‘The next day, fifth of the month, the Cardinal Bichy went to visit him, and asked if it were his pleasure to see some one in his prison with whom he might converse. He said he should be glad of such favour, but that he did not deserve that for him any should be troubled.
‘Whereupon the Cardinal of Lyons summoned the Jesuit Malavette, desiring that, since such was Monsieur de Cinq Mars’ will, he should go thither; and he went on the 6th at five in the morning, remaining until eight. He found him laid in a bed of scarlet damask, incommoded by a stomach disorder which had annoyed him throughout his journey and of which he was not rid till his death, and therefore very feeble and pale. The priest’s converse so solaced him, that again that night he prayed his company, and afterwards during the days his imprisonment lasted continued to see him eve and morning. When all was over, the above named father rendered an account to the Cardinal Duke (Richelieu), and the Cardinal of Lyons, and the chancellor, of all which he had said to him, and remained a long while in conference with his Ducal Eminence, although at that time he allowed himself to be seen by no one.
‘The 7th day of the month, the chancellor visited Monsieur de Cinq Mars, and treated him courteously, saying he had no reasons for fear, but all for hope; that he knew he had an upright judge, mindful of favours received from his benefactor, since through his goodness, and his power only, the king had not dispossessed him from his office, and this great kindness deserved not only an eternal remembrance, but to be repaid with infinite gratitude. The pretended occasion of this compliment was that Monsieur le Grand had once heretofore appeased the king’s anger greatly excited against the chancellor, but the true reason of his civility was a fear of being refused by him for judge and also of his appealing to the parliament of Paris, and being delivered by the people, by whom he was loved passionately. Monsieur le Grand replied, that he thanked him for a courtesy whose excess confused him, but “nevertheless,” he said, “I note well from the mode in which this affair proceeds that my life is the mark aimed at. Sir, my fate is sealed, the king forsakes me; I look on myself henceforth but as a victim about to be sacrificed to mine enemies’ passion and the king’s easy temper.” To this the chancellor answered, “that such opinions were erroneous, and by nothing warranted, and that his own experience brought with it a contrary conviction.” “Heaven grant it,” replied Monsieur le Grand; “but I believe it not.” The 8th day of the month, the chancellor went to hear him, accompanied by six maîtres de requêtes, two presidents, and six counsellors from Grenoble; but, having interrogated him from seven in the morning till two hours after noon, they could extract no replies.
‘The 10th, they departed altogether for Vivey, a mansion belonging to the Abbé of Aisnay, Monsieur de Villeroy’s brother, two leagues distant from Lyons, whither Monsieur, the king’s brother, repaired from Villefranche, and where all proofs and papers were compared and examined.
‘The 12th, all the judges sitting in Lyons, Monsieur le Grand was brought thither in a coach from the castle at about eight o’clock in the forenoon, conducted by the “chevalier du guet,” and his company, and being introduced and placed in the accused’s seat, he answered and confessed all which he had already made known to the chancellor in that conference which, on the 7th of the month, they had held together, and with gentleness and tranquillity of mind so great withal, that his judges gazed one at the other in wonder and admiration, constrained to acknowledge that never before had they seen or heard of constancy so unshaken, or a mind so strong and clear. After this he was bid retire to a chamber, whither, soon as the chancellor had collected the votes, and his condemnation was written, they entered to read to him his sentence; and also that before its execution, the question, both ordinary and extraordinary, should be administered, in order to obtain from him more fully, the declaration of who were his accomplices.
‘During the performance of this mournful office, which drew tears from the eyes of his judges and his guards, he neither changed colour nor countenance, losing nothing of his accustomed cheerfulness and that air of majesty which accompanied all his actions; but towards its close, at the mention of torture, he said to his judges, though with unaltered mildness, “Sirs, this seems harsh to me; a person of my age and my condition should scarce be subjected to these formalities. I know what the forms of justice demand, but I know mine own rank also. I have told, and will again tell all; I receive death with willingness and unflinchingly, and therefore is the torture needless. I confess my weakness, and that this prospect hath power to disturb me.”
‘He continued his speech yet some time farther, with so much grace and gentleness, that his judges’ compassion prevented their reply, in contradiction, or refusal of that indulgence he hoped to obtain from them.
‘Father Malavette at this time arriving inquired of him what might be the subject of his demand, saying that these were gentlemen well nurtured, and that from them he might expect as much favour as from the king.
‘“It is of small moment, father,” he replied; “I do but confess a weakness and that it paineth me to submit to the torture; disturbing my spirit not from apprehension of pain, for I shall go unto death with joy and firmness, but because, having told all I know, it were vain to use torture.”
‘The father, embracing him, answered, “Sir, be not uneasy; you have no concern with merciless judges, since already they give your ill fortune tears;” and taking aside two of the “maîtres de requêtes,” the priest told them that they mistook this master spirit; that he saw well the extreme constraint he imposed upon himself, and that they did ill so to shake his fortitude as to risk the casting it down. The while he spoke came thither two judges more, who said in secret to the priest, that the question would not be administered to Monsieur le Grand, but that, for the sake of justice and in obedience to its forms, they must conduct him to the torture chamber. Whereupon the reverend father accosted Cinq Mars, and drawing him aside from his guards, he said, “Are you capable of keeping an important secret?” He said, “Father, I pray you to believe I have been wanting in faith to none save God.” “Well then,” he returned, “you will not suffer, nor will you be presented to the torture; you come only to the chamber, whither I will accompany you in guarantee of the word I pledge you.”