In the whole Course of this Affair, ’tis fortunate for King Charles, that not one of his Subjects has fail’d in his Allegiance to him; he has not been oblig’d to stain his Government by any bloody Execution; nor has he caus’d above three Persons to be apprehended, among whom were King Victor’s two Physicians, that carried his Letters; but they are lately set at Liberty, and a good Understanding is like to be quickly restored between the father and the Son.
They say, that Madame de St. Sebastian is fallen into a deep Melancholy; and that she lives intirely upon Broth, which is of her own making. After her Disgrace, her Son, who was an Ensign in the Guards, was no longer seen at Court. The young
King missing him, ordered the Marquis d’Ormea, Minister and Secretary of State, to acquaint him, that he might come to Court, and continue in his Employment; and that his Majesty assured him he did not intend that he should be a Sufferer for any Crime whatsoever, which Madame de St. Sebastian had committed, and that he would take Care of his Fortune.
The Piedmontese are charm’d with their new King, and indeed, he is a Prince that has the Qualities of a good Monarch: He is humane, compassionate, generous and beneficent. He is a little under Size in Stature, but very well shaped, dances well, loves Pleasures, and particularly Hunting. Without Flattery, one may say, he is endowed with a great many Virtues; and that if he has Faults, ’tis only owing to the Human Nature, with which intire Perfection is incompatible.
The Queen[32] is of the Family of Hesse Rhinfels. She is tall and slender; her Air is both majestic and modest; she is fair, and has a very fine Complexion, is a Princess of solid Piety, charitable to the Poor, and ready to do Good to all Mankind, but particularly to her Family. She is the Mother of two lovely[33] Princes, and a Princess, and seems very attentive to give them an Education suitable to their Birth.
The Ceremonial of this Court is pretty much the same with that which is observed at the Court of France, The King and Queen always eat together, and permit none to be Spectators but the Officers of their Houshold. The Ladies must not come to the Palace, without being in the Court Dress, the Queen alone wearing a Mantua. Her Majesty has six Ladies of Honour to attend her,
who must be all Wives, and as many Maids of Honour. She has a Drawing-Room every Night, when the Queen is seated in an Arm-chair, the young Princess of Carignan, and the Queen’s youngest Sister, sitting on Folding-chairs, two Rows off, by the Side of the Queen’s Chair; and all the Ladies stand, with the Gentlemen behind them. This Drawing-Room holds for about an Hour, when the Queen rises, and, saluting the Princesses and Ladies, retires. After this, all the Nobility repair to some House where there is an Assembly. The gayest of all is held at the House of the Marchioness de Prie, whose Husband was Lieutenant Governor of the Netherlands, who often gives a Ball, at which the King is sometimes present.
There’s an Air of Ease and Freedom in this City, which is not to be enjoy’d in all Italy besides; and the Piedmontese don’t think themselves Italians; so that I am often ask’d, Whether I came last from Italy? Or, Whether I am going to it? I could like to live in this City better than in any other. I think this Mixture of the French Manners with the Italians is perfectly agreeable and just. The People here live well. There are several Noblemen that keep a good Table, and are very civil to Strangers. For this, the Marshal de la Rhebinder is particularly noted. This General is a Native of Livonia: He commanded the Elector Palatine’s Troops in Italy, and then went into the Service of the Duke of Savoy, in Quality of Lieutenant General, and Colonel of a foreign Regiment of Foot. King Victor created him a Velt-Marshal, and he is actually Commander in Chief of the King of Sardinia’s Troops.
The Marquis d’Ormea is the Chief or President of the Council, first Secretary of State, and Prime Minister. He was heretofore in the Confidence of King Victor. That Prince had sent him to Rome,
where the Marquis d’Ormea obtained great Advantages of Pope Benedict XIII. for the King his Master; particularly the Nomination to all Benefices. This Minister was recall’d in the first Year of the Pontificate of Clement XII. when his Holiness was so inclement as to revoke all that his Predecessor had granted. Not long before King Victor’s Abdication he returned to Turin. King Charles does nothing without him. He is a Gentleman of Good-nature, an Enemy to Subterfuges, and is sacred to his Promises. I knew him at Rome, and have the Honour of seeing him here as often as the Multiplicity of his Affairs will permit him to receive my Visits. Every body here applauds and speaks well of him, which is not always the good Fortune of People elsewhere, that are in Places: This Minister has a Brother a[34]Cardinal, and an only Son, who is a very lovely Youth, and has a natural Inclination to tread hereafter in the Steps of his Father.