them to Venice to M. de Pinchesne: they consist of the treaty which
the aforesaid Lestang had made with the Court, which is signed by
him and by M. de Pomponne: an instruction which was given to the
aforesaid Lestang, when he left the Court: the full power given
to M. de Pomponne to treat with him, which is signed by you: and
a letter from his Majesty to the Duke of Mantua. All these papers
were in a box which had been placed in the Convent of Capuchins.
Giuliani performed his duty very well, and so completely persuaded
the father of the aforesaid Lestang, that the papers were delivered
into his hands with all confidence. The ratification of the Duke
of Mantua is not to be found, although the Sieur de Lestang said
it was amongst them: whereupon I interrogated him; having first
obtained all the advantage over him I could, by abusing him, and
bringing soldiers into his room, as if preparatory to administering
the question to him, which made him so much afraid, that he promised
really to tell the truth. Being asked whether the Duke of Mantua
had ratified the treaty; he answered that he had never subscribed
to all the articles, but that he had got from him four blank papers
signed, one of which was a blank paper of two sheets, at the top of
which he had written: _Ratification of the treaty made with his most
Christian Majesty_. That there were three other blank papers signed,
of one sheet each, of which he intended to make use to write in the
name of his master to the three Governors, of the town, citadel,
and castle, to order them to receive the King’s troops. Being asked
where these blank papers signed are at present, he answered, that
they are in the hands of the Governor of Casale, to whom he sent
them at the time that d’Asfeld left Venice. Being asked why he had
sent them, without their being filled up, to the Governor of Casale;
he answered, he had sent them to him in a letter of Magnus, the
Secretary of the Duke of Mantua, in which the Governor was ordered
to do without hesitation, all that should be told him, regarding the
execution of the orders contained in that packet,--that they were
left blank, because he wished to make the ratification according
to that of the King, not knowing, as he says, exactly the form
in which it ought to have been made out. Being asked why in his
first examination he had said that this ratification was at Padua;
he answered, that he had not wished to tell where it was before
Giuliani, in order not to make him acquainted in any way with his
intelligence with the Governor: he added that he had never had any
other ratification except that one; and that whatever tortures
should be inflicted on him, he could never tell any thing more.
He has not told me any thing new relating to the imprisonment of
d’Asfeld, and he says that he has no further knowledge of it than
what I have already, Sir, sent word of to you.
I have taken leave of the Abbé d’Estrades, as we were both agreed
of my inutility here at present. I shall, therefore, set off the
6th, to come to the Court, as you, Sir, have ordered me; where I
shall have the honour of testifying to you my lively gratitude for
the favours, which your protection has gained for me; and for the
kindness with which you acquainted me with the last you had procured
for me.
I am,
With all the respect that is due to you,
Sir,
Your very humble, &c.
C.[297]
[297] Catinat. This letter is extracted from the work of M.
Roux (Fazillac).
No. 98.
VARENGEVILLE TO POMPONNE.
Proposed recompense to Giuliani.
Venice, July 1, 1679.
SIR,
In answer to the letter which you were pleased to write to me on
the 14th of last month, I shall do myself the honour to tell you
that, although I am aware that Giuliani has performed services
which have been useful to the King, and that I am persuaded of
his fidelity, and of his good inclinations towards France, which
may render him still very useful for the future, I cannot forbear
representing to you, that the recompense which the Abbé d’Estrades
wished to procure for him, is not a fitting one; and I feel myself
the more obliged to say this, because you do me the honour to inform
me that his Majesty wishes to receive further information on this
subject. I shall therefore, Sir, take the liberty to tell you, that
he is a little editor of newspapers, in whose shop the letters of
news are written, as it is not the custom here to print them: he
works at this himself, as well as copying for the public; and his
situation in this town answers to that of the Secretaries of St.
