Penn Manuscript Transcription

338 Letters Historical and Galant. Vol. 6.

I had best return to my own middle Region. I must tell you then, that methinks you give yr self up to Joy a little too early, since notwithstanding the Separation of the English, The Allies have taken Quesnoi from us, are besieging [Landrecie's???]. The Auxilary troops, tho they are in English Pay refuse to obey the Orders of the English General; saying that being Germans, and Consequently Subjects to the Emperor, they can not be dispensed with fighting against the Enemies of the Empire. In vain are they threatned with the Stoppage of their pay, they continue unmoveable, and have joined Prince Eugene. And the Prince of Anhalt who commands the Prussians said Publickly, that those that did otherwise were---You'll excuse my not mentioning the word he used, for it would not come well out of a Woman's mouth: This Authentick Declaration, produced the most obliging Letter in the World from the Emperor to him, importing that he had all Imaginable Esteem for his Zeal and Firmness. In the mean time the Duke of Ormond who was sure that all the Auxiliary troops would follow him, is greatly out in his reckoning, and his mistake is not much to the Advantage of France. Marshal Villars Agreed to deliver up Dunkirk, and there would have been some misunderstanding thereupon, if the Earl of Strafford had not gone in person to the Army, and made the English march directly off to Ghent, when he found he had no hopes of recovering the Germans. By this March, he has let the French see, that the English will always be in a Condition to make them give an Equivalent for Dunkirk: and the French who desired nothing more, put them into possession of it, accordingly.

The Protestant though they saw their Galley slave Chains broken, of which there was a great Numbers in that port. But it being agreed that there should be no change in the Magistracy or Government of the Town; and that the English Garrisons should meddle with nothing but Guarding the Gates and Forts there was not a word of the Galley slaves, no probably will their Chains be taken off till the Peace. In the mean time, an Impatience peculiar to our Nation, and the uneasiness of some persons among them called Refugees, was thought would have been fatal to these poor Captives, and occasioned their being doubly chained, lest the murmurs of those Spirits should occasion some disorder, twas thought proper to transport those poor people Somewhere else. And thus it often happens that through too great haste and Eagerness, people undo the affairs of those whom they have the greatest mind to serve. However I am sure that their deliverance is but deferred, and if their chains be doubled, tis only to make them feel the greater pleasure when they find them taken off. For indeed it is not just that they should suffer for the faults of other people, and those that are imputed to them are such, as should rather draw our Esteem than raise our Anger, for, all that they can be reproach'd with is no more than their Carrying a Zeal for a Religion which they think good, a little too far. A Zeal, which tho' ill placed, cannot but be very commendable, and ought to be preferred to that Indifference, which so many have at present for things that Concern Salvation. Instead of punishing those that have faith, they ought to Chastise Atheist, who give the Lye to the most sacred Truths, and under pretence of making People think freely, abuse weak men and draw them on to an Incredulity destructive to their Souls, in as much as it is certain that we are saved by Faith. But so much for Moralizing, I cannot for my Life I think keep my self in my own Sphere to day. Sometimes turning Orator, and now forsooth I must set up for a Divine: So that, I believe, my best way will be to finish my Letter, rather than to go on talking in a Strain, that I am not equal to, and which cannot but tire you, tho you would persuade me that nobody can be tired to hear me, and carry your Complaisance so far as to wish me all the Volubility of discourse Imaginable, and the Superfluous Periods of the Abbot de B**. I think you might be a little more reasonable in your wishes, and [should???] be very sorry that this last should ever be fulfilled, for I should rather spend twenty four hours in Sleeping than talking, supposing there were but those two ways of Spending one's time, and that it were not possible to employ it in other things. However, since you complain of the Brevity of my Narrations, and desire a larger [???] of Utrecht, You may be sure, you shall be served as you like. I shall make my self a Mistress of that City; And tho' to do this, I should be obliged to take a Second Journey to it: the Pennance would not be as great as you think, For Utrecht is pleasant enough: the Company there

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is very agreeable, and numerous, and divest themselves wonderfully. Their Players are not as good indeed as at Paris; but the Actresses are handsome enough, and very subject to give diverting Scenes to the Publick. I believe however, that I can satisfy your Curiosity without leaving this place, only give me a little time to instruct my self in all you want to know, after which, I'll put you in the way of talking of Utrecht to a Dutchman, without any danger of falling into Fontanges Apes fault, who for calling the [Pereum???] his Cousin, was [???] drop into the Sea again. You need not fear making such a mistake. Trust to me, and believe that all that I shall tell you of that fine Theatre, so much in the Mode at present shall be as true, as it is that I am Madam Your

