Letters historical and gallant from two ladies of quality to each other; [manuscript].

Lett. X. Letters Historical and Galant 35

with spirit. There are certain times, when it is impossible for people to apply their wit, and that was Madam de Montespan's case exactly. In the mean time the messenger waited for an answer, whilst she racked her invention to no purpose. Had there been nothing more requisite, but to say a few tender things she needed only to have copied the dictates of her heart: but she was to maintain her reputaton of her stile and manner of writing, and her invention played her false in so critical a juncture. This reduced her to the necessity of desiring Madam Scaron to help her out, and giving her the King's billet, she bid her write an answer to it immediately. Madam Scaron would out of modesty have excused her self, but Madam de Montespan laid her absolute commands upon her, so that she obeyed and wrote a most agreeable billet full of wit and tenderness. Madam de Montespan was charmed with it: and after sealing it, gave it to the person that was waiting for it, and went to bed very well satisfied. The King was infinitely delighted with it: she thought that Madam de Mountespan had surpassed her self, and attributed her more than ordinary wit upon this occasion to an increase of tenderness. He spent a good part of the night in reading the billet over and over in which he discovered new beauties upon every reading: Every expression was of infinite value and he thought himself the happiest man living to be able to inspire his mistress with such surpassing sentiments and turns of wit. I believe you would be very glad to see this billet, but it is not in my power to gratify you. Nor is it in my thoughts to write one, because I am so very sure I never shoudl come up to the character I have given you of it. I must have a vast deal more wit than I have, and besides Inever could express the thoughts of another for I must be sensible of things before I can express them.

As soon as the King was up next morning, he ran to Madam de Montespan. "What happy genius, Madam, says he upon his first coming into her chamber, influenced your thoughts last night. Never certainly was there any thing so charming and so finely writ as the billet you sent me; and if you truly feel the tenderness you have so well described, my happiness is compleat." Madam de Montespan was in some confusion at those praises which properly belonged to another, and flush'd to see her self cloath'd with the feathers of the peacock. The King perceived the disorder she was in; and as he is extremely suspicious, was earnest to know the cause of it: she would fain have put it off, but the King's curiosity still increasing to the proportion to the excuses she made, she was forced to tell him the truth, lest he should of himself imagine something worse. The King was extremely surprized, tho' in civility he dissembled his thoughts at that time. He had observed the difference of the stile before: this latter seemed to him to be easier and more sprightly, and he could not help desiring to know whether Madam Scaron's wit in conversation was equal to what it appeared in writing. Madam Scaron now began to call to mind the predictions of the mason, and from the desire the Kinga had to see her conceived no small hopes: notwithstanding she had passed the flower of her age, yet she flattered her self that she was still handsome, and that her destiny had reserved this one conquest in store for her, and this mighty monarch to be her captive. She is exactly shaped, has a noble air, fine eyes, fresh ruddy lips, and has besides the art of expressing every thing with her eyes, and of adjusting her looks to her thoughts in such a manner that all she says goes directly to the heart. The King, already prepossessed in her favour, could not but yield and after two or three conversations with her, began visibly to cool in his affections toward Madam de Montespan, who for some time did not know her misfortune, but was quite mad when she considered that she her self had furnished the arms which had effected her defeat.

The King in a little time purchased for Madam Scaron those lands which carry the name of Maintenon, a title which she from that time has taken, and 'tis not doubted her but the King has married her. There is no making a fortune without applying to her, and Livia had never such absolute power over Augustus as she has over Lewis. Some are of the opinion that she has been the occasion of all the troubles of the Protestants, and consequently of the damage the whole revolution was brought about by the contrivances of the Jesuits: and she has always been known to be too little a favourer of that order of men to promote their intrigues. Besides, it is not likely that she, who had once an inclination for that religion, and was pretty well instructed in it, could have taken so great an aversion for people that never did her any harm and who, under the Rose, are not so black as we would make them: since our learned men allow that they believe all that we believe and reject nothing but what we might very well do without, and are not of divine institution. But I do not consider that you are in a country, wher there is an Inquisition and that this letter may happen to bring you into trouble. Therefore I hope you will be cautious of your and my interest herein.

