the former was John of Bourbon, Duke of Anguien, a Prince of the Blood Royal, and above 600 Gentlemen. The Spaniards Loss did not exceed 500 Men. Philip II. in acknowledgment for this Victory, made that extraordinary Vow, which he afterwards perform'd, to build the Monastery of St. Lawrence at the Escurial; upon which a certain Ambassador of France, when he was shew'd that stately Edifice, said, That Philip must needs be terribly afraid when he made so considerable a Vow. After the Battle, St. Quintin surrender'd to the Spaniards, who kept it till the Treaty of Chateau-Cambresis, in 1559.
From St. Quintin I went to Compiegne, a City in the Diocese of Soissons, which is situate on the West side of the Oyse and the Aisne. The famous Maid of Orleans ow'd the Loss of her Liberty to this City. For that illustrious Heroine going to the Relief of Compiegne, which the English had resolv'd to besiege, had the Misfortune to fall into their hands, and was carried Prisoner to Roan, where they burnt her for a Witch. 'Twas at the Castle of Compiegne that the Cardinal de Richlieu kept the Queen Mary de Medicis a Prisoner, till that Princess found Means to escape, and to retire to Flanders. I have had the Honor already to tell you, that this unfortunate Queen died at Cologn.
This same Castle was also for some time the Residence of the Elector of Bavaria, after he was ejected out of his Dominions by the victorious Arms of the Emperor. The Court his Electoral Highness kept here was so splendid, that it did not look like the Court of a Refugee Prince.
Near Compiegne there's a very large Forest, which renders the Neighbourhood of this City
very pleasant. There are fine Roads cut out in this Forest, which render it very convenient for Hunting.
The only considerable Place from Compiegne to Paris is Senlis; and that purely on account of its being the See of a Bishop: for setting aside its Situation, which is very agreeable, by reason of the Neighbourhood of the beautiful Forest of Chantilly, Senlis is a very trifling Place. Near this City is the Abbey of our Lady of Victory, which Philip Augustus caus'd to be built as an Acknowledgment for the Victory he won in Person at Bouvines, over the Emperor Otho IV. and his Confederates, on Sunday July 27th, 1215; upon which very Day, his Son too won another Battle over the English in Anjou. They say that the two Couriers that were carrying the News of each of the Victories, from the one Army to the other, met at the very Place where now stands the Church of this Abbey.
Betwixt Senlis and Paris there stands the little Town of St. Denys, famous for the magnificent Abbey which gives Name to it. In this Church are the Tombs of the Kings and Princes of France, whose Mausoleums are of rich Workmanship. Here is a Treasure also which contains a great Number of very curious Pieces. The Abbey of St. Denys has also given its Name to the great Plain in which it stands. 'Twas in this Plain that the famous Battle was fought between the Catholics and Hugonots, in the Reign of Charles IX. when the Constable Montmorency, who at the Age of 83, commanded the Catholics, was wounded, but gain'd the Victory over the Heretics.
At my leaving St. Denys, I had at length the pleasure of seeing what I had a long time
passionately wish'd for, I mean the famous City of Paris[40], where I arriv'd about the beginning of the Year 1712. I make no scruple to call it the chief City of the World, as it is the Capital of the chief Kingdom in Christendom. The Extent of its Circumference, the Beauty of its Buildings, the Multitude of its Inhabitants, the continual Arrival and the Residence of Foreigners there, the Variety and Plenty of Commodities of all sorts, render it the finest City in the World; and on those Accounts 'tis justly reckon'd as the Ornament, the Soul and the Strength of the French Empire. I was not willing however to make any stay here at first, because of my Impatience to see the famous Castle of Versailles, so much talk'd of at all Foreign Courts.
I had entertain'd so grand an Idea of this Palace, and was so fully persuaded of its being all over Gold and Azure, that at the first Sight the Beauty of it did not strike me. The Entrance to Versailles, as one comes from Paris, does not set it off at all, tho' the Avenue that leads to it is one of the most magnificent; but when one comes up to the Castle, and turns about towards this Grand Avenue, the two sumptuous Stables on the sides of it form a Prospect, which gives a sublime Idea of the Master of those stately Piles of Building. The Front of the Castle, which looks towards the Gardens is the finest; and on that Side is the superb Gallery, which is the Admiration of all Foreigners. What most surpriz'd me at Versailles is the Inside of the Castle, which if one examines it well, looks like several Castles join'd together. The Royal Family, which was still pretty numerous, was lodg'd there very much at their Ease, each having their Guard-Chamber, an Anti-Chamber, a Presence-Chamber,