Seaux; where next Morning a Lieutenant of the Guards came and told him, that he had Orders to carry him under a strong Guard to the Castle of Dourlens. The same Day at Seven in the Morning, the Marquis D’Ancenis, who was Captain of the Guards after the Death of his Father the Duke of Charost, during whose Life he had the Post in Reversion, had an Order to arrest the Duchess of Maine: This Officer had supp’d but the Night before with the Princess, and stayed with her very late; guess then how he must be surpriz’d when he came Home, and found the Letter de Cachet or Warrant, which put him upon an Office that he would have been glad to be excused from serving; but the Order must be obeyed, and therefore he went next Day to the Princess’s Apartment, who was then in Bed, as were also her Ladies; so that the Servants were very much startled to see M. D’Ancenis there again so early, and scrupled at first to awake the Duchess; but, as they imagined the Marquis was come about an Affair of great Consequence, the Ladies let him in: The Princess, being wak’d out of her Sleep by the Noise of the Door, as it open’d, ask’d, Who was there? M. D’Ancenis having told her his Name, she said to him hastily, Oh! my God! What have I done to you, that you should disturb me so soon in the Morning? He then told her the melancholy Commission that he was sent upon. They say, her Ladyship was much more provok’d at this Disgrace than the Duke her Husband; and she could not help dropping some Words which shew’d plain enough that she was impatient under her Misfortune. However, she was quickly dress’d, and getting into a Coach with Three of her Waiting-Women, she was
conducted to the Castle of Dijon: All her chief Domestics were committed, some to the Bastille, and others to Vincennes. The Prince of Dombes and the Count de Eu were banish’d to Eu, where they had so much Liberty however, that this Change of Fortune had not altogether the Air of Disgrace. As for Maidemoiselle de Maine, the Princess of Conty took her Home with her. The Cardinal de Polignac, who was very much attach’d to the Family of Maine, also shar’d their Fate; for he was banish’d to his Abbey of Anchin, and had but Two Hours allow’d him to set his Affairs in Order.
While these Things pass’d in France, the King of Spain, or rather his Minister, caus’d the Duke of St. Aignan, the Ambassador of France, to be very ill treated, who having taken Leave of the King and Queen, stay’d some Days longer to settle his domestic Affairs, perhaps also to see what Turn Things would take, in case the King of Spain, who was then dangerously ill, should die. I am assur’d that the King having told him, that by his Will he left the Regency to the Queen and Cardinal Alberoni, the Ambassador made Answer, That his Testamentary Settlement might probably be of as little Effect as Lewis XIV’s was. This Answer displeas’d the Cardinal, who thought of nothing but of being reveng’d; and indeed some time after, the Marquis de Grimaldo, Secretary of State, went to the Duke of St. Aignan, and signify’d an Order to him from the King, to leave Madrid in Twenty-four Hours, and the Kingdom in Twelve Days. ’Twas 10 o’Clock at Night when this Order was notify’d, and next Day, viz. the 14th of December, at 7 o’Clock in the Morning, the Ambassador’s House was surrounded by
a Party of Life-Guards, commanded by an Exempt, who having plac’d Centinels at all the Doors of his Lodging, enter’d the Duke’s Apartment, who was still a-bed with his Duchess, made them dress themselves with all Speed, and then conducted them out of the City.
Cardinal Alberoni, who did not yet know, that the Plot he had laid was discover’d, wrote with Speed to the Prince of Cellamare, that he might guess what to expect after the Treatment that had been shewn to the Ambassador of France; tho’ he told him, that ought not to be a Reason for using him in the same manner, and that the Duke de St. Aignan’s Misbehaviour had made it necessary to take that Course with him. He exhorted him not to stir from Paris, till he was compell’d to it by Force, nor even then, till he had made all the convenient Protests. He said to him in the Conclusion, Put the Case that your Excellency be oblig’d to go, you will first set Fire to all your Mines. Little did he think how terribly they were at that Time countermin’d!
This Letter, which was a farther Confirmation of the Prince de Cellamare’s Conspiracy, and the Affront put upon the Ambassador of the most Christian King, intirely convinc’d the Regent, that the Spanish Minister was resolv’d to go all Lengths. War was declar’d on both Sides, in which Spain did not come off with Honour. I shall have further Occasion to speak of it to you some Time hereafter.
I am next to give you an Account, how it far’d with myself at this Time: Tho’ I had no Hand in this Plot, yet I was shrewdly suspected; for several Conferences were held at my House: I was intimate with those who were deepest in the Secret, and in Fine, whether it proceeded
from Prudence, or from a Panic, I resolv’d to take Care of myself. I set out from Paris in a very great Hurry, with a Design to repair to the Palatine Court, and stay there till the Storm was quite over. I went to Germany thro’ Lorrain, but had much ado to get thither, because I had no Passport, and Orders were arriv’d from Court, to stop all that travell’d without one; I therefore thought of the following Stratagem.
About a League from Toul, which is the last Place in France, I feign’d myself sick, that I might have some colour for halting there, and dismissing my Postilion. At that Village I lay all Night, and rising very early next Morning, I told my Landlady that I would go to Toul on Foot, and desir’d her to send my Boots according to a Direction I left with her. My Design was to go into Toul as a Townsman; for I hop’d, that my being on Foot, and not having the Air of a Traveller, I should pass without Molestation; but I was quite mistaken; for the Guard stopp’d me, and ask’d me, Who I was, and, Wither I was bound? I said, That I was a German, that I had been the Valet de Chambre of a German Nobleman, who dy’d at Paris, and that I was returning from thence Homewards. The Officer carry’d me before the King’s Lieutenant, who, I thought, was a mere Brute; yet I think I should be in the Wrong to complain, for I gave myself out for a Footman, and really as such he treated me: He put several Questions to me, which I always made Answer to like a most submissive Lackey, in Hopes of soothing his sullen Humour; but nothing could defend me from his Reproaches: You are not a Footman, said he, I rather believe
you are some Bankrupt; therefore tell me the Truth, or I’ll instantly throw you into a Dungeon. I still affirm’d, that I was a Footman; but the Lieutenant, not well pleas’d with my Answer, committed me to the Guard-House, where he left me Five or Six Hours, and then sent me Word, that I might go to an Inn: I was conducted thither by a Soldier, who was always a Guard upon me, and next Day carry’d me again before the King’s Lieutenant, who took me into his Closet, and told me, ’Twas to no Purpose for me to think of concealing myself any longer from him; for that he was just inform’d who I was, by a Person who knew me. I own, Madame, that I began to be afraid, yet I stood to my Text still, with all the Assurance that could be. He then call’d one of his Domestics, and bid him fetch the Man that knew me; but ’twas well for me, that this Person had no Existence but in his Imagine. Mean Time he seem’d to be out of Patience that he did not come; and at last told me, that I must return to the Guard-House, and not stir from thence till I had fully satisfy’d him who and what I was. Then I happen’d to hit upon an Expedient which prov’d a lucky one; I told him, That I was very willing to remain in Custody till I had receiv’d an Answer from the Landlady of the Inn where my Master dy’d, who would make good what I had affirm’d. Upon this he order’d Paper to be given me; and I wrote in short to my Landlady at Paris, by the Name of a Valet de Chambre, whom I left there when I came away. As she was a Woman of quick Apprehension, and knew my Hand-Writing, I persuaded myself that she would easily comprehend the Meaning of it. When my Letter was finish’d, I shew’d it