree, that the French fhips fhall 6rfl falute the Englifh fhjps, bearing any mark of fuperior command, and with fuch number of guns as fhall be fired on both fides, as the Englifh fhall think proper to fix ; his Majefly being willing that his fhips fhould be treated, in this refpe6b, as thofe of the Englifh will be which have faluted a French flag of fuperior rank. So that from ,an inferior to a fuperior flag, there fhall be a difference of two or four gunsj and it is of little confequence to his Majefly in what manner the number be fixed, provided that the proper fu- periority be always kept up. ,,, ,.,.,..,, ^ V.^ ,,i If England propofes alfo to regulate the faluite that is to be given to forts, his Majefly confents that the regulations fhall be upon the fame footr ing on both fides j that is to fay, that the French and Englifh fhall firfl falute the forts of the other nation with a certain number of guns, and that the falute fliall be returned to the fhips of Vice Admirals with an equal number, and with two guns lefi for the Rear Admirals and Commodores, and four lel^ for a mere man of war. ,,,^., ,,.^ Count Broglio will obferve, that the Englifli ' " ■ ' -^ have w n S' Ml ly m 33^ :-? A F ^ E N D f i. hav^ a much greater number of flags of digrfity* than other nations, fo that the orders which his Majefty gives in this relpeft, are only to bd underftood of that flag of the Englifh nation which is red with white quarters, and charged with a red cfofs ; for the blue and white flags, which they chiefly ufe in line of battle, are properly only flags for fignals. But if England fliould be de- firous of reckoning thefe flags, of dignity, his Am- baflfador fliall agree that the blue flag, or that Which is half white and half blue, which the French fometimes ufe, fliall be treated in the fame manner by the Englifli. -y ; f:. 1 ' /> :-'t':,K., French Colonies in Americd, Several rontefl:s have arifen between France andi England, touching the French colonies in Ame- ■ rica i and the Englifli have committed many in- fraftions of the treaty of peace concluded at ' Utrecht between the two Crowns. They are detailed in the King's memorial, which Count Broglio will find inclofed. The intentions of his Majefty are there explained : it is mentioned^ that reprefentatiofts are to be made, arid orders to be aflced for from his Britannic Majeflry, to re- cftablifli all things, and put them upon a proper ;- Vf: Rdnfom of the IJland of Neviti;h ^p :rMu i The perfons concerned in the equipment of a fquadron of eleven fliips^ commanded by the late 1 M. • 4,. APPENDIX. M. d'lbervillc, Have riot yet been able to obtain the payment of 140,000 piaftres *, and intereft, which are due to them fince the year 1706, for the ranfom of the ifland of Nevis, as it appears by the inclofed memorial of thefe proprietors. The King defires, that Count Broglio would employ his good offices, in the name of his Majefty, towards the King of England, in their favour, in order that this affair may be fettled without delay. ,. . Fijhery on the great Bankt Moft of the maflers of veffels returned laft year from the great Bank, have declared to the Admiralty, that the Englilh men of war have forbidden them to keep upon this Bank, under a pretence that the northern flip has been ceded to (heir nation, and that the French are now only allowed to fi(h on the fouthern flip. They have obliged them to quit the fifhery, threaten- ing to fink them j and they have fired canon, or mufkees charged with balls, at them, chafing them till they were driven off to a diftance. His Majefly has caufed complaints to be made directly to the King of England, upion the novelty of this attempt, an^ the extraordinai'y means ex- ercifed by the Captains of fhips to fupport it. His Minifters have in faffc acknowledged the in- juflice of this proceedings which is abfolutely re- pugnant to the arrangements of the treaty of • About twenty-five thonfand pounds. - ' ' ' - ' ; Vol. I. Z tJtMchc; 337 i ^ ij, WW m m 33l5 A P K^ E N D I X. Utrecht. Although the King be pcrfuaded thdt the Captains of men of war, who have been to the Bank this year, have received orders to leave the French entirely at liberty, as it hath been pradifed in ttll times — the fea and this trade being open to all nations — yet his Majefty wiflies that the aforefaid orders fhould be made public, and that Count Broglio fhould Iblicit this of the King of Great Britain, that the officers of the Britifli navy being informed of them, may fulfil them ex- actly, and may not, upon any preteiwre whatever, , moleft the French (hips in their fifhery upon the any n of th( His dent i his fei moftc all pof ability Done i8i Unforefeen Affairs, \ -\V^ifi As in the courfe of the Count's embafly, ftveraf incidents may happen^ which it is difficult to provide againft in thelc inftruiSlions, his Majefty experts from his Ambaflador's prudence, that up- on thefe occafions he will a6t in a maimer that . ihall be moft agreeable to his Majefty, and molt beneficial to his fubjeds j and that he will take care to inform his Majefty every poft what pafles, as much with refpeft to the prefent memorial, as •to any unforefeen matters concerning maritime commerce, navigation, and the colonics, in order that, according to the accounts received, his Ma- jefty may make known his intentions to him through the channel of the Secretary of State for the marine department i and when there fliall be oi if. ^ ^-Wi g:l ■rnd v- :v any APPENDIX* any matter requiring fecrecy, he is to make ufe of the inclofed cypher. His Majefly relics in every thing upon his pru- dent forecaft, being perfuaded that his zeal for his fervice will be ever the fame, and that in the moft difficult affairs he will conduft himfelf with all poffible firmtiefs, fagacity of underftanding, and ability. ---...