1652.]

SURRENDER OF MONTROND.

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the little river Marmande, and Palluau on a height to the left of the Prince's park of Montrond among vineyards, and his front fortified with palisades: altogether they had, besides the volunteers, two regiments and four pieces of cannon.

At day-break on the 25th of August De Briorde and his troops came in sight, advancing along the opposite bank of the Cher. But he found the position of the Royalists so strong both by nature and by skill, that even at its first aspect he despaired of forcing it. To prove, however, to his master that nothing on his part had been left untried, he passed the Cher with his troops and attacked the outposts of Count de Palluau, now joined by Bussy from the Capuchin Convent. Being repulsed with a loss of twenty-five or thirty men, he withdrew to some distance, though still keeping in sight during the remainder of that day. But next morning he commenced his march to go back over the Loire, and left Montrond to its fate.* Thus the fortress, on the appointed day, the 1st of September, surrendered to the Count de Palluau.

reward for this service he received the bâton of a Maréchal de France, and took the title of Clerembault. According to the instructions of the Court, he demolished all the new fortifications, which (as long as the provisions lasted) rendered the place nearly impregnable. He only left the ancient Château, which was standing for a long time afterwards, and on which the arms of the House of Albret were everywhere emblazoned. It is an ancient and illustrious escutcheon, which claims co-ordinate rank with the créquier of Crequy, the macles of Rohan, and the alérions of Montmorency.

An event which tended still more to discourage Condé's party and distress himself, was the tragic death of the Duke de Nemours, who having again quarrelled with his brother-in-law, the Duke de Beaufort, they fought a duel, and Nemours fell mortally wounded at the first pistol shot.

Under these circumstances, Mazarin, who was always skilful in taking advantage of the faults of others, determined to strike a last blow at the expiring party of the Fronde. He left the Court, and again retired to Bouillon, pretending to forsake all affairs,

* Memoirs of Count Bussy Rabutin, vol. i., pp. 350-363, ed. 1731. Boullainvilliers, Etat de la France, vol. ii., p. 213, ed. 1727.

but in reality not ceasing to direct them absolutely. At this news there was, as it were, a general defection against the Princes; the continuation of the war appeared now to be without a motive, or at least without a pretext, and the populace called loudly for peace. The Princes then attempted a negotiation with the Court; but the Queen answered with much haughtiness, that it was no longer a case for negotiation, but for submission.

Absolute submission, or an alliance with Spain, did indeed appear to be the only choice which remained to them. The Duke of Orleans determined for the former: he received orders to retire to Blois, and not again to leave his own appanage; and he lived there eight years more, till his death, dying very obscurely, and despised by every one. The Prince of Condé after great and violent agitation of mind adopted the second alternative, and left Paris with his troops on the 14th of October, to throw himself into the arms of Spain. A few days after the King and the Queen, followed by a brilliant cavalcade, made their triumphal entry into Paris. A Lit de Justice was held at the Louvre ; Louis XIV. appeared there, surrounded by the peers and Marshals of France, and the Chancellor in his presence read a royal Declaration, which excepted from the general amnesty the Princes of Condé and of Conti, and several other noblemen and gentlemen, and which expressly forbade the Courts of Justice for the future to take any part in the affairs of the State. The famous Edict of the month of October, 1648, which ought to have become the basis of a legal government, and which had been received with so much enthusiasm, was declared null and void; and this revocation excited no resistance in the Parliament, no murmurs amongst the populace; so much had liberty lost of its prestige since it had degenerated into license! The Cardinal de Retz, though he had for a long time remained shut up in his Archbishop's Palace, and secluded from public affairs, might perhaps so at least it was feared-create new troubles; but on the 19th of December he was arrested at the Louvre, and conducted first to the Donjon of Vincennes, and afterwards to the Château of Nantes. Then, no obstacle remaining in the way of Mazarin's arbitrary power, he could a second time return from his exile, and again seize the reins of government, his skill and his fortunate

1652.]

CONCLUSION OF THE FRONDE.

