a Promise to myself, that it should be the last time I would visit a Man that was so bloody-minded.
After Dinner was over, I went to have Audience of the Queen of Spain, Mary-Anne of Neubourg, the Dowager of Charles II. When I came to the Palace, or rather to a very pitiful House, where the Queen was lodg’d, I found one of her Equerries, who carry’d me to an Antichamber, and leaving me for a few Moments, he came again, and conducted me to the Apartment of the Duchess of Liquares, Lady of Honour to the Queen; who was prodigiously civil to me, but, as she understood no Language besides the Spanish, it was impossible for us to converse, otherwise than by Signs, of which she gave me a good Number, and which I answer’d by as many Bows. As good Luck would have it, we were disengag’d from one another by an Order that came to her, to carry me to the Queen: I found her Majesty standing all alone in her Chamber, and dress’d in Black after the Spanish Mode: I saw in the next Chamber some of the Maids of Honour, who were also in the Spanish Dress, and peep’d in at the Door, which was left half open: The Queen receiv’d me very graciously, ask’d my Name and my Country, and seem’d overjoy’d to find a German, who was tolerably acquainted with a Country for which she had always an Affection: She inquir’d what News I brought of the Elector and the Princes her Brothers: I was qualify’d to satisfy her Majesty in all those Questions, because I had the Honour of paying my Court punctually to the Elector Palatine, and the Princes her Brothers: In fine, after an Audience of an Hour and more, the Queen dismiss’d me, when I stoop’d with one
Knee to the Ground, and kiss’d her Hand, according to the Custom that is observ’d in Spain.
The next and the following Days I had the Honour to pay my Duty to her; sometimes in the Capuchins Convent, where she heard Mass very often; and sometimes in that of the Cordeliers, to which her Majesty went almost every Afternoon to Prayers: At other times I repair’d to a Garden behind the House, where her Majesty frequently took a Walk after she had din’d. This Princess always express’d herself in such a kind familiar manner as charm’d me, and she was often glad to be disencumber’d from that Ceremony, which is no less fatiguing to the Princes who grant Audience, than to those who are admitted to it: She did me the Honour to ask me one Day, Whether I did not wonder to see her in such mean Lodgings, and with such a despicable Court? I own’d to her, that at first I was a little surpriz’d at her Majesty’s preferring such a Mansion to the old Castle in the Town, which really look’d more like a Palace than the House she liv’d in: But, said she, I am so us’d to my little Habitation, that I can’t find in my Heart to leave it: I retir’d to it during the Contention between the Houses of Austria and Bourbon, that I might not be so much exposed to Company, as I must have been unavoidably, if I had resided in the Castle, where every Passenger, either from Spain or France, would no doubt have been desirous of seeing me; all which Visits would infallibly have given Umbrage to one or other of the Two Parties, if not to Both; and I had good Reasons to keep fair with each.
Another Day, when I had the Honour to discourse with her about Spain and Germany, I took the Freedom to tell her, that I wonder’d why
her Majesty chose rather to stay at Bayonne, than to live in one or other of those Countries where I fancy’d she would have more Authority, and more People of Quality to attend her. As for your Persons of Quality, said the Queen, I do not give myself much Trouble about them: All Men are alike to crown’d Heads, and are great no farther than as we bring them to our Courts, and honour them with our Confidence. A Man that you now call a Scrub, perhaps, if I were to give him a Post To-morrow, and admit him to my Service, he is to me as great a Lord as if his Ancestors had liv’d and dy’d in the same Employment. And as for residing in Spain or in Germany, I have weighty Reasons against dwelling in either. For in Spain I should be oblig’d to live in a Convent, which is my utter Aversion. In Germany I should, indeed, have all my Family about me; but the Court of Spain would, perhaps, be uneasy at my living in the Empire, and I should be teiz’d in respect to my Dowry, which I am very willing to preserve.
All these Reasons, and what was more than all, a long Acquaintance, made her loth to quit Bayonne; and that Retirement she enjoy’d there, was more agreeable to her Taste, than the Bustle of a numerous Court, where very often the Prince and the Courtier tread on one another’s Toes. The Air of Freedom which reign’d at this little Court, and the Queen’s Goodness in conversing with me so often, was the reason that I put off my Journey to Spain from one Day to another. At last, however, after various Delays, I prepar’d in good earnest for my Departure. But at the very Time when I thought I had nothing more to do than to take my Leave of her Majesty, a very disgraceful Incident happen’d
to me, which put me as much out of Conceit with Bayonne as I was before in Love with it. By some imprudent Jokes that I had thrown out in Conversation, I had incurr’d the Displeasure of the King’s Lieutenant, who made use of a specious Pretext in order to be reveng’d of me. I will tell you my Tale in a few Words as follows:
There was a Woman at the Queen’s Court, who, by her Frankness, in which there was a Mixture of Impertinence, made her Court to the Queen with so much Art, that her Majesty was kinder to her than any Services she was capable of performing could deserve at her Hands. This Woman’s Name was la Borde: She was a Merchant’s Widow, but married afterwards clandestinely to the Queen’s Major-Domo, and had the intire Government of her Majesty’s House, where she did not fail to give her daily Attendance.
The Queen having permitted this Woman to sit in her Presence, it made her so vain, that she forgot her mean Original, and affected the Air of a Princess; but so ill did it become her, that she was quickly hated for it, not only by the Queen’s Officers, but by the whole City of Bayonne. The only Person who was attach’d to her, was the King’s Lieutenant; and that, for no other Reason, but because this Officer being in a poor Plight when he came first to Bayonne, and having moreover little to depend on, was oblig’d to solicit the Queen for some Gratifications, in which Madame la Borde had employ’d her Interest to serve him: And serve him she did without much Difficulty, because the Queen is so good-natur’d and generous, that she is never better pleas’d than when she is bestowing Favours.