-.,. ,♦ , -. , . :, Done at Verfailles the 1 8th of May 1734. ■ >, or-/- :• >»'tt -It;-'. /I =.,.!, i . '' ' '; \ (' . » '«• ; ■ , ,!r •,c Mt«;n ^i-riw ;tirrt vis^"?^ Y:^^?i,M *■*• •r*,.-v.. -: • '.> mid iii^-^icw-rm^Tf^ Za ....jr .APPENDIX ""-^ iiiitii *?i3f^b il^^-^ J:m:". .: ,,»«vf!- '::r^\-_ '- i-i-pV:. ^1/ 3J9 hilt r ri 'I^^U' .^M ■. ^1^: * 'i^-. ■V:;. ; ,.,,: u.;.j >.-.'.' 7^: :..'. v.1^.' ,• ^ -.../'■ ': ('r.;: ' ' '". 'iu Z}-:j:. : .1: 'L> • j'.-'..ll> .■ /.»/ 1.. i*i«-74 -"■<••■ J*»«ii , ..,""' ' ! ' I f ' " ' . ' ■ . • tttter from the Marquis d^JrgiftfoH, Mnifler fir Foreign Affairs, to M^deVoltarret ttifioriografber, f ■* , ■; « v»a ' ^ ' "' ' " ' - ■ » ■ - 1 ! ' • V '. ■ ■ r \ ,'-■ -• ' i *\ t;-T 7;r Monsieur l*Historien, ;!; ' YOU muft have been informed, by Wedncl^ day in the evening, of the news upon which you congratulate us fo much. A Page was dif- patched from the field of battle, on Tuefday at half an hour after two, to carry the letters, I ynderftand th^t he arrived at Verfaillcs at five p'clock in the afternoon on Wcdnefday. It w^s a Z 3 glorious -1 ..^ h, i 34* > 1 .APPENDIX. glorious fight to fee the King and the Dauphin, writing upon a drunn, furroundcd by the con- Tqiici'ora» ric jcorB^uriTii»-ihR rifftri^-tfac :dying, snd the prifoncrs. I fhall give you n,n account of ibme particulars which 1 remarked. •■- '^ . JL had the^l^onoyr pf mating , the King on §|ijidayje^ ver^, nfear t\^ tficld^t]f baftje ; i was jlril arrived from Paris, at the quarters at Chin ; and was told that the King was gone out. I called for a horfej ^lyl join/cd. hi^^M^cft.)^ near a place from whence' '"(fee Vt^la fc^ tnc ertcmy's camp. The King was the firft perfon who informed me of the ftate of things, as they were then fuppofed to be. I never law ^ny man lb chearful upon this occafion as our mafter was. We canvafled precifely that point of -kij^ory, which you dif- cufs in four lines — who was the laft of our Kings that had gained a battle in perfon. I aflure yqu, that the <;ourajge difplayed did no injury ;^o the judjgment^ nor the judgment to tl^e trie- mory. From thence we went to lie dowB upon ilraw ; and never was a ball-night more jovial, nor were there ever fo many good things faid. We flept all the -time (fhisc -vlirfc were nor mk^r- rup;ed by Couriers, light troops, and Aids-de- tm^i- Th^' 'Mt^ '{kng ' a fd/ig CdnfiftlAg t)f teahy v^erf'ds^ifi'd ^^^^hf^' is Vdry 'drbH. As for "the Dkuph'rhj lie (b.eMd h'6'ih6te''6on6em^h6iit Vhe'tele, A'dn'iflie had b(ien k h^^e-'hilntrng ^and afrhbh: 'ft'?d : ^* Is this dl' ?** A ca^bil-'ball'fen m th6 dirt,^ihd fj^lafliM a mkn'Who^fl!<5i(!Kl ftti^r ■'the Krng. : 'diii^ 'rtf^iters l^glicd hcarfity-^ Iris •^'-^^- :: t .^- dirty APPENDIX. dirty figure. One of my brother's grooms, who was in the rear of our company, was wounded in the head by a mufket-ball. It is abfolutely true and certain, without the leaft tindlure of flattery, that the King himfelf gained this battle by his own refolution and firm- nefs. You will fee the accounts and particulars. You will find, that there was one dreadful hour, in which we expeded nothing lefs than a re- newal of the afl^air at Dettingen -, our Frenchmen, awed by the fteadinefs of the Englifh, and by their rolling fire, which is really infernal, and, I con- fefs to you, is enough to ftupify the moft uncon- cerned fpeftators. Then it was that we began to defpair of our qaufe. Some of our Generals, who have lefs courage and ardour, than underftand- *"g» gave very prudent counfels. Orders were fent as far as Lifie ; the King's guard was doubled j we were packing up, &c. Upon this, the King made a jefl: of every thing, and, go- ing from the left to the center, afked for the corps de referve, and the brave Lowendhal ; but there was no need of it:— a falfe corps de referve charged : it was the fame cavalry that had charged before in vain, the King's houfe- jjiold, Carabineers, the remains of the French guards, and the Irifh, which are excellent troops, efpecially when they march againft the Englifh, and the Hanoverians. Your friend, M. de Richc- lieu, is quite a Bayard. It was he who gave the advice, and who put it in execution, of attacking the infantry like chaffeurs, or foragers, with the :■ '\'^ . ■ Z 4 ' ■ ' ■ ' hand 343 S44 jjj • APPENDIX. hand lowered, and the arm Ihortcncd, pcll-mclI, mailers, footmen, officers, cavalry, and infantry* all together. Nothing can refift this French viva- city, which is fo much talked of. In ten minutes the battle was won by this fecret attack. The large battalions of the Englifh turned their backs, and, to make fhort of the matter, 14,000 men were killed *. ••* '-^ v^^vJ-i '**'*-■■ h .lii.