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star having at length triumphed over all his enemies. Had he not good reason to choose for his device, a rock beaten by waves, and the words-QUAM FRUSTRA ET MURMURE QUANTO ?*

Thus ended the Fronde, a party in which we may highly commend the magistrates for their integrity, and the gentlemen for their valor. But the former might, as it appears to me, be blamed for want of foresight, and the latter for want of virtue. When the members of the Parliament of Paris were taking active measures at the same time against the Court and against the insurrection—when they were declaring both Cardinal Mazarin and the Prince of Condé guilty of high treason,-one might well have said to them, like Themistocles to the haughty envoy of a very small town, "My friend, your words would require an army !" When the great nobles united themselves without scruple and without shame to the Spaniards-when they were ready to sacrifice the good of the State to the smallest of their personal interests, how could they hope for the confidence and the support of the people? Thus it was that the dawn of a better government and of a legal liberty were obscured and lost to France, and that the darkness of despotism became more dense than ever-darkness not to be dispelled but by a fearful storm!

* Memoirs of Bussy Rabutin, vol. ii, p. 165, ed. 1711.

CHAPTER X.

Condé's campaigns against France.-Quarrel with his colleague the Conde de Fuensaldaña.-He takes Rocroy.-Scene of his first and greatest victory revisited.-The Princess of Condé maintains herself at Bordeaux. — Her good conduct and popularity.—The Bordelais yield, and the Princess embarks at Bordeaux.-Her harsh treatment by the Prince.-Siege of Arras raised by Turenne.-Queen Christina of Sweden.-Conde forces the French lines at Valenciennes.-State of affairs at Madrid.-Battle of the Downs, near Dunkirk.-Peace of the Pyrenees.-Condé reinstated in France.

I HAVE no intention of treating in the same detail the campaigns of Condé which remain for me to tell, least of all those when, a deserter from his country, he endeavored to wound Mazarin through the sides of France. Neither do I undertake a mere journal of battles and sieges. I am far, indeed, from the skill or knowledge of a Folard or a Jomini. But the art of war is not to be learnt in books, unless they be written by the hand of a Frederick or a Napoleon. What I seek, above all, is-in History, to unfold the spirit of the times-in biography, to trace the development of genius or the shades of character in a great man. I should wish to paint Condé not only in his uniform or his court dress, but such as he would appear to his valet de chambreextolling the glory of his arms, but not dissembling his reverses, nor allowing his vices and defects, like spots upon the sun, to be merged in the brightness of his fame.

On leaving Paris, Condé had advanced by forced marches towards the Spanish head-quarters. Of his first meeting with them we have some details by the Prince of Tarente, who was present: :-"Two days after we had passed the river Aisne, the Prince and the Count of Fuensaldaña had an interview at Cressy sur Seurre, to concert together the operations for the campaign. Their first meeting, which was extremely cold, seemed to forebode the ill understanding which ever since prevailed between them.

HIS CAMPAIGNS WITH THE SPANIARDS.

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1653.] We dined together, and the day passed without any resolution being finally taken......Fuensaldaña raised difficulties against everything that was proposed."* At last it was agreed that the Spaniards should leave 3000 cavalry and 1500 foot under the command of the Prince. With these reinforcements he succeeded in taking Rhetel, Château-Portien, and several other places upon the frontier; but finding Marshal Turenne before him at the head of a superior force, he drew back and fixed his winter quarters at his own town of Stenay.

By March next year the Prince repaired himself to Brussels, not only to concert measures with the Count of Fuensaldaña, the Spanish General, but also with the Archduke Leopold, the Spanish Viceroy of the Low Countries. He was not long in becoming convinced of the extreme slowness of these people; how long after their deliberations came decision-how long after their decision, the orders for execution-how long after their orders, any attention to seeing them obeyed.

These delays, which would have wearied even the most phlegmatic, appeared insupportable to the fiery soul of Condé. Moreover, the decay of this monarchy of Spain, once so powerful, and still so vast and proud, had already made alarming progress. An evil government ere long renders useless the finest climate or the richest soil, and the neglect of commerce and agriculture speedily inflicts its own punishment. The only two classes which seemed to prosper under the Castilian Crown were the beggars and the monks,†-unless, indeed, these two classes be comprehended as one! Even gold was wanting to the masters of Peru and Mexico. Their chivalrous spirit, their science of war, all seemed buried at Rocroy and Lens with their veteran battalions, and through the blows of Condé himself. The officers appointed by the Court intrigues at Madrid were for the most part too ignorant to command, and too proud to obey.

To add to their difficulties, they had been so long accustomed to hear the praises of Charles V. resounding, and were so impressed with the former grandeur of their country, that they

*Memoirs of the Prince of Tarente, p. 129, ed. 1767.

† Desormeaux, vol. iii., p. 401.