Innocent, at Paris. Therefore, it would be a very improper thing
to give a Secretaryship of Embassy to a man of this profession,
who, besides, in other respects, does not appear to me fit to fill
properly such an employment. He would even cease to be able to
give intelligence, as soon as he should be publicly recognized
to be attached to France, because the persons whom he now holds
communication with, would no longer wish, nor dare, to continue it
with him. But as he is a sort of _ferret_, who works out, and gets
at all that is passing, I think it is necessary to encourage his
zeal by some such gratification as forty or fifty pistoles a year,
or whatever shall be approved of by his Majesty. I think even that
this sort of recompense would have a greater effect upon him than
the other, and would make him act with the same zeal he has already
shown in the affairs he has been employed in.
VARENGEVILLE.[298]
* * * * * *
[298] Varengeville was now Ambassador at Venice. This letter
exists in the Archives of the Office for Foreign Affairs, at
Paris.
No. 99.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
St. Germain, July 25, 1679.
I HAVE received your letter of the 2d of this month. I wrote by
yesterday’s post to M. de Rissan,[299] that it is the King’s
intention that he should have the gate of the citadel of Pignerol
opened, whenever you shall have occasion for it.
You may give paper and ink to the Sieur de Lestang, with the
understanding that he is to put into writing whatever he wishes to
say; which you will send to me, and I will let you know whether it
deserves any consideration.
DE LOUVOIS.[300]
[299] M. de la Motte de Rissan held the post of “Lieutenant de
Roi,” in the citadel of Pignerol.
[300] From the Archives of France.
No. 100.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
St. Germain, August 21, 1679.
* * * * * *
With regard to the Sieur de Lestang, you may give him paper whenever
he wishes to write; and afterwards send it to me.
DE LOUVOIS.[301]
[301] From the Archives of France.
No. 101.
SAINT-MARS TO LOUVOIS.
Pignerol, Jan. 6, 1680.
* * * * * *
I am obliged, Sir, to inform you that the Sieur de Lestang is become
like the Monk I have the care of; that is to say, subject to fits of
raving madness; from which the Sieur Dubreuil also is not exempt.
DE SAINT-MARS.[302]
[302] Extracted from the work of M. Roux (Fazillac).
No. 102.
SAINT-MARS TO LOUVOIS.
Matthioli complains of his Treatment, and gives Proofs of
Insanity.
Pignerol, Feb. 24, 1680.
THE Sieur de Lestang, who has been nearly a year in my custody,
complains that he is not treated as a man of his quality, and the
minister of a great prince ought to be. Notwithstanding this, I
continue to follow your commands, Sir, most exactly upon this
subject, as well as upon all others: I think he is deranged, by the
way he talks to me; telling me he converses every day with God and
his angels; that they have told him of the death of the Duke of
Mantua, and of the Duke of Lorrain;[303] and, as an additional proof
of his madness, he says that he has the honour of being the near
relation of the King, to whom he wishes to write, to complain of the
way in which I treat him. I have not thought it right to give him
paper or ink for that purpose, perceiving him not to be in his right
senses.
DE SAINT-MARS.[304]
[303] See Note, page 48.
[304] Extracted from the work of M. Roux (Fazillac).
No. 103.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
St. Germain, July 10th, 1680.
I HAVE received, together with your letter of the 4th of this month,
that which was joined with it, of which I shall make the proper use.
It will be sufficient to make the prisoners in the lower part of the
tower confess once a year.
With regard to the Sieur de Lestang, I wonder at your patience,
and that you should wait for an order to treat such a rascal as he
deserves, when he is wanting in respect to you. Send me word how it
has happened that the individual named Eustache has been able to do
what you have sent me word of, and where he got the drugs necessary
for the purpose, as I cannot think you would have furnished them to
him.
DE LOUVOIS.[305]
[305] From the Archives of France.
No. 104.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Philippeville, August 16th, 1680.