*?!*^ ♦*!• The credit of this horrid butchery belongs in- deed to the canon. Never were there fo many nor fo large canon fired in any general aflion, as at this battle of Fontenoy. There were a hun- dred pieces. It (hould feem, Sir, as if thefc poor enemies had taken a plcafure in allowing every thing that was moft prejudicial to them to ar- rive i fuch as the canon from Douay, the Gen- darmerie, and the Moufquetaires, tvsrv..' r^^Mii i You muft remember one anecdote which hap- pened at the laft charge I have juft been men- tioning. The Dauphin, by a yery natural im- pulfe, drew his fword with the beft grace in the world, and was going to join in the charge; but he was defired not to do it. That 1 may not, however, omit telling you the bad with the good, I have obferved, that a habit is too foOn ac- quired of viewing with tranquillity, upon the field of battle, the naked dead bodies, the enemies at the laft gafp, and the wounds ftill reeking. As for my part, I own, that my heart failed me, and I was obliged to have recourfe to a fmelHng- • Th^re were indeed 14,000 men milling at the roll-cal!- ing; but about 6,000 returned the iame day. '4 bottle, h h( APPENDIX. bottle. I took particular notice of our young heroes, and found them too indifferent upon this fubjeft. I was apprehenfive, left, in the courfe of a long life, the tafte for this inhuman carnage might increafe. The triumph is the fineft fight in the world ; the acclamations of Vive le Roy — the hats waved in the air, at the end of the bayonets — the com- pliments which are paid by the mafter to his war^ riors— the vifiting of the incrcnchments, the vil- lages, and the redoubts that are ftill fo entire—- the joy, the triumph, the fenfibility that univer- fally prevails i— but ftill, the melancholy bafis of all this is human blood, and human flefh. Towards the end of the rejoicing, the King ho- noured me with a converfation about a peace ; and I have difpatched Couriers. The King was very mych entertained yefterday at the trenches. He was fired at very often, but remained there three hours« I was at work in my clofet, which is my entrenchment j for I acknowledge, that thefe dilTi- pations have m^de ipe much in arrear with my affairs. I trembled every time I he^rd the firing. The day before yefterday I went to view the trenches by myfclf. It is no very curious fight in the day- time. To-day we arc to have a Te Deum under a * tent, with a general volley from the army, which ^ the King is to go upon Mount Trinity to fee. It - will be a grand fight ! • *-■ •*■- , *.. ^. » S4I \A HI 346 APPENDIX. "'; .;^'*|V ' r 1 *■■ 1 ' '' *j .. ' ' , - • ;')*■-?,; X ■,n.-.u>3i J :\r hr.r-_. . ', ':•■.■ - • :■■,!, l(ii-\.: hiu* ^j".^,7^£ V V ;'■■• -V't ( ■■'••. N» II. ■^ ^..'^ I •s-r;\^*£ *. . '-t I •■ ■■■' ■ 1- ■ .) , , , . . 4.5> Z,f//^r from the Dauphin to the Dauphinefsy upon the Battle of Fontenoi. . »; ;«'/v ON Sunday, at one o'clock in the afterhoon, the King was informed that the enemy were not diflant from us more than a league. He immediately ordered the army to crofs the Scheld. He joined it after dinner, towards five o'clock in the evening, and found an incredible degree of ardour among the troops. He ad- vanced in the front of the camp, to a place from whence he could difcern'part of the enemy. Some firing paffed towards the evening between their huflars and our light-troops, who have for thefe few days done wonders. About nine o'clock, the King repafTed the Scheld, upon a bridge that had been thrown acrofs, at half a league's diftance from Tournai, towards the citadel, and came to deep at a miferabfe houfe in a village called Calon^ie, where every body laid upon ftraw, except he and!. The next day, Monday, tlie King got up at half an hour after three, and dmed at eight. He did not get on horfeback to examine the fitua^ tion of the enemy till noon. He faw that their camp was become more apparent. There was fome little firing between our advanced pofts, but this did not caule any movement in either of the armies. As APPENDIX. As tke King was returning, about three o'clock in the afternoon, he met fome foragers, who had flung away their truffes, and were returning full fpeed to iht camp, faying, that the enemy were in itiotion. The King turned back, and faw iii reality that the enemy's left wing Was marching towards the village of Antoin. It could not yet be imagined that they meant to attack us, becaufe, it was faid, they fmelt too long at the phyfic, to have any inclination to fwallow it. Accordingly, on that night nothing was done, difpolitions were only made for the next day. .' -' . \ /' ■ --' ' The King rofe before four o'clock in the morn- ing J he mounted his hotfe, crofTed the Scheld, flopped a little on this fide of a chapel, called Notre Dame des his. He afterwards advanced upon a fmall rifing ground, from whence he had a diftinft view of the enemy's camp, as well as of ours. Between nine and ten