Letter xc. From Paris

Well, Madam, was I in the wrong to be rejoiced? Was not my Joy better founded than your alarms: the old proverb says, he laughs best that laughs last. This pleasure has been reserved for us and the loss of Quesnoy has been well revenged by the Entire defeat of the Camp of Denain, commmanded by the Earl of Albemarle. As you are the way of hearing every piece of knews, you cannot but know all the Circumstances of that Affair. how that Marshall Villars, desiring to retrieve by a single blow the Indolence he either had, or to speak more properly, he was said to have been guilty of before, collecting all his Courage and Prudence, and feigning as if he intended to Attack Prince Eugene in his Intrenchment, fell upon the little Camp of Denoin, half of whome were cut in pieces, and the other half, drowned in the Scheld. A fate much different from what those Genelmen expected: for they thought of penetrating this year into Champaigne, and drinking our Wine there. However, notwithstanding the Advantage we have get by this affair. I cannot help regretting the Good People that perished there, and assure you I am heartily sorry for my old Acquaintance Pour Count Dohna a very good kind of Man. Our Enemies have lost a good General in him. He was Governor of Mons, and our Plenipotentiaries were greatly pleased with the Reception he gave them in their Passage through that town, Where he paid them great Honours. I own to you, his death, is a kind of [check???] to my Joy. But, after all, the Good of the Publick ought to sway all private Interests, and the loss of a man of Quality and merit should yield to the pleasure of seeing our selves Conquerors once in our lives at last. We may call this a Compleat victory, inasmuch as by making our selves Masters of Denain, we are so of Montagne, St. Amand, and Marchiennes, which notwithstanding the Vigorous Resistance of Brigadier Berkoffer was obliged to open it's Gates to us, and deliver up its stores of artillery, ammunition, and Provisions laid up there by the Confederates. Among other things we found there a prodigious number of Dutch Cheeses, and Westphalia Hams. The Taking this town has restored Plenty to our Camp, and it's Contrary to our Enemies. They have furnished us with Arms against themselves and we can fight them with their own Cannon and Artillery. After Raising the Siege of Landrecy, we formed that of Douay, and hope to regain all the other Places we formerly lost.

Fortune, that turned her back to us so long, now smiles upon us, and gives us a share of her favours; And I don't doubt, but our late advantages, will procure us a peace upon better Conditions, than those which were to have been imposed upon us formerly. I subscribe to those that relate to the Protestants, and to the Enlargement of their Captives. And if nothing but my Consent was wanting, for their having the Edict of Nants. I would give it with all my heart. Nay, I think, among our selves, that it would be but justice, sinc an Solemn Edict, given by a great King, ratified by his Successors, and guaranty'd by several foreign powers, ought, one would thing, never to be revoked. However the Strongest Reason may be the best in Fontains Wolf, it should never bear the Sway over Good Faith among people of Equity. The Very Consequence is dangerous: for what repose can be put in such promises for the time to Come. And Since Lewis the Great revokes the Edicts of Henry the fourth, what should hinder the Descendants of Philip the fifth one time or other from dispensing with the Renunciation he has made of the Crown of France, and revoking it according to their good Will and pleasure? In short, this

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upon brass and Glass, and colours all sorts of Prints. Queen Christina of Sweden, did her the same honour that Alexander did Diogenes formerly; and admired all the fine Performances of this Extraordinary young woman, who was born at Utrecht in 1607 and dyed in 1678, Aged 75 Years. Some years before her death she gave into the Sentiments of a Minister named Labadie; who preached very austere Morality, and was Chief of a Sect called by the Hollanders Fins, and by the Germans, Pietists, because they profess more exact Piety, and a more rigid Conduct than other people.

There are still Canons at Utrecht, who though Protestants and Married, Enjoy the Incomes and Revenues annexed to their Benefices. They hold Chapters, and share a Provost, a Dean, and other Dignitaries; which procures them an Entrance into the State of the Province, the Government of which greatly much resemble that of Zeland, except that there are eight Deputies of the Clergy that have seats in the Assembly of the States, with the Deputies of the Nobility and those of the Towns of Utrecht, [Amers???] [fort??] Wyck, Rhenen and Montfort. Those Deputies are named by the five Chapters of the City of Utrecht, and Compose the first Order of the States. The two other Orders Select theirs, who are therefore called the Elect.

