Square, in Form of a Terrace, surrounded with Trees, in the middle of which is a magnificent Equestrian Statue of Lewis XIV. on a great Pedestal of white Marble: The Connoisseurs say, ’tis a complete Piece in all its Parts.
After having spent some Days at Montpelier, I proceeded towards Toulouse: I went first thro’ Beziers, an Episcopal City, the Situation of which is so pleasant, that ’tis become a common Proverb, If God were to chuse his Residence upon Earth, he would certainly chuse Beziers. ’Tis even said, that the Inhabitants of the Country, the Gentry especially, have more Sense and Conduct than they have elsewhere: Yet, at different Courts, I have seen several Persons, Natives of this City, who were really so stupid, that the Notion I have of the Inhabitants of Beziers is the very contrary of what they would fain make me believe.
From Beziers I travell’d to Castelnaudari, in the Neighbourhood of which City was fought the Battle wherein the famous Constable Montmorency was taken in Arms against his King. Lewis XIII. having, at the Solicitation of Cardinal Richelieu, order’d his Head to be cut off, he receiv’d the Stroke of Death with a Constancy worthy of his Name, and of a better Cause.
From this City I went in a very little time to Toulouse, the Capital of Languedoc, and the Seat of a Parliament, which is the second in the Kingdom: The Cathedral, dedicated to St. Stephen, is a magnificent Pile of Building, in a large Square, adorn’d with a fine Fountain, in which rises an Obelisk, that is a complete Piece of
Work: The Archbishop’s Palace, which joins to the Cathedral, is an entire new Building, wherein no Cost has been spar’d: As to the Houses of Toulouse, in common they are well enough built, but without any Ornament: The Streets are pretty broad, but very nasty; so that I inferr’d, the Civil Government here was not very strict: As to the People of Toulouse, I own to you, Madame, that I could like their Way of Living well enough: They have all a great Share of Wit, but the worst on’t is, they are conceited, which does them a Prejudice: But they are very civil, especially to Foreigners, whom they entertain perfectly well: I don’t think that I ever fed better, and liv’d more merrily than I did with these People, who are all of ’em good Jokers: The Accent of this Country too, especially of the Women, sets off whatever they say to such an Advantage, as seems to give a witty Turn to even the most common Thoughts: Little Songs or Ballads are, as it were, the Fruits of the Soil: Every one is a Sonneteer, and if their Verses are not equally good, yet they are all relish’d alike, they have such a happy way of setting them off.
To the Honour of the Languedocians be it spoken, there is not a Province in France, nor even in Europe, where ’tis pleasanter Travelling: The Roads are magnificent, the Inns well provided with every thing that a Traveller, were he hard to please, can desire; and all at a reasonable Price.
From Toulouse I travell’d to Pau, a City and Parliament of Bearn, famous for the Birth of Henry IV. on the 1st of December, Anno 1557, for which Reason Catherine de Medicis his Mother-in-Law,
who did not love him, call’d him the Bearnois: In the Castle is still to be seen the Chamber where this Prince was born: This City consists but of one great Street, at the End whereof stands the Castle, which is very ancient. The Houses in general seem’d very inconsiderable, they being all low, small, and without Ornament; but the Suburbs are very pleasant: As one goes out of the Gate, towards the Pyrenees, there’s a very thick Wood, with several Alleys cut out in it, that form a noble Walk: From this Wood, which stands upon very high Ground to the Pyrenees, one sees an extensive Valley, in which runs a very fine River, on the Banks whereof are several scattering Villages and little Hamlets, that form one of the most agreeable Prospects.
In Travelling from Pau to Bayonne ’twas plain that we were got out of Languedoc, the Roads being terrible, and the Inns detestable, for which Reason I did not halt at all by the Way, but made Haste to Bayonne: The next Day after I arriv’d, I went to pay a Visit to the King’s Lieutenant, who commanded there: He was a Native of Canada, and, if I am not mistaken, had been a Major or Lieutenant-Colonel in the Regiment of Normandy: The Duke Regent had made him a Brigadier, and at the same time created him a Knight of St. Lewis, at that great Promotion of Knights which he made at the Beginning of the War with Spain: He had given him for his Assistant one Dadoncourt, as a Man that he could depend on; and ’twas this Gentleman that receiv’d me, the King’s Lieutenant being at that time absent from Bayonne: I lik’d this Dadoncourt at first Sight: He entertain’d me
politely, and when I told him my Intention to go to Spain; he said, I might do as I pleas’d, and that he saw nothing to hinder it: He came next Day to see me, and invited me to dine with him: I accepted his Kindness, but afterwards repented it; for the Company was far from being select, and the Conversation very much disgusted me: In my first Interview with Dadoncourt I made Mention to him of a Visit that I had paid to the Count de S—— in Languedoc: He talk’d of this to me very much while we were at Dinner, and he declar’d his Astonishment, that the Duke Regent had restor’d him to his Liberty, instead of cutting off his Head, as he had deserv’d: Really, said he, with some Warmth of Temper, to which I fancy the Wine had in some measure contributed, His Royal Highness was too good-natur’d; all those Rascals, that presum’d to have a Hand in the Prince of Cellamare’s Affair, ought to have paid for it with their Heads: I could not help being amaz’d at the Man’s Pertness, and told him very mildly, that the Regent had behav’d most wisely, and that it would have been too cruel to put People of the first Quality to Death, the Spilling of whose Blood would perhaps have rous’d some Vengeance: Alas! Sir, said he, What could have been done? The Duke of Orleans was sure of the Guards and Garisons; every body in the Country would certainly have stood up in his Defence, and I myself would have been the Hangman to have tuck’d up the first Gentleman that had offer’d to make a Disturbance: I plainly saw that I had to do with a surly Companion; and perceiving also that he was fuddled, I let him run on as much as he would, in magnifying the Attachment he pretended he had to the Duke Regent; but made