o'clock, he called for his breakfaft. As it was going to be brought to him, the enemy began the attack of the poft of Fontenoy, from whence M. de la Vauguyon, at the head of the Dauphin's brigade, repulfed them vigoroufly, fo that they did not venture to repeat their attack. The King was obliged to quit the rifing ground, becaufe the enemy's canon bore full upon it. He could never prevail upon the fugitives to return to the charge j great part of them were footmen, who fpread the alarm among the reft. During the retreat, which afflided him exceedingly, his countenance did not change, and 347 p li 'i 34$ APPENDIX. he gave his orders with a coolncfs which every body admired. When the enemy had forfaken the field of battle, the King appeared upon it, and was received with incredible acclamations of joy. He gave orders that the wounded Ihould be taken care of, as well foes as friends. This affair has been, called the Battle of Fontenoi, In the even- ing, towards nine or ten o'clock, the King was in- formed that the enemy retreated in diforder; that there was a great mifunderftanding between the ipnglilh and the Dutchj and that at the roll-calling, there were 1 5,000 men miffing, while we have Joft but 2,000 i fo that you fee the King has sained a complete victory. The poor Duke de Granimont was killed by a canon-ball, which broke his thigh. Adieu, my dear wife, I love ypu more tji^n rpyfclf, ,, u.< hf< .;-i •r'f ^h:-;- { .rM^''-'^-; *4 -•. ^^O f^f ♦ -^* ■A* '« '! . . -- >J ;,■ ' , " •' -,. '••..•4 ^' - /;* ■ . ... ' •\S- •r*' z*'^-:?. ;;?l;i ■■'* r# ••' . , ''MM ■ .'^.^1 N» III. or,-: jp A P 1? 6 N D I iC. N° III. ..p.. Manifefto of the King of France y in favour of Prime ■ .V , -'• r Charles Edward* ! S. HIS moft Serene Highnefs, f*rlnce ChdrUs £dward> having landed in Great Britain^ with no other alliftance than his courage, and alt his afbions having gained him the admiration of Eu- rope, and the hearts of all true Englilhmen, the King of France has been induced to think as tliey do. He has thought it his duty at once to fuc- cour a Prince fo worthy of the throne of his an- ceftors, and a generous nation, the wifeft men of which, recall, at length, the Prince Charles Stuart into his country. He fends the Duke de Richelieu at the head of his troops, only becaufe the beft-in- tentioned men among the Englifh alked for that fupport J and he precifely confines himfelf to the number of troops demanded, ready to withdraw them as foon as the nation Ihall require their re- moval. His Majefty, in giving fo reafonable an afliftance to his relation, to the fon of fo many Kings, to a Prince who fo much deferves the Crown, takes this ftcp, with regard to the Englifh nation, only in the view and in the aflurance of pacifying by that means England, and Europe, fully convinced that his moft Serene Highnefs Prince Edward puts his confidence in their good- will J that he looks upon their liberties, the main- taining of their laws, and their happinefs, as the end U$ 3P APPENDIX. end of all his enterprizes ; and finally, that the greateft Kings of England are thofe, wn.^ being brought up like him in adverfity, have defervcd the love of the nation. - , .. ., It is from thefe motives that the King aflifts the Prince, who has put himfelf under his protedion, the fon of him who vas born legitimate heir to the three kingdoms } the warrior, who, notwi|h- ftanding his valour, expefls only from them and their laws the confirmation of his nioft facred rights i who can never have any other intereft than theirs J and, in a word, whofe virtues have foftened the hearts of thofe who were the i^fioft prejudiced :againft hiscaufe. .. ., , He hopes th^t fuch an opportunity will re-unite two nations, which mqft reciprocally efteem eaich others which arc naturally conneded by the mutual wants of their commerce j and which fhould be joined at prefent in the caufe of a Prince who de- ferves the good wiflies of all nations. i The Duke de Richelieu, who commands the troops of his Maje%, the King of France, addreflfe* this declaration to all the faithful iubj efts of Great Britain, and aflures them of the conftant protec- tion of the King his mailer. He is come to joia the heir of their antient Krngs, and to Ipillj as* well a» him> his blood in their fervice. 7*;:) :':ii]::! ■■-.:::;;. o' i. •■;•!'- .m p' •■ ? ?;^-:> i- :0 ,'.•;! -..'J-;; ":r;:-'. ;;i:^M; .ijJci;, -^^ ■ dtX- -''Vri'' A P P E N D I Xr .;:,. ; •■ N"v. .■ :■: Reprefentations of the Bijhops to the King, of the nth of June 1752. SIRE, -r.\:' THEfilence we have hitherto obferved upon the evils that afflidt us, and thofe with which we are threatened, was founded upon a principle of moderation and charity. Content with raifing our hands up to Heaven, and imploring in fecrer, by our vows and fupplic^tions, the mercy of the Lord, we were in hopes that the prejudices, which have feduced the greateft part of the Magiftrates of your Parliament of Paris, would fubfide ; that they would at length open their eyes to the light ; and that they '- ould, of their own accord, pay an homage to truth* which in faft their hearts have never refufed. But, Sire, the wound which this tribunal has given to religion, becomes every day fo deep, that we fhould think we betrayed the holy miniftry, which has been intrufted to us, if we de- ferred any longer to lay our complaints at the foot of your Majefty's throne, and to make you ac- quainted with our grief and our alarms. In fad, Sire, can we, without being flricken with the greateft aftoniihment, behold the Parliament of Paris giving out an order to prevent any pub- lic refufal of the facraments, under pretence (fay they) that the Bull Unigenitus has not been ac- cepted ? 