As soon as the King had admitted me into his Service, I did not fail to wait on him with my most humble Acknowledgments: I had also the Honour of thanking the Queen, to whom I made my Compliment in High-Dutch, and that Princess return’d me her Answer in the same Language. Soon after this I set out for Arragon, where the Regiment in which I was to serve was then in Quarters. But as I came into Spain with very little Money, I was soon oblig’d to return to Madrid, to desire some small Gratuity, till I receiv’d my Pay. Some of my Friends advis’d me to ask boldly for a handsome round Sum, or for a Pension upon Benefices; because if I depended on my Pay for Subsistance, I should be very much out in my Reckoning; that in Spain, more than elsewhere, they were backward in their Pay, and always one Year in Arrear, and sometimes two or three, according as they dun the Minister, or dawb the Treasurer’s Fist. This News put me a little out of Temper, and from that time I began to perceive that Fortune would jilt me as much in Spain as she had done elsewhere: Nevertheless, my Courage did not quite fail me, I apply’d to the Secretary at War, who referred me to Father Daubanton, and the latter told me, with all the Solemnity that could be, that ’twas none of his Business. You see, Madame, that this was a fine Setting out: However, I was not dishearten’d: And being so much us’d as I was to Rebuffs, I had as lieve be deny’d twice as once.
I rapp’d at various Doors, but they were all either shut against me, or, if open’d, ’twas to no Purpose. I resolv’d to address myself immediately to the King, and had the Honour of presenting a Petition to him, in which I gave him an Account of my present Situation: 1st, By the Disaster of the Bank Bills; and, 2dly, by the strange Procedure of the King’s Lieutenant at Bayonne. The King, when he took my Petition, answer’d, I will consider it. It must be observ’d, that the King was then at Aranjuez, for which Reason there was no Minister with him but M. de Grimaldo. This was the Minister to whom the other Secretaries of War and the Finances, and the President of the Council of Castile, were oblig’d to address their Dispatches, which was some Hindrance to Business; but, in short, such is the Practice of the Spanish Court. For the Councils only attend the King at Buen Retiro, and this because ’tis in Madrid itself; for as soon as the King goes from his Capital City, all Affairs pass thro’ the Hands of a single Minister.
I waited therefore upon M. de Grimaldo, to know the Result of my Petition. This Minister, according to his laudable Custom, told me, that the King had a very great Esteem for me: This thread-bare Answer was very little Comfort to me; and even tho’ it were true that his Majesty honour’d me with his Esteem, I saw plainly that mine was a Situation in which the Esteem of Princes is mere Whip-Cream, if it be not accompany’d with something solid. I earnestly press’d M. de Grimaldo that he would be so kind as to procure me something else besides Esteem. At last, after several Goings backward and forward, the Minister said to me one
Day, with a Smile, that my Affairs went on swimmingly: I immediately thought my Business done, and wanted nothing but to know the Value of the Gratuity or Pension that was granted to me: But there was nothing in it; the good Turn that my Affairs had taken, was only to be referr’d back again to Father Daubanton. I waited, therefore, on the Reverend Father, and, with all possible Respect, ask’d him, what was the Effect of a Petition that had been referr’d to him? And to this humble Request I added another, still more humble, which was to obtain the Honour of his Protection: But my Compliment and my Respects were not very welcome, and he answer’d me, very short: Do you imagine, Sir, that I have nothing else to do, but to think of your Petition: I have not yet seen it, Sir, nor do I know whether it has ever been sent to me. I reply’d, but still with the profoundest Respect, that M. de Grimaldo had told me that——Alas! said he, interrupting me, M. de Grimaldo! M. de Grimaldo! And the Words were no sooner out of his Mouth, but he whipp’d into his Closet, and slapp’d the Door in my Face. I saw plainly that the Wind did not sit right for his Reverence, and therefore lay by till next Day: Then I made up to him again much about the Time that I knew he us’d to go to the King, and planted myself in a Nook of his Entry, in the humble Posture of a Supplicant: The Jesuit, his Companion, seeing me there, desir’d me to walk into the Antichamber; but I could not be prevail’d on to accept of an Honour which I said did not belong to me; tho’ the Truth was, that I chose to stay in the Entry, as the surest Place of speaking with the Confessor; for I had observ’d, that the Reverend Father often put the
Bite upon People that waited for him in the Antichamber, by stealing out at a private Door that open’d into the Entry where I then was. I stay’d there a full Hour, when, as I had before imagin’d, I saw my Gentleman slipping out at the private Door: I accosted him in the Passage, and humbly put him in Mind, that I had the Honour of speaking to him the Day before: I found him in a little better Humour than he was then, for he promis’d me that he would speak to the King, and bid me attend him for the Answer next Day. You will imagine that I did not fail to be there: He told me then, that he had not an Opportunity as yet of speaking to the King about my Affair, but that he would infallibly mention it to him in a few Days: Mean time these Days amounted insensibly to Weeks, and the Weeks to Months, which had like to have put me out of all manner of Patience. I could not be reproach’d with Want of Solicitation, for certainly there was not a Morning but I took my Walk in the Confessor’s Antichamber, where he saw me sure enough, and would sometimes honour me with a Nod, and at other times with a Frown: And, in fine, after having so often danc’d Attendance, all I could obtain was a formal Denial.