Some think that the Air of the Province of Utrecht is much wholesomer than that of Holland. The Ground is much tighter and less Marshy, and the City of Utrecht, which is seated on the Ancient Channel of the Rhine is surrounded with a fine and pleasant Country: Lewis the Great, made himself Master of it in 1672, and then it was thought that the Republick of Holland would have expired, in the same place where a hundred years before she had formed her Union. Which gave occasion to the following verses made in praise of the King.

Una dies Lotharios, Burgundos [???] [???]. Una domat Batavos Luna, Quid a [???] [???]

The Marquis of Rochefort took possession of the City of Utrecht for the King, with a thousand Musketeers, and the 13th of November, the Duke of Luxembourg and the Intendant Robert were obliged to abandon it, and retire out of the Country, which still remember the French Pillaging and exactions. The King made some Stay at Utrecht after making himself Master of it; and was pleased to give Mr. Saurin a Celebrated Minister of the french Church. [???] the honour of Dining at his table.

There is a Remarkable thing enough at Utrecht. A Suberraneous town, which is called the low town, the houses of which are under the Sheets, as you go along, and have Canals and little Quays on each side, and the Tunnels of the Cimneys of them are on a level with the Breast work of the Quays of the City, so that you see Clouds of Smoak coming out of these breast works; which surprises those at first that are notacquainted with the town. They say the King ordered his Coach to drive very fast as he was passing through the Second Story of Streets for fear of the Subterraneous People's springing a mine.

But this is Enough for once of Utrecth, and you ought to be satisfied with this for one day, Another time you shall have more; and when I send you an account of the Congress, I'll go my self upon the Spot, to inform my self of every thing that passes there. In the mean time I send you the Plan of the Town, which may be some Amusement to you. They assure me tis taken with great Exactness: I have ordered some more to be engraved, as that of the Town house, where the Conferences for the Peace are held, and some of the most remarkable places. I'll send them to you one time or other, and believe I make you as well acquainted with Utrecht, as if you were there your self.

But I must tell you that a Paper is published here, containing a Detail of the Affair of Denain, and at the same time a justification of the Earl of Albemarle, on whom all the blame was laid at first and yet, from his way of telling the story, it was not in his power to do but what he did. It appears also from this Account, that we are less obliged to the Valour of Marshal Villars for this happy success, than to our Good Fortune. I saw some Gentlemen from London that assured me, they heard the Duke of Marlborough

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Methinks Madam those Verses may be repeated in the Norman's Lawsuit and I believe, if he knew them he would think them the best paper in his bag. For my part I must close my Letter with it, and wish you a good night for I am almost asleep. I am, with all my Soul. Your most

Letter xcv. From Utrecht.

Without making you any Compliments for your last Letter, which being of the same Stile with the rest, could not but give me the same pleasure: I am going to pay you for your trouble, by continuing the Relation of the Congress of Utrecht, which I have engaged my self to do. You saw the Preliminarty Articles, upon which the Congress was invoked; but I must let you know, that the Allies not liking them, in the first Assembly held January 29th, 1712, the Ministers of France were desired to explain them more intelligibly, and after some Delays, they gave into the Assembly of Feb: 10th. The Specifick Demands following.

A specifick Explanation fo the Offers of France for a General Peace, to the Satisfaction of all the Parties concerned in the present War.

"The King will acknowledge at the Signing of the Peace, the Queen of England in that Quality, as also the Succession of that Crown, according to the present Settlement, and in the manner her Brittannick Majesty shall please."

His Majesty will cause all the Fortification of Dunkirk to be demoished immediately after the Peace, provided an Equivalent be given him to his Satisfaction.

The Island of St. Christopher, Hudson's Bay and Strait of that Name shall be yielded up entire to Great Britain; and Acadia, with Port Royal, and the Fort, shall be restored entire to his Majesty.

As to the Island of Newfoundland, the King offers to yield up that also to Great Britain, reserving only to himself the Fort of Placentia, and the right of Catching and drying fish, as before the War.