35* m ^5* A P P K N l!) i X!. cepted ? Shall a fecular tribunal then decide, th^ the fubmiflion to a conftitution, which is a dog- matic and unalterable fentence of the univerfat church, a laW of the church in point of dodrine, and a law of the ftaite, is a matter of no con- fequence to falvation ? They pretend then that the fucraments Ihould be adminiftered to a perfon who refufes to fubmit to fuch a law, with- out even excepting the cafe wherein fuch a refufal flriould be obftinate, public, notorious, and fcan- dalous t if they determine, that in fuch a cafe v^' are not at liberty to fefufe the facramcnts, they may with equal propriety determine, that they cannot be refufed in any other cafe they may chvfc to mention. If the authority refides with them, of fettling the cafes in which we may notre- fufe the facraments, why Ihould they not alfohave the right of fettling the inftances in which we may adminifcer them? A lay tribunal has then the right to ftate the fufficiency or infufficiency of the ' difpofiti IS in which a perfon is with regard to the reception of the facraments, and confequently t > decide upon what renders the faithf^:! worthy or unworthy of receiving tb^m. What reproaches Ihould we not have to make to ourfelves, Sire, if depofitar: ,5 as we are of religio^tj we fhould fufFe. in iilence t)t arrogate to ther /elves the Priefthood, in aiipenfmg the holy myfteries, and boldly to ufurp f gti fpiritual authority a power, which it's Minifters alone h^ve received from Jefus Chrift i a power, the excrcife of which is not lefs forbidden /{> '•e fecular Judges acred rights of the or to ay ihc nd ■rer> lea APPENDIX. forbidden to Chriftian Magiftrates, by divine and eccjefiaflical laws, than it is prohibited to them as fubjefls, by the cleareft and mdft exprefs ordon- n&nces of our Kings; ? ran ■/). ■r^/ ? - ^^J « \hi '^^ Permit usj Sircj to mention fonrie of thbfe laws and oi"donnances to yout Majefty, which ought to be rules of your Parliament's condud^ and upon which bur hopes are founded, o^'faj^^t^.T airv .7 m Jcfus Ghrift fpoke to his Apoftles> both with regard to themfelves and tcf their fuccefi'orsi when he faid : Go ye iherefare and teach all nations^ bap- tizing them in the name of the Father, &c. And, in- ftrufting them to obferve all the things which ht had taught and commanded them, it is to thennt that he fays : He who heareth youi heareth me : and he who defpifeth you, dej^ifeth me. It is to them that he has addrelTed thefe words : Whatfoever- thou jhalt bind on earthi Jkall he bound in heaven, and whatfoever thou Jhalt loofe on earth, Jhall be loo fed in hea'o::*. It is of us that the Apoftle Saint Paul has fpok^ii^ when he has faid: The Holy Ghofi hath made you overf^ers to feed the Ghurch of Godj which he hath "f^nr chafed with his own blood, iv \\ i*' ; -l-i • It therefore belongs to us, Sirej to teach and prefcribe what concerns religion, and, as St. Hilary has faid, to preach the faith, which we have re- ceived from the Apoftlcs, in the terms which we judge nlolt proper. ut mr 4 i ■:t^\\'V^i '* JVhere J/' excUims St, Athanafius, " IVhere " is the canon which pre fcri bes to a Bijljop to deceive " his miffionfrofn thefecular tribunal?'* -^^^4* ^^aniw 3iZ YoL.h ^'^'^¥;f^y€^-. -A « 1 -»• '>U> !'4i \m 354 do not un- ** dertake to judge your judges, or to give laws **. to yourlegiflators." . Such, Sire, is the doftrine, which, from ag« to Age, has been tranfmitted to us by the Holy Fa- thers, thofe refpedlable men, whofe facred tefti- nionies form the feries of tradition. Pope Gela- zius, writing to the Emperor Anaftafius, exprcfics himfelf thus : ** There are two means, by which •* this world is governed, the facred authority of *\ the BiiHops> and the Regal power." The epifcopal charge is of fo much the higher importance, as it is by them that an account of the condudl of Kings themfelves is to be rendered at the divine tribunal j for you know^ thit although your dignity raifes you above all the general race of mankind, you bow your neck before th« Pi-e- lates 5 you receive the Sacraments from their hands, and APPENDIX. and you are fubjefted to them in what refpefts re- ligion : you follow their decifions, and they are not bound by your will. But if the Bilhops obey your edids as far as regards political concerns, and temporal interefts, knowing that you have re- ceived power from above, with what afFedionato readitiefs ought you to fubmit yourfclf to them, who are commiflTioned to difpenfe the Sacraments ? " With regard to this lire>" fays St. Fulgen- tius, in a paflfage which the Emperor Charle- main himfelf.has adopted " no one in the Church " of Jefus Chrift is above the Pontiffs, as in fe- " cular matters no one is above the Chriftian *' Emperor." '^a •> In i M*^'^' . "ji\wr: '"' I'-i-?;''.