But I must tell you that Madam de Maintenon had begun to attac the Jesuits, and for that purpose makes use of the Abbots Tiberge and Brisacier, who are superiors of foreign missions, and accuse the Jesuits of authorizing idolatry in China, and adhering to a worship paid by those people to one Confucius, who was a pagan and is had in veneration in that country. The Jesuits with their usual address deny the charge; and their differences which are to be decided by the Sorbonne and the holy [see???], make already as much noise as those between the Archbishop of Cambray and the Bishop of Meaux, and proceed from the same place and cause. Madam de Maintenon forgets neither Injuries nor Favours. The Remembrance of the favours which she formerly received from the Duke de Braucas makes her protect his Daughter the Princesss of Harcourt, notwithstanding her impertinencies. She met with some of them in her journey to Namure, which might have discouraged her entirely, but when she was spoke to about it, she replyed "I excuse her because she is a fool, and I serve her because her father[sewed???] me formerly. The House of Noailles makes the most of Madam de Maintenon's good fortune and the Marriage of Mademoiselle Daubigne her neice with the Count d' Aguin, son to the Marshal de Noailles

36 Letters Historical and Galant Vol. 1

will unite their Interests entirely. This Marshal obtained his honour at no small expense, that Madam de Maintenon thinks she may procure the same for her Brother, and the King would gladly oblige her, but the Count Daubigne does not care to [nor???] the least Hazard to obtain it; and tho nothing more is required of him than to make one Campaign, he always says, I can't comply; I shall die. This is all I have to tell you of Madam de Maintenon. I had it all from a very good hand and therefore you may depend on the Truth of it. I am, Madam [Ee???]

Aug 22 Letter xi From Montpelier

I am now at Montpellier, Madam, and thought I should never see a pleasanter Town than Avignon, but this exceeds it in some respects. It is seated on a Hill, so that you cannot make two steps upon even Ground. The outlets are not so fine as those of Avignon, it Streets are narrower, and it's walls are washed by no River, but yet it has Charms which you will seek for in vain elsewhere. I remember when I took leave of Monsieur for this Tour, that Prince told me I was going to the finest Country in the World, and that he would wish me joy, if I were to make any stay at Montpellier, a more agreeable place than which he never saw, and after thirty years remembred still with pleasure. The Women are the most amiable Creatures in the world: the homeliest have charmes sufficient to gain them admirers, by which you may judge of those of the young Ladies, who are very numerous. Their Air is not so grand as that of the Avignon Ladies, but it is easier, and more agreeable. Wit Sparkles in their eyes and whole Behaviour. Their humor is Sociable and Sprightly; and tho' they are perpetually talking their Jarbon, yet it is with Such Grace and natural Eloquence, that I believe they outdo Cicero himself. All their Actions are animated by an honest freedom, which gives them new charms. You see them every day walking in couples in a little place called the Canourge, with Hankerchiefs on their Heads. This Free Behaviour gives strangers great hopes at first, which they find they must lay aside, if they take too great Liberties. There is no place in the world where Strangers are better received. No sooner are you known than visited and eagerly courted to be immediately on all parties of pleasure. They play as much here as at Avignon, but they dine oftener together, which, for my own part, I own, gives me more pleasure than any of the other Diversions, because it is the only amusement that we can continue as long as we please. There a number of People of Quality here, and we have Chambers of Justice and Sovereign Courts too: here also the Intendants of Provinces, and Commanders of the Troops reside. The Air, which is looked upon to be the finest in the world, and the skill of the Physicians, whose Faculty is in the highest esteem here draws numbers of Foreigners from different Kingdoms, especially from Englad, who are generally cured of a Disorder to which they are very subject called a Consumption, which makes them flock here continually in time of peace.