It shall be agreed to make a treaty of Commerce before or after the Peace, as England shall Chuse, the Conditions of which shall be made as Equal, between the two Nations, as they can possibly.

The King will consent, at the Signing of the Peace, that the Spanish Netherlands, which are made over & Given to the Elector of Bavaria by the King of Spain, shall serve for a Barrier to the United Provinces; And to augment it, he will join there to Furnes, and the Furner Ambaght or District, Knoque, Ypres, and the Castellany of Menin with it's Verge: In exchange, his Majesty Demands, to form the Barrier of France, Aire, St. Venant, Bethune, Douay and their Dependancies.

If the States General are desirous to keep Garrisons in the fortified places of the Barrier, so formed of the Dominions transferr'd to his Electors Highness, and of what France adds thereto of it's onw, His Majesty consents, that they shall put their Troops into them in as great Number as they please; and besides, that they shall be maintained at the Expence of the Country.

In Consideration of this Cession, and of this Consent, the King on his Side Demands as an Equivalent for the Demolishing of Dunkirk, the Towns and Citadels of Lille and Tournay with [???] Castellanies and Dependance

Lett. xcvi. Letters Historical and Galant. 385

of this Picture determined the Lady to break off a Match that seemed so much to her Advantage, and this for fear that the Cavalier's Star would not prevail over the Longing she had to be a woman of Quality. Mind what I said last, and you may guess the Lady. This was what broke the Gordian Knot, and thanks to his [poctick??] vein, the once forsaken is now the happy Lover, and his Verse has triumph'd over the Notary's Prose.

The Lady was afraid it would come to pass, and perhaps her future Spouse was so too; Be that as it will, it was this that broke off the Match. There lately happened another Adventure here, in which is no Enchantment nor Gyant, nor has it the Air of Amadis or the Arabian Nights Entertainment, and yet I'll hold you a Wager you'll think it fabulous. However I must beg you'll not take it to be romance, because, I can assure you I was a Kind of Eyewitness to it my self.

The Marchioness of ** that fair Indolent, who because she never had any publick Engagement sat up for a Prude, nourished in her breast the most violent and ridiculous Passion in the world; tho' in the main twas nothing but what was very Natural, since the Object of this noble Passion was no body but her own dear Self Charmed with her Face, her neck, and her arms, she spent whole Days in Contemplation, and viewing her self from Head to foot in a large Glass. When she lost sight of her self but for a Moment, she lost all her Enjoyment: The Idea she had of her Merit and Charms, made her receive the Hommage of a Crowd of Adorers with Pain. The Duke of **, one of the most violent of them had almost a mind to destroy himself, when Madamoiselle R** a friend of the Marchioness, officiously promised him to do all she could to discover her real Sentiments, "Leave it to me, said this Obliging Young Lady. If you have a Rivals I'll engage he shall not escape my Penetration and Vigilance; and when I find him out, we will endeavour to destroy him. If after this, you find you Cannot be happy, nor Cure your Passion, 'twill then be time enough to hang your self." The Duke Liked this Solid way of Reasoning and begg'd her to put her hand to the Work; she did so, and all her Enquiries ended in a discovery that the Lady was of the Late Narcissus's Taste: To Convince herself fully of it, she proposed to go out hunting on one of the Marchionesses Lands. The Marchioness dress'd herslef like an Amazon; Her flaxen her, powdered & buckled floated on a Jacket of Scarlet embroidered with Gold. She had a little hat, adorned with a white feather and from her waste upwards was the prettiest man in the World. I say from her Waste upwards, for at Court You know our Amazons wear long Petticoats, to shew their Sex. As Soon as the Marchioness was thus Ecquipp'd her friend came in a hurry and told her, that a Gentleman below wanted to see her: and taking her by the hand led her down to an Appartment, where she told her the Gentleman was, and where the Cunning Baggage had fixed a Looking Glass over against the door, and of such a size, that no more Could be seen but the Bust; The Marchioness not dreaming of her Masculine dress, and, thanks to the smallness of the Looking Glass, not discovering her Petticoats, struck with the Genteelness of the pretended Cavalier, stood immoveable. The Cavalier, you may be sure, did the same: "What's here? cry'd Madamoiselle de R**, two persons in the same Posture! charmed with the first Glance of each other! What a Surprising Sympathy!" The Marchioness who was in confusion was going to reply; when the Lady by a loud laugh discovered the

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us as soon as possible, otherwise England will be obliged to make a peace for her self, and then all the above offers will not take Effect, this being the last that will be made.