-' MvOfius> Bifliop of Cordova, in a letter which he wrote to the Emperor Conftantine, afrer hav- ing engaged him not to favour the. Arians any more againft the Catholics, continues in theft terms : " I defire you would aft in this man- ncrj and remember that you are a mortal man. Dread the day of judgment j do not interfere "with ecclefiaftical affairs, and do not pretend to give us directions in thefe matters ; receive tliem rather from us. God has^given you the Empirci and has intruffed the Church to us. As any perfoh who incroaches upon your power afts contrary to the orders of God ; lb likewife do you fear to draw the imputation of a great crime upon yourfclf, by interfering in our con- 355- cc U cc IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I m 12.5 1^ m ■ 2.2 ■ 2.0 li 1.25 ||_U III 1.6 ^ 6" ► ■•^ ,%^'"1 /iJ w V Photografiric Sdences Corporalion Jv ^ ^ if' ^\ 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WiBSTiR.N.Y. MSSO (716) •72-4503 ;\ u. ^S9 APPENDIX. ** apartments in our palace j that they Ihould not ** have, cither with ourfelves or any others, foci- " ety or comnnunication ; but that, on the contrary, " they fliojjld be feverely punifhed. This is the " mark of fidelity and attachment to us, which " we require from our faithful fubjefts. If they " are faithful in their obedience to their Paftors, " they will then be faithful to God, and to us." * We fliouid take up, Sire, your attention for too long a time, if we were to lay before your Majefty all the laws which have been made by the Kings your predeceflbrs, to maintain the authority of the Minifters of the Church ; and your Parlia- ment can quote none that can ferve to favour their cnterprife. We will confine ourfelves to the men- tion of fome of them that have been made within thele two centuries. ' '^ -^ ' ^ ' ^'^ '^'^ ^"^ ^''^ •' Francis I. in 1539, forbidding the Ecclefiaftical Judges to cite to their tribunals laymen, in matters that ^re merely perfonal, adds, without "prejudice, however, to the ecclefiaftical jurifdic- don. With regard to the Sacraments, and other lilatters, merely fpirirual and ecclefiaftical. *' Lewi's XIII. again, diftindly acknowledged the jurifdi6l1on of the Church, when, in Article IV. bf his edid of the. ift of Auguft 1610, he ex- prefTes himfelf in this manner: " It is our plea- *' fure, that when our ofiicers, under pretence of " .poflefTipn, complaints, or novelties, Ihall be dif- "' pofed, direftly or indiredly, to take cognizance •I *' of any fpiritual matter, concerning the Sacra- ^* ments, ofiices, conduit and'difcipline of the *' Church, the IV. (C (( C( ents. ^^^ -^u^ .^^^.^^;.. i-fi^y^^^yi>* APPENDIX. In 173 1> the jurifdi<5tion of the Church having been violently attacked, your Majcfty cxprcffcd yourfclf in a manner very capable of encouraging the Minifters of jefus Chrift, by ifluing, on the loth of March, in your Council, a decree which fignifies, " that your Majefty, ever attentive to fulfil every thing that religion requires from your power, without being wanting in any thing you owe to yourfelf, confiders it as your firft duty to prevent, that, on occafion of thcfe difputes, the rights of a power fliould be called in queftion, which has received from God alone the authority of deciding queftions of doftrine upon the law, and upon the regulation of man- ners — to make canons, or rules of difcipline, for the condudl of the Minifters of the Church, ** and of the faithful, in the order of religion — to appoint or fet afide their Minifters, in con- formity to the fame rules — and to infure obedi- ence, by impofing upon the faithful, according to canonical orders, not only falutary penances, but real fpiritual punifhments, by the fentences or cenfures which the Superior Clergy have a right to pronounce and to publifli, and which are fo much the more formidable, as they pro- duce their efFeft upon the foul of the guilty perfon ; whofe oppofition does not prevent him from bearing, contrary to his will, the punilh- " ment to which he is condemned." ^ "\" By a decree of the 6th of July of the fame year, your Majefty broke and annulled a decree of the parliament of Paris, becaufc it gave an injunftion to z^:^ cc cc tt, tt tt cc cc cc tt tt tt cc cc cc cc cc v*l .,, A decree of your Parliament, given on the ift of September 1740, afforded your Majefty an op- portunity of exprefling yourfelf yet more clearly and pofitively upon this interference, fo rafhly and fo frequently renewed. The Parliament, by that decree, had prohibited all afts or writings authorifing a refufal of the Sacraments, and of ecckfiaftical burial, on the foundation of an Ap- peal from the conftitution UmgenifuSf under fuch •penalties as might be inflided. '- ^^^ dpi*i« *-; Your Majefty, by a decree of the 6th of the /;^me month, ordered that the faid provifion V, ' 2 ftiould of t< c( APPENDIX. ihould be regarded as null, and having had no cxiftence ; annulling, at