The Marchioness de Donis, who had but just returned from her Exile, when I left Avignon, gave me a Letter for her Uncle the Cardinal de Bonsi, who is the civilest man breathing. He introduced me to the Countess de Ganges, whose husband, I told you I saw in the Commandant Maldachini's Garden. Her Amours with the Cardinal make a great noise in the World; he has still great Regards for her, but, I believe, they are confined at Present to Esteem and Respect, the usual Way almost in which all Correspondences of the Kind end at last. The Cardinal was much censured on this Lady's account, and entirely lost the King's Esteem on her account. The House of Bonzi was formerly one of the best in Florence, but it is not so now. The Cardina's father had left his Affairs in such Disorder, that his Brother the Bishop of Beziers, who was a favourite of Queen Mary de Medices, and rich, was obliged to discharge some of his own Family, in order to take two of his Brother's Children home to him, a Son and a Daughter. The Daughter he married to the Marquis des Castres, Governor of Montpellier, and from this marriage came your acquaintance the Marquis des Castres, who espoused Mademoiselle de Vivone, niece to Madam de Montespan. Our Marchioness de Donis and several other Children were born at Avignon. The Bishop of Beziers designed his Nephew Madam de Castres's Youngest Son for the Church, and educated him accordingly; but tho' a Caprice of Youth, the Abbot de Bonzi quitted his Band, put a Feather in his hat, and went to Florence to petition the Duke for the Estate which he said belonged to the house of Bonzi. He had no great success in that affair, and whilst he was pursuing it, a skillful Physiognomist looking one day attentively at him, told him, that he would do well to lay aside his Sword and Feather, assuringhim that his Destiny called him to a quite Different Profession, and that if he would be happy, he must return to the Church. The Baron de Castlenau, for he had assumed that name when he quitted that of Abbe, was much surprised at what the man said, and desiring to know more, the Fortune-teller after narrowly examining his Face and hands, and making all the Grimaces usual in such cases, assured him that if he resumed the Band, he would immediately get good Benefices, would afterwards be a Bishop and then an Archbishop, would be charged with great negotiations in foreign Courts, and when he came to have sore Eyes, would be made a Cardinal. He told him farther, that he would be very near the Triple Crown, but he could not tell whether he should wear it. He desired him to take particularcare of himself in his Grand Climacterick, which was very likely to be the last year of his Life. The Baron de Castlenau got this Horoscope

[L: xi.???] Letters Historical and Galant 37

aim, and though he never gave it much credit, he kept it carefully notwithstanding. Some time after his friends advised [got???] to be so obstinate as to go to [lew???[ with his Soverign, but to endeavour to gain his friendship: and by way of composition the Grand [???] gave him with some Beneficies, the Quality of hsi Resident at the Court of France: so the Baron of Castelnau became the [???] of Bonzi again. His uncle the Bishop of Beziers charmed at this Metamorphosis, saw him return to France with [???ure???]; and some time after being made Archbishop of Narbonne, he obtained the Bishoprick of Beziers for the Abbot of [???], who came to be Archbishop of Narbonne himself by the Death of this Uncle, and consequently Primate of the Gauls and [???dent???] of the Province of Languedoc. In the Motions that happened in Poland, the Court sent him into that Kingdom; and [???aid???] that by his Negotiations he contributed greatly in making Sobieski ascend the Throne. At his return from this Journey [???] and bad weather brought a [Deflection??] on his Eyes: he wrote to Madam de Castres his Sister, and told her in jest "I don't know whether I shall be a Cardinal soon, but I know very well that my Eyes are furiously sore; so that the rest is not very [???] off." upon his arrival in France he found the Courier that brought him the Hat, and he was made a Cardinal upon nomination of the King of Poland for his good services. But if his fine Genius brought him all those fine Honours, his [??mien??] procured him some as great: The Queen of Poland, valuing his merit more than the obligations the King her Husband [???] to him, felt for that prelate more than Gratitude. You know that that Queen is a