Tis thought that this project was liked better than the Proposals that were made before. Nay some say that the Barrier Treaty between England and Holland is signed, as well as the Guaranty of the Succession to the Crown in favour of the House of Hanover. That the Offensive and defensive Alliance is renewed, and that Mr. Harrison, secretary to the English Embassy at Utrecht is lately gone to London, to get those several Treaties signed by the Queen. Time will tell us the truth.

However I must tell you how Mr. Menager's Affair was determined January 30th Mr. Vander Dussen the Baron de [Renswoude??] and Count de Kniphausen, went at Noon to the Marshal D'Huxelles house, where the Abbot de Polignac and Mr. Menager were. The Conversation rolled upon several things and turned at last upon the Affair in Question, when the three Dutch Ministers let them know, that neither they nor the States General had any share in it. The Marshal gave them all a dinner, and so the nightmare ended. Thus this affair will no longer delay the General Conferences, which, they say are to be renewed immediately. Nay, they say, that King Philips Embassadors will soon have Passports to come and cut a figure here.

The publick imagined that the Duke of St. Peter, who has been here some time with his Spouse, had a Character from the Queen Dowager of Spain, whose first Minister he is. But without foundation, for that Lord is come to the Congress about his own Concerns, which are Considerable enough to engage him to make a Journey here, being stripped during the War of a great part of his fortune and a Considerable Sovreignty in the Kingdom of Naples.

I believe it is not necessary to tell you that the Duke de St. Pierre is of the Illustrious house of Spinola, one of the most considerable in Genoa: that he is Grandee of Spain; Major Domo to the Queen Dowager & invested with a Number of other Dignities. You know him without doubt, and might have seen him of our Court, where he shined greatly, and where 'twas thought he would have married the fair Mademoiselle d'Armagnac. His Tast and Destiny decided in favour of the Marchioness of Revel, Sister to the Marquis of Torey, who was a young and handsome Widow. He carried her into Spain, a Country where for some time they have deprived France of some of her finest Ornaments; and has lately brought her here, where she makes that of the Congress, and does a great deal of Honour to the two Nations, the merit of whom she unites in her own Charming Person. Every Body admires her here for her Great Beauty, Wit and Politeness, which, makes her without deogating from her Rank gain the love of [Abby???], for her Civilities and Obliging Behaviour. The Following Verses will give you an Idea of what we think of her here.

The Duke of St. Pierre is a Lord of Infinite Merit, of great Politeness and Civility. When he married the Marchioness of Revel, he was a Widower, his former wife having been Sister to the Prince of Escalona, by whom he has several Children.

The Dutches of St. Pierre leads me insensibly to the Portugese feast you desired an Account of, in which she shined greatly, twas thought at first that she would not have been at it, on account of Some little Difficulties in point of Ceremony, and some visits that the Duke of St. Pierre and the Count de Tarouca thought they owed one another and he had not paid but those difficulties were removed by the Care and Mediation of the Marquis de Miremond, and the Evening before the Entertainment, the Count de Tarouca went with Count Sinzendorf to the Duke and Dutchess of St. Pierre's house to desire the favour of their Company. This Reconciliation gave every body pleasure; for the French were resolved not to go to the Ball, if the Dutchess was not there; and you know that on such Occasions, the French are not those that procure the least pleasure, and Make Balls the least agreeable. But let me come to the Description of this.

Count de Tarouca had in the middle of his Garden, a hall of above an hundred feet long, and proportionable

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ration, not to publish this Adventure. The Gallant pass'd off his Wound for a fit of the Gout [???] -th would never have come out Since but for the Indiscretion of his Chirurgeon, who like Midas's [???] -nfidence to some persons as indiscreet as himself, by which means I came to know it. This [???] has given occasion to the following Song, entitled Reason and Love, made by an Acquain- [???] -urs and mine.

Reason and Love. A Song.

-le Always followed those Maxims, they would not fall into the Captains fault; whose story may [???] -sson to those that happen to be in his Case. I mean that are Amorous like him. However he got [???] many more; And Love has produced more fatal effects at Arres, where there happened an affair [???] -ach very prudent Man not to trust his Mistress with his Secrets. Sampson paid dear enough[???] -ence he reposed in his, to teach people to be wise at his Expence.