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Updated: September 28, 2025
Madam de Mercoeur asked him if he was ill, but he looked upon Madam de Cleves without being perceived by anybody else, and made her sensible by his looks that he had no other illness besides despair: however, there was no remedy but he must let them go together without daring to follow them; after what he had told his sister, that he was to go directly to Court, he could not return with her, but went to Paris, and set out from thence the next day.
Couriers were going daily between Paris and Cologne; treaties between the Fronde and Mazarin were intercepted or forged, and published in the capital; the post of Prime Minister remained unfilled, and the Duke de Mercoeur, notwithstanding all the thunders of Parliament, set out for Bruhl, with the purpose of marrying Mazarin's niece.
In Burgundy Baron Biron was battling against the Viscount Tavannes; in the Lyonese and Dauphiny Marshal des Digiueres was fighting with the Dukes of Savoy and Nemours; in Provence, Epernon was resisting Savoy; in Languedoc, Constable Montmorency contended with the Duke of Joyeuse; in Brittany, the Prince of Dombes was struggling with the Duke of Mercoeur.
So it happened that the Duke of Mercoeur and other heroes of the League, having effected their reconciliation with the Bearnese, and for a handsome price paid down on the nail having acknowledged him to be their legitimate and Catholic sovereign, now turned their temporary attention to the Turk.
They were all very cordially received by the king, who subsequently bestowed especial marks of his consideration upon the youthful Grotius. The same day the betrothal of Monsieur Caesar with the daughter of the Duke of Mercoeur was celebrated, and there was afterwards much dancing and banqueting at the castle. It was obvious enough to the envoys that the matter of peace and war was decided.
He had taken particular pains to secure his daughter's right in Brittany, while the Duchess of Mercoeur, by the secret orders of her husband, had sent a certain ecclesiastic to Spain to make over the sovereignty of this province to the Infanta.
Profuse expenditure of the French nobles Prevalence of duelling under Henri IV Meeting of the Prince de Condé and the Duc de Nevers They are arrested by the King's guard Reconciliation of the two nobles The Duc de Soubise is wounded in a duel Profligacy of Madame de Moret The King insists upon her marriage with the Prince de Joinville Indignation of the Duchesse de Guise A dialogue with Majesty The Prince de Joinville is exiled Madame de Moret intrigues with the Comte de Sommerive He promises her marriage He attempts to assassinate M. de Balagny He is exiled to Lorraine Mademoiselle des Essarts Birth of the Duc d'Orléans Peace between the Pope and the Venetians The Queen and her confidants Death of the Chancellor of France Death of the Cardinal de Lorraine Royal rejoicings The last ballet of a dying Prince Betrothal of Mademoiselle de Montpensier to the infant Duc d'Orléans Sully as a theatrical manager The Court gamester Death of the Duc de Montpensier The ex-Queen Marguerite founds a monastery Influence of Concini and Leonora over the Queen Arrogance of Concini Indignation of the King A royal rupture The King leaves Paris for Chantilly Sully and the Queen The letter Anger of the King Sully reconciles the King and Queen Madame de Verneuil and the Duc de Guise -Court gambling Birth of the Duc d'Anjou Betrothal of the Duc de Vendôme and Mademoiselle de Mercoeur Reluctance of the lady's family Celebration of the marriage Munificence of Henry Arrival of Don Pedro de Toledo His arrogance Admirable rejoinder of the King Object of the embassy Passion of Henry for hunting Embellishment of Paris Eduardo Fernandez The King's debts of honour Despair of Madame de Verneuil Defective policy A bold stroke for a coronet The fallen favourite.
Madam de Mercoeur received them with a great deal of joy, and thought of nothing but giving them all the pleasures and diversions of the country; one day, as they were hunting a stag, the Duke de Nemours lost himself in the forest, and upon enquiring his way was told he was near Colomiers; at that word, Colomiers, without further reflection, or so much as knowing what design he was upon, he galloped on full speed the way that had been showed him; as he rode along he came by chance to the made-ways and walks, which he judged led to the castle: at the end of these walks he found a pavilion, at the lower end of which was a large room with two closets, the one opening into a flower-garden, and the other looking into a spacious walk in the park; he entered the pavilion, and would have stopped to observe the beauty of it, if he had not seen in the walk the Prince and Princess of Cleves, attended with a numerous train of their domestics.
He was aware of the violent passion still felt by Henry for Gabrielle d'Estrées, and in order to escape the penalty of his rebellion he offered the hand of his only daughter, with the duchies of Estampes, Penthièvre, and Mercoeur as her dowry, to the King's natural son César de Vendôme; a proposal which was at once accepted, as the monarch was aware that it would gratify the ambition of his mistress.
That he, a chieftain of the Holy League, the long-descended scion of the illustrious house of Lorraine, brother of the great Duke of Mercoeur, should become the captive of a Huguenot buffoon seemed the most stinging jest yet perpetrated since fools had come in fashion.
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