French Woman, daughter to the Marquis [???][ and Sister to the Madam de Belhune. Tis said she had beauty: and that the new Cardinal equally well used by Love and [???], led the pleasantest life in the world. About that time, the Queen of Poland not being able to bear with his Absence, refused to go to the Waters of Bourbon, to have an opportunity of seeing him: and after getting her Physicians to order her that [???] for disorders that she supposed. Her Equipage began to be got ready. The Gazettes talk'd of nothing but of preparation, [???ng] for it: but by the unuckiest accident in the World, the Pope thought proper to dye, very unseasonably for the Lovers; for the Cardinal was obliged to go to Rom to assist in the Conclave, and the Queen, who was going to France only to see him, laid [???] her voyage. The gazettes took care to say, that the winds were contrary, that she was obliged to put to land again, and few knew the truth of the matter. However the Cardinal on his Return from Rome came into Languedoc, and as he loved his sister Madam de Castres tenderly, and liked Montellier very well, generally spent all the time that he was in Provence [???] and it was there he saw the beautiful Mademoiselle de Gevaudan. That young lady was of [Nimes???]. She had a Sister married to a President of Montpellier, and it was to this sister her Parents had sent her to cure her of a passion she had [???] Nimes, that was not agreeable to them. The Cardinal fell in love with her the moment he saw her, and as she was prejudiced [???] of another, and as she well saw besides that the Cardinals Passion could have no lawful End; he had run the risque of [???] many a Sigh, if the Avarice of Mr. President had not opened the way for him to her Sister's heart. This Woman, whose [???] was Madam de Mariote had an extraordinary genius, and would be capable of governing a State: she knew all Langua[??] [???] understood all the Sciences, and more than that, what regarded her interests. After talking Politicks with the Cardinal, she [???] the secret from him, promised to serve him in his amour, and after negotiating this affair, like a treaty of peace between two [???], it was conluded on: The Cardinal possessed the Lady, and Madam Mariote, a number of large sums which the Cardinal made her a present of. Besides the money he gave her, he put it in her way to gain considerably more: He tranacted no affair [???] but through her channel, and nothing was done Gratis, so that Madam Mariote soon amassed immense Sums. Madamoiselle Gevaudan who was under this Sister's Care, and was more afraid of her than of thunder, never minded entring into [???] [Diseusion???] of Interests with her, and was satisfied with the Cardinals presents of Cloaths and Jewels, till a little Expense made her open her Eyes: and finding that her Sister had married her daughter Very well by the Cardinal's Favours, she [???] to think of her self. She got her furniture separate, mark'd her plate with her own name and in short, thought to built [???], which the Cardinal's Liberality has made magnficent. It stands on the Ruins of a Protestant Church, which she de-[???], and there is not a Hotel in Paris, nor a Palace in Genoa finer. All Arts have exhausted their skill there, and the [virtuousness???] of the furniture answers the Magnificence of the Appartments. Madam Mariote, who look'd upon that house as [???] would one day belong to her or hers, was not uneasy at seeing the Expence it put her to; and as she was too [Cunning???] to [???] with a Sister that was a true Milch cow to her, she engaged her, by the ascendant she had over her to Lodge with her; the Cardinal was pleased with it, remembring he owed all the Pleasure of his Life to her. In the mean time those Amours made a terrible [???]; One of Gevaudan's Brothers who thought his honour concerned in it, acquainted his Father and Mother with it, and [???] good people sent to Montpellier to know the truth. But the Cunning Mrs. President gave him a Company of dragoons, and [???] stopp'd his mouth. She used the same Policy to her other Relations, whom Fortunes she took care to make, without any [???] to her self, and engaged them by that means in her Interests. All this did not hinder the Publick from talking a great Deal and [???] from writing a number of Satires. On [Vitral???] an [Equerry???] at Montpellier lost a thousand Crowns which the city gave him [???] to ride, because he had made some verses that were a little too just upon that affair.