the fame time, all judg- ments that might be executed or palTed in con- Icqucnce thereof. The motives which excited your Majefty's indignation againft the Parlia- mentary decree, and which are recited in the preamble to the decree of the Council, are, *• that ** it is not lawful for Magiftratcs to exceed the " limits of their power, by attempting to exercifc •* it in matters merely fpiritual, fuch as the rules " that arc to be obferved with rcfpeft to the " adminiftration of the Sacraments, and to the judgment to be formed upon the difpofitions neceflary to receive them." Neverthelefs, your Majcfty hath had the mortification to fee this in a decree, whereby they manifeftly decide, that the rcfufal of the Sacraments is unjuft in the cafe therein fet forth, becaufe they cxprefsly prohibit any wTitin^-, and even any aft in juftification of fuch a refufal j as if a fecular tribunal could have a right to impofe laws on the JMinifters of the Church, in what regards the difpenfation of facred matters} that is to fay, in what is moft effen- tially united to the power which they derive from God himfelf j befides that the terms made ufe of in this decree of the Parliament, where they fpeak of an appeal to the next Council on the fubjecl of the conftitution UnigenituSi feemed to fuppoie, and even to infinuate, that an appeal, which the King had previoufly declared to be nvll, as far back as the year 1720, and which he had abfolutely forbidden to be made ifl fu- , . . i ture. 3^5 :l!i '^ ^66 ^A P P E N D I X. ture, can yet be valid for the indemnification of thofe who on that ground might perfift in their oppofition to a fentencc folenii^ly acceded to by • the Biihops of this kingdom, received by the Church in general, fupported by letters patent, regiftered in all the Parliaments, and fo often confirmed by the authority of the Royal affent. Laws fo explicit, orders fo conformable to the didfcates of religion- and juftiee, were not of force to reftrain the fecular tribunals^ The Judge Delegate of the Supreme Court of Angers, obli- ged your Majefty to explain yourlelf afrefh, two years after, on the fame fubjeft j and, by a decree of your Council, dated 5th of January 1742, you repeated and made void a fentence pronounced by that Judge, as Commiffioner in that part of the. Parliament of Paris, refpeding the adminiftra- tion of the Sacraments ', the fentence being de- clared to have been given without authority, and to be an incroachment on the Epifcopal jurifdic« tion. 1 f^^ix V**'- ^5 The decree paflcd in the Council of State, dit the 1,7th of Odober in the fame yefu-, occafion-* cd by a decree of the Parliament of Pari^, or- dering, that a pamphlet, intitlcd Cas de Con/cience, fhould be burnt by the public Exeautfoneri fur- niAies another exemplary proof of your Majefty's religious zeal. ^ „^ r^'t- 1» « i ;4^ j .r.» ^i ^ < S114 Speaking of the "Parliament of* Paris, it is there- faid, " that the Secular Judges bught at leaft to ** hare abftained from giving to the wofk they ' ^[ condemned a qualification, by which they feem^ " ed C( (( >» id APPENDIX. *^ ed to have taken upon themfelves the foiution " of this cafe of confcience, and to hare made *' themfelves judges of the difpofitions rcquifiee "for a worthy participation of the Sacraments, '* and of the fubmllTion which is due to the judg- ments of the Church in points merely of a re-^ ligious nature.'^ ' ••: r ^. .y,-^' r-r • : - •M Your Majefty 'goes on to fay, " that, as you ^* have already declared on fimilar occadons, that " you were far from confidcring matters purely ** fpiritual as being fubmitted to your authority, " fo you would not fufFer thofe. to whom you in- " trufted a part of that authority, for the purpofr *?. of adminiftering juftice, to exceed thofe bounds "= which you h^ prcfcribcd to yourfelf." isiYour Majefty. therefore ordained, that the con- demnation contained in the decree of the Pariia ■' ment Ihould be null, and of no efkdt, as if itf had never been. made. ^>•;♦^:^| *$«>)*'>,»* . i,..v>r.» ;» :ln' like nunner, the decree of your Couhdil, dated aad of January 1742, fupprefled an en- croachment of the Supreme Court of Rheims, Re- pealed and annulled two of their fentences given* in relation to the Sacraments, and forbad them to' interfere in future^*-*"? ^> * .;>> hjr*^*^»'p ^.i*i»J' .r».T., »» But that of the a ift of February 1747, which* equally proceeded from your authority, and Was* given 'on the occafion of the decree of the Par-' liament of Paris, dated the 17th ofithe fame month, affords too ftriking a proof of the fpecial protcdion which you afford to the Church/ nbe to be placed at length before your Majefty's>eye8 : 367 i\ ' 368 APPENDIX. the tenor of it, is «is follows : " His Majeft/ " would have obferved, that the art with which " this decree had been drawn, Icrves only to " point out, that the real objeA of thofe who were ** the authors of it, was, to weaken and render " ineifedtual all that the King had done, fince •* his happy acceflion to the Crown, to fupport " by his authority that of the Bull Unigeniius^ (o '* fully confirmed by the fanftion of the heads of the *' Church, that all thofc wlio are acquainted with ** the two decrees of the Grand Chamber, dated ** yth of January, and ill inflant, as well as •* with what preceded the decree in queftion, *' cannot doubt that their principal intention " was to prevent the conftitution Vnigenitus from " being regarded as a decifion of the univerfal *< church, in point of do^rine, although thefe '* are terms confecrated by his Majefty's ufe of "them, as well in his declaration of 24th of •' March 1730, regiftercd in his prefence by the *' Parliament of Paris, and afterwards by all the ** other Parliaments of* his kingdom, as in the ** decrees which he has pafled fince that declara- ** tion. That nothing, in fhort, difcovers more ^* plainly the fpirit of the decree of the 17th in- " ftant, than the afi^edlation with which they have attempted to give it certain glofles, by at- tributing to his Majefty intentions very fo- reign to thofe which he has always profefiTed,. as if they had meant to make him contradif); himfelf. But it is aftoniihing, that thofe who " have formed fuch a defign, Ihould not have re->> - ■' . " marked. «( cc u u cc cc <( (C cc cc CI - " tional principles, of which his Majefty hath ** been and always will be the guardian, as he '' hath fufficiently demonftrated by his attention to " fupprefs by his decrees whatever inijght operate " in co^radidion to them. Moved by all thefe <* various conftderations, his Majefty thinks hecan- *' not coo foon explain his intentions in reiped of « c( (c (( (t M APPENDIX. ** a decree fo evidently calculated to revive a flame, " the embers of which he is continually endea- vouring to extinguifli : And therefore, the King, being prefent in his Council, hath cancelled and *' annulled, and doth cancel and annul, the decrees *^ of the 17th inftant, ordering that they Ihall be *' void, and confidered as if they had never ex- *' ifted. Further, his Majefty ordaineth, that his ** declaration of the 24th of March 1730, as like- wife the decrees iflued by his Majefty relative to the authority of the conftitution, be obferved agreeable to their form and tenour, and doth of confequence dired and enjoin that the faid con- ftitution be obeyed with all the refpefb and fub- miflion which is due to an ordinance of the univerfal Church, in a matter of doftrine. His Majefty doth likewife, in the moft exprefs man-* ner, prohibit and bar any decree or deliberation to the contrary, to be had by his Court of Parlia- ** ment of Paris : And the prefent decree ftiall be ** read, &c. &c." i ' ' „^.What a fcene of peace and tranquillity. Sire, would your Majefty's dominions exhibit, if the conduft of your Parliament were conformable to your prudent and religious views ! But, in Ipite of the tenets of the Gofpel, the uninterrupted autho- rity of tradition, the laws of preceding Kings, and the repeated declarations of your Majefty on a point of fo high importance, the Minifters of the church. Curates, and even Paftors of the highcft rank, are expofed to greater infults in the exercife 9f their duties, than they have ever expericnce4 %' "^ ' Bb 2 finci J7t t( €< ■ N» VI. '^tter of the Duke of Bourbon, to the Firji Preftdent of the Parliament of Paris — Page 29a Thefpeeeb of bis moft Chriftian Mdjefy, pronounced in Council, on the ibtb of June, 1726 — 294 • • * Compliment addreffed by Cardinal Fleuri to bis moft Chriftian Majefty, after he bad received bis Cardinal's bat from the King — — 296 N'VII. Memorial for Count Broglio, Ambaffador in England, refpeSiing the French colonies in America, North America — — Fiftjery — — — Canfo — ■ 299 316 321 Settlement of Canfo — — South America. IflandofSt.AlouJiaorSt.Lucia — — 322 ^rade of the Englifh with the Iflands 327 Memorial concerning maritime commerce, navigation, and the colonies ; to ferve for inftru5iions to Count Broglio, Lieutenant 'General of the King's forces, and Ambaffador Extraordinary from his Majefty to the King of England — — 329 Herring Bfhery — -— — ibid. Maritime forces of England — 330 Englifh colonies — — 33 1 Maritime commerce of England — ibid. Prohibition to the French Refugees to come into France 332 Salute at fea, and flag ;— «— ibid. French CONTENTS. ^rejident age 292 meed in 294 his moft irdinal's 296 French colonies in America Ranfom of the ijland of Nevis Fijhery on the great Bank Unforefeen affairs ' mm "-• Page 336 -7 ibid, r- 337 England, 3H 3'6 3^1 - 322 327 igation. Count forceSf jejiy to 3'^9 ibid. 330 331 ibid. France 33^ ibid, French CON^ ,.iUV I- ■*♦ 1^,\t'XK .n^.^^i :«^V Let I ■■'-_■ t«i(«.;4^ -!!*,- S', vi n*^« ir-Ti\IV \i1ti'J:'\i3i Ma ( Rq CONTENTS O F T H E APPENDIX TO VOL. IL a pRINTiD AT THE EnO OF VoL. I. T ETTER from the Marquis d'Argenfortt Mi7iifter for foreign affairs ^ to M. de Voltaire ^ Hijloriogra- pher to the King, upon the fuhjeSi of the battle of Fontenoi - - - - Page 341 N° II. . . Letter from the Dauphin to the Dauphinefs, upon the battle of Fontenoi - - - - j^g NMII. Manifejlo of the King of France, in favour of Prince Charles Edward _ - - . j^^ N"» V. (N" IV. being omitted.) Reprefentation of the Bifhops to the King, of the iithof June, 17 s^' - * - - 35 *