I own to you, Madame, I was a little stunn’d by this Shock: For I had neither Money nor Credit, and knew not who I could ask to lend me a Sum, till I receiv’d a Quarter’s Wages: Besides, how could I depend upon such Pay as was put off from one Year to another? In this sad Situation I was so fortunate as to make an Acquaintance with Mr. Stanhope, by the means of one Holtzendorff, that Minister’s Secretary, who was a Native of Berlin, and has a Brother
a Valet de Chambre to the King of Prussia. He was glad to shew me his Acknowledgment of some Services my Relations had done him, by bringing me acquainted with his Master. Mr. Stanhope was wonderfully kind to me, and even interceded in my Favour with the Confessor, and with M. Scotti, the Minister of Parma, who could do any thing with the Queen; but Mr. Stanhope had no better Success than I had: However, he did me all the Services in his Power, press’d me to accept of his Table, offer’d me also his Equipage, and advanc’d me some Money: In a Word, he treated me as the best Friend I had could have done; and I may say, that I have substantial Obligations to that Gentleman, because, if it had not been for him, all my Days in Spain would have been Sorrows, and my Travel Grief[28].
While I lost so much Time in solliciting Father Daubanton, I did not omit to take Notice of what was remarkable, not only at Madrid but the Royal Palaces, to which the Court remov’d from time to time. Madrid is, properly speaking, the Capital City of all Spain, and the common Residence of its Kings, who have a large Palace there, the chief Front of which was built by the Emperor Charles V. The Inside has been alter’d for the better, and much embellish’d by Philip V. The Castle is at the End of a large Court which forms a long Square: The Two Sides of this Court are lin’d with low Buildings, Part whereof serves as a Guard-house for the Spanish and Walloon Guards, who range themselves in Two Rows in this Court, when the King or any of the Royal Family passes thro’ it.
At the Entrance of this Court there are Three grand Portico’s. The Front of the Palace on the Court-side consists of a main Pile of Building, in the Centre between Two very narrow Pavilions; and at the Entrance of each is a great Gate: The middlemost, which is the principal, is very darksome, and leads into a very spacious Area, arch’d over, where several Coaches may turn at one and the same time: This separates Two Square Courts of the same Size and Structure, encompass’d with a Range of Free-Stone Pillars, that form a Piazza which runs all round it. In the Court, which is on the Right Hand, is the Stair-Case, which leads up to the Apartments of the King and Queen; and in the other are the Offices of the Ministers.
The King’s Apartment consists in the first Place of a Guard-Room, which is neither spacious nor lightsome: On the Left Side of this Room is a very long Row of Chambers, very narrow and low, without a Ceiling, or any other Ornaments, but very rich Tapistry: At the End of this Row there are Three Apartments, built by Order of the Princess of Ursins: The first of these is a large Saloon, very high and well proportion’d, inlaid and wainscotted, and in the Compartments are to be seen the Pictures of several Kings, Queens and Princes of Spain, painted by the ablest Masters: The second Piece is an Octogon, contriv’d in that Form for the Sake of Four little Offices in the Angles of the Square: From this Apartment is a Passage to the King’s Chamber, which is very large, and intirely furnish’d with crimson Damask, adorn’d with Gold Lace and Fringe, tho’ the Tapistry can scarce be seen, ’tis so much hid by excellent Pictures and noble Pier-Glasses.