About that time the Count of Ganges, who came from restoring to his Nephew the Confiscation of his Father's Estate, [???] at Montpellier, and notwithstanding all that he had been told of Gevaudan, and all that he saw himself not only

38 Letters Historical and Galant Vol. i

fell deeply in love with her, but offered to marry her. Madam de Mariote fearing this marriage might cause some diversion to her disadvantage, did all she could to prevent its going on, and had no great trouble in doing it, because the Lady did not like the Gentlemans Person: but a King happened some time after, that made the Ladies think themselves very happy to get him. Madam de Mariote who had managed her Interests with such Policy, failed of it on a very essential occasion.

Mr. de Baville, Intendant of this Province, who, you know is son to the late Mr. de Lamoignon first President of Paris, when he came to Montpellier, found a young and beautiful Lady called Madam Daudessan greatly to his taste. As he is a Devotee, he did not care to descend from his gravity, to tread the Steps of a Lover before her, but thought it would be better to bring her acquainted with his Wife. The Neighbourhood help'd it forward greatly. Madam de Baville is a good Woman that does just as her husband pleases, so that Madam Daudessan became her inseperable friend, and they no longer made but one family. The husband who is a very heavy handed man, seeing nothing but what they intended he should, did not complain, and the Publick[???] dazzled by the appearances of Devotion, and Madam de Baville's Friendship for her Rival, had not penetrated the truth of the Mystery, when Madam de Mariote, out of the desire she had of having Company, wished her amours might become publick, and that she might hear people talk of them as they did of her Sisters. To succeed in her design, she sent Memoires into Holland; and some time after the Gazette mentioned the Amours of Mr. De Baville with Madam Daudessan. The Sly Intendant dissembled his uneasiness, and did all he could to discover how had plaid him that trick. In short he took such pains, and was so well assisted that the manuscript was sent him from Holland, wrote in Madam de Mariote's hand. As soon as he knew from whence the blow came, he meditated nothing but revenge, and was so quick in it, that without her hearing the thunder rattle, the bolt fell upon [post???] Gavaudan, and she saw a Letter de Cachet to confine her. The Cardinal, in despair went off in post to avert that Storm, and threw himself at the King's feet to beg him to spare the Lady, and rather to let the weight of her digrace fall upon him. The King was too far prepossessed, he would hear nothing, and the Cardinal could do no better with his mistress than advise her to marry the Count de Ganges, as fast as she could. Madam de Mariote that knew the necessity of it, durst not oppose it, and the Count was too much in love not to accept the first proposal that was made him about it. Thus Madamoiselle Gevaudan became the Countess of Ganges, saw her self out of the reach of her Enemies Insults, under the Mantle of Hymen, which may be called the Mantle of the [???], since it very often covers a multitude of sins. The Count has been greatly blamed for this Marriage. People would have thought that his Wife's large Fortune had tempted him, if his restoring to his nephew the Confiscation of his Estate had not given a great mark of his disinterestedness. They thought that Madamoiselle Gevaudan had a great deal of Courage too, to enter into a family where for simple suspcitions People were assasinated, she that might to have been afraid of things that were a little plainer; They gave them a hundred insults, and among others, the first night of their marriage fixed a picture on the Door of a Ram with a Red hat on his horns with those words, to the Good Sheep of Ganges, alluding to the sheep of that Country, which pass for the best in the world. Mr. de Ganges, finding he was despised in the troops quitted the Service and purchased, to gratify his Wife's Vanity, a Lieutenancy in Provence, and the Government of the City of Carcassone, where he designed to carry his wife, to get her away from Madam de Mariote, with whom he had no room to be well pleased: but Madam de Ganges was not of this mind, and it was upon this they quarrell'd. He left his Wife, who gave her self no trouble to keep him, having never loved him; and took lodgings at an Inn immediately, at the sign of the Red [Had??], which caused a hundred Jokes more. At last, being quite disheartened at so many mortifications, he quitted Montpellier, and followed his Eldest borther in his Second Exile. His Wife is glad she is rid of him, but the Cardinal is uneasy at this divorce. His passion for her so worn out by a Commerce of many long years, and his Indispositions give him more serious thoughts, his Horoscope, being found, I don't know by what chance, just in all it's particulars. He has been attack'd in his Sixty third year with an apoplexy, which he would never have recovered from, if he had not remembred what the man had foretold him, and taken the precaution when the time came to get himself watched every night; and tis to this care he owes all the Relief he has had in his disorder, which otherwise he doubtless would have sunk under. Those ladies have given him all their assistance too, but as they have taken care to fill their Coffers, they will easily console themselves for whatever may happen. This is all that I promised to tell you Madam, another time we shall say more of it; I expect your anser, and am [???]

Letter xii. From Paris

The Country you are in is a right Country for Adventures; We see no such [???] happen here. We have nothing here but the Advantage of the Dutchess of ** that makes a great noise at present at Court.

This lady, has not any one to dispute the Price of Beauty with her here but Madamoiselle d' Armagnac. You may well judge that with those advantages she has not failed making many conquests in a Court so Galant as this. Mr. de Barbesieux was one of the first that paid his homage to her, and that Minister of War had enough to [imitate???]

Lett. xii. Letters Historcial and Galant [Gallant] 39

But what surprized [surprised] all the world, is the strange confession that this lady made her husband, which is worse than that in Princess of Cleves, for being press'd, as she said with remorse, she owned to him that she had carried her infidelity to him [a little?] too far, and accused her mother for having been the occasion of the irregularity of her conduct. The poor husband [?] to be trusted with a secret that he would gladly have dispensed with, could not contain his first transports, and [?] so much resentment to his mother in law, that the [?] he was in upon that occasion has discovered the cause of [?] Every body blames Madam de **'s conduct. Tis ['Tis] given out that this terrible confession was caused by an amorous [?] She had made a party of four with Madam de Chatillon, and their two lovers were to meet at night at the Palace [?], where the two ladies waited for them. Madam de Chatillon's lover came alone, and Madam de ** was forced to watch [?] that night. This incensed her so, that to be revenged of her lover whom she thought unfaithful, she resolved to give him [to?] the resentment of her husband. This is what obliged her to tell him, what perhaps he would have been better pleased [to have?] known nothing of, and engrosses at [present?] the conversation of the court and town. There is but the Marquis de Barbesieux's [adventure?] and this that employs the publick [public].

