Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois, the — Volume 1 [Court memoir series] eBook
consort of Henry IV, King of France Queen Marguerite
They did not experience on this occasion such mild
treatment as they had hitherto done, for the King
going to the Wood of Vincennes, they were not permitted
to set foot out of the palace. This misunderstanding
was so far from being mitigated by time, that the
mistrust and discontent were continually increasing,
owing to the insinuations and bad advice offered to
the King by those who wished the ruin and downfall
of our house. To such a height had these jealousies
risen that the Marechaux de Montmorency and de Cosse
were put under a close arrest, and La Mole and the
Comte de Donas executed. Matters were now arrived
at such a pitch that commissioners were appointed
from the Court of Parliament to hear and determine
upon the case of my brother and the King my husband.
My husband, having no counsellor to assist him, desired
me to draw up his defence in such a manner that he
might not implicate any person, and, at the same time,
clear my brother and himself from any criminality of
conduct. With God’s help I accomplished
this task to his great satisfaction, and to the surprise
of the commissioners, who did not expect to find them
so well prepared to justify themselves.
As it was apprehended, after the death of La Mole
and the Comte de Donas, that their lives were likewise
in danger, I had resolved to save them at the hazard
of my own ruin with the King, whose favour I entirely
enjoyed at that time. I was suffered to pass
to and from them in my coach, with my women, who were
not even required by the guard to unmask, nor was my
coach ever searched. This being the case, I had
intended to convey away one of them disguised in a
female habit. But the difficulty lay in settling
betwixt themselves which should remain behind in prison,
they being closely watched by their guards, and the
escape of one bringing the other’s life into
hazard. Thus they could never agree upon the
point, each of them wishing to be the person I should
deliver from confinement.
But Providence put a period to their imprisonment
by a means which proved very unfortunate for me.
This was no other than the death of King Charles,
who was the only stay and support of my life,—a
brother from whose hands I never received anything
but good; who, during the persecution I underwent
at Angers, through my brother Anjou, assisted me with
all his advice and credit. In a word, when I
lost King Charles, I lost everything.
LETTER VII.
Accession of Henri III.—A Journey to Lyons.—Marguerite’s Faith in
Supernatural Intelligence.
