277 [=279]

[277]

[Lett. lxxv. Letters Historical and Galant]

"others to make attempts upon their own Lives. Such as the Marquis Darremberg, from whom My nephew has
"assured me he has often snatch'd the Knife out of his hands as well as from many others. So many Subjects of
"Grief, Sir, Could not but be very pressing afflictions to him -- Yes, Sir, tis the Interest of the Managers of that
"State Prison, who set nothing but their own Conscience against their Avarice, and not Your Majesties, keeping
"a Prisoner for the Sole Profit he is of to them, which would be enough to maintain a little Army elsewhere. Length
"of Punishment Expiates a Crime, and softenes at length the Rage of an Offence, but here tis nothing else but a
"preparation for establishing the Continuances of it. The most Innocent, by the force of Suffering is at last believed
"to be guilty. Who could imagine that under a just Reign he could be so long and so sorrowfully detained? Those
"that wish him well dare not speak for him, he is look'd upon to be a Criminal of State: In the meantime
"his friends fail him, whether he loses them by death, or by that easiness which makes men forget those whom
"they dont see, especially whose misfortunes make them to be looked upon as useless; So that a Captive in
"this Condition, ought to consider himself to be already dead before he dies. he does not live, Sire, but
"to feel his Loss; Ah if it were permitted here to cry out. Oh most afflicting prospect for that intimate Love
"which Nature gives us for our selves, rather than for such Desolation! This however, Sire, was not what
"afflicted my Nephew most. The thoughts of seeing himself under Walls, without the power of doing more good
"in the World, after sacrificing his pleasure and youth to join to some Knowledge an easiness of Expression, was
"the greatest Torment to him. It was this Consideration likewise, Sire, that obliged him to have recourse to
"his Wit to make his Escape out of the Bastille: which he executed the fifth of last May at two of the Clock
"in the morning, without any noise, on account of the measures he took; but at the Expence of much toil and
"Labour for almost two years; so that tis an Escape he is not to be censured too much for, on account of
"what it Cost him.' It was as it were the Punishment of his Liberty. But, believe him, Sire, so much
"trouble and ill and unjust usage, has not in the least diminished that Love of Duty which is lodged in
"my Nephew's Heart. When he made his Escape out of Bishop's fort, instead of quitting he continued in the
"Kingdom, and ran A thousand hazards of being retaken, merely to justify himself. And one would think he had
"behaved himself better since his escape out of the Bastille, since tho' his present Situation is such as
"makes him under no Apprehensions of being disturbed, he demands, by me, that the world may know his
"Innocence. I am Interested in it, Sire, both for the Love of truth, and because he is my Relation, and
"also because I have room to fear that his despair may at length force his Vertue, for a Mortal man as
"he is frail, gives room always to be suspected; and I know him to be one that is never terrified with the
"Consequences of things; when he has done his besst tot choose a Party, his Conscience knows how to m ake
"him secure within. His Enemies, Sire, as well as his Judges, prejudiced or gained, are therefore greatly
"mistaken, or have been very wicked for endeavouring to blacken him, and shall not htey b e deemed the Guilty
"and truly worthy of Punishment, for daring to employ your Majesty's Name in ruining him? I therefore
"humbly be'seech your Majesty, Sire, to leave it to my Nephews Examination, to be convinced of the truth of
"what I say, When I dare assure you, not only that he is innocent, but also one of the most zealous of your
"Subjects, but of those Subjects who directly follow truth, where the Prince has the Glory of finding he owes
"his Lustre to nothing but Vertue: I supplicate your Majesty that when once his Innocence be made out
"His Name be razed and cancelled out of the Jaylors books, of the two Prisons of Sens namely the town an
"Officialty, as also out of those of Bishopsfort, la Fere, Soissons, and the Bastille: sad Lodgings so
"unjustly assigned him for three years by his Misfortunes! That he be reestablished in all his Goods, honour
"Prerogatives and Dignities; that all that was taken from at different times when he was arrested amounts
"to more than the value of six hundred Pistoles by restored him; As also several Manuscripts the fruit of
"his Study, which he designed for the press, and has more at heart than all his Substance, because of the Use
"they might be of to the publick, for whom all his pleasure is to sacrifice himself; That his Valet and his
"Servant maid, the one called Fournier, and the latter Louse Dupuis, who taking advantage of the
"troublesome situation of his affairs, robbed him of more than the Value of ten thousand Crowns, and of all his
"Papers, both in relation to Learning and his accounts, be prosecuted at the request of your Majesty's Proc
"tors, he being not able to be at any expence on account of his great Losses; leaving it to your Majesty's
"discretion, to indemnify him for so great Sufferings, by giving him a proper Employment in the Army