Mr. de Barbesieux's first wife was the daughter of the Duke of Uzes, by whom he has a daughter; his second [wife?] is daughter to the Marquis of Alegre. This lady is young and handsome, and very fit to serve [?] the revenge of several [?], whom Mr. de Barbesieux by his gallantries had incensed against him. The Duke of Elbeuf who without doubt was most incensed, made his appearance first: He is the most dangerous man in the world, because he is not only one of the most able of pleasing, but also because he would always persuade the publick [public] that he has pleased. He remembred [remembered] that Mr. de Barbesieux had deprived him of a mistress, and had even bantered a little at his cost; he therefore resolved to be revenged, to give him all the uneasiness he could. He saw Madam de Barbesieux, and whether she was tender or cruel, I don't [know?], but he soon published that he stood very fair with her. This was enough to provoke Mr. de Barbesieux, who went [the?] last extremities with his wife. The Duke of Elbeuf, who never intended to carry his revenge so far, was concerned causing such disturbance between them; and to remedy it, went to the King, and protested to him, that nothing had passed [between?] him and Madam de Barbesieux that could alarm the severest vertue [virtue]. He owned that to vex the Marquis a little, [he?] had done some little piece of malice, and spread some reports, that if they were true, were of no great consequence. The King [?] him greatly; however he thought that this declaration might bring Mr. de Barbesieux to his temper again. He sent [for?] him and told him all he had heard from the Duke of Elbeuf himself: but it all signified nothing, his first discourse had [made?] too great an impression for the second to gain any credit, and thinking that perhaps it was the Duke's confessor that had [?] him to that kind of satisfaction, imagined the affair went as far as mortal sin, since the confessor meddled with it. He [told?] but too many of his opinion, as tis ['tis] most certain people are more easily inclined to believe harm of one than good. So Mr. de Barbesieux listning [listening] to nothing but his fury, and thinking his honour and vanity were concerned in this affair, [resolved?] to send his wife to the other world; she was in the way to it already, and the troubles she had undergone had thrown [?] into a dangerous fit of sickness. They say that one morning as one of her women was getting some broth ready for her [mistress?], Mr. de Barbesieux threw a little powder into it, and ordered the woman to carry it to her mistress. The woman [?] greatly to give it to her, doubting very much that that powder was not good for her health; but there was no disobeying Mr. de Barbesieux, and she knew him too well not to foresee that she should expose her own life, if she should attempt preserving [her?] mistress's, so that she could not avoid carrying up the broth. The Marquis followed her to his wife's chamber, and all that servant could do, was to tell her, as low as she could, not to drink it all. Madam de Barbesieux did not hear at first [what?] the made [maid] said, but at last when she knew it, she left half the broth in the bottom of the bason [basin], and this prevented it's [its] [having?] so sudden an effect: Madam de Barbesieux fell into a decay; the physicians suspected the cause, and the Marquis of Alegre extremely concerned to see her in that condition, took her home, and complained of him to the King, who answered that as Mr. de Barbesieux was in his service, he could not think him capable of the crime he accused him of. The Marquis, dissatisfied with this answer, had the misfortune too to displease the King by his complaint, and found himself in disgrace [a few?] days after. So that it will probably cost him his daughter who is still very ill, and his fortune too. The Archbishop [of Cambray?] has wrote one of the finest letters in the world to the Marchioness of Alegre upon that subject. You know that that [Prelate?] never wrote any thing that was not so. Tis ['Tis] remarked that the daughters of the Alegre family were never happy with [?]

The late Mr. de Segnelai's first wife was of that name, and spent her time very ill with him. As she was a great heiress, [?] Colbert had her in his eye for his son; but Madam d'Alegre not liking the alliance, opposed it, so that he was to try to gain the [sentiments?] of her daughter: He had great difficulty in succeeding, because she was extremely prejudiced against Mr. de Segnelai's [?]; and when the King himself talked to her about it, she said she could never bear with the passions of one that was much inferior. The King assured her she never would have any with him, and told her that upon the least subject of [?] he gave her, she needed but acquaint him with it. Madamoiselle d'Alegre persuaded by the King espoused [Mr.] de Segnelai, notwithstanding the repugnancy her mother had skewed to the match; and the fury Mr. de