I HAVE been made acquainted, by your letter of the 7th of this
month, with the proposal you make of placing the Sieur de Lestang
with the Jacobin Monk, in order to avoid the necessity of having two
priests. The King approves of your project, and you have only to
execute it when you please.
DE LOUVOIS.[306]
[306] Ibid.
No. 105.
SAINT-MARS TO LOUVOIS.
Matthioli and the Jacobin placed together.
September 7th, 1680.
SINCE you, Sir, permitted me to put Matthioli with the Jacobin in
the lower part of the tower, the aforesaid Matthioli was for four
or five days in the belief that the Jacobin was a man that I had
placed with him to watch his actions. Matthioli, who is almost as
mad as the Jacobin, walked about with long strides, with his cloak
over his nose, crying out that he was not a dupe, but that he knew
more than he would say. The Jacobin, who was always seated on his
truckle bed, with his elbows resting upon his knees, looked at him
gravely, without listening to him. The Signor Matthioli remained
always persuaded that it was a spy that had been placed with him,
till he was one day disabused, by the Jacobin’s getting down from
his bed, stark naked, and setting himself to preach, without rhyme
or reason, till he was tired. I and my lieutenants saw all their
manoeuvres through a hole over the door.
DE SAINT-MARS.[307]
[307] Extracted from the work of M. Roux (Fazillac).
No. 106.
SAINT-MARS TO LOUVOIS.
October 9th, 1680.
I HAVE only further, Sir, to acquaint you with the circumstance of
the Sieur Matthioli’s having given a ring to Blainvilliers, who
immediately delivered it to me. I will keep it, till it shall please
you, Sir, to give me orders what to do with it.
I am, &c.
DE SAINT-MARS.[308]
[308] Ibid.
No. 107.
SAINT-MARS TO LOUVOIS.
Particulars respecting the Ring given by Matthioli to
Blainvilliers.
October 26th, 1680.
IN order to explain to you, Sir, more amply than I have hitherto
done, the story of the diamond ring which the Sieur Matthioli gave
to Blainvilliers, I shall begin by taking the liberty to tell you
that I believe he made him this present as much from fear as from
any other cause: this prisoner having previously used very violent
language to him, and written abusive sentences with charcoal on
the wall of his room, which had obliged that officer to menace him
with severe punishment, if he was not more decorous and moderate
in his language for the future. When he was put in the tower with
the Jacobin, I charged Blainvilliers to tell him, at the same time
showing him a cudgel, that it was with that the unruly were rendered
manageable, and that if he did not speedily become the latter, he
could easily be compelled to it. This message was conveyed to him,
and some days afterwards, as Blainvilliers was waiting on him at
dinner, he said to him; _Sir, here is a little ring which I wish
to give you, and I beg you to accept of it_. Blainvilliers replied
to him that _he only took it to deliver it to me, as he could not
receive any thing himself from the prisoners_. I think it is well
worth fifty or sixty pistoles.
DE SAINT-MARS.[309]
[309] Extracted from the work of M. Roux (Fazillac).
No. 108.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Versailles, Nov. 2d, 1680.
I HAVE received your letter of the 26th of last month. I am writing
to the Sieur du Channoy to make the necessary repairs to the
barracks of the citadel of Pignerol: with regard to the brambles
which are in the walls, I think it will be better to wait till the
spring to have them rooted up, because that will make them die more
certainly, and then at the same time mortar might be inserted into
the fissures.
You must keep the ring, which the Sieur Matthioli has given to the
Sieur de Blainvilliers, in order to restore it to him, if it should
ever happen that the King ordered him to be set at liberty.
DE LOUVOIS.[310]
[310] From the Archives of France.
No. 109.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Versailles, Nov. 11th, 1680.
THE King has been informed that the Governor of Milan has received
the plan of the town and citadel of Pignerol, from an individual
named Quadro, who was some time in the prison, to explain the
fortifications to one of your nephews; and as it is important for
the service of His Majesty, that the Italians should never have any
communication with the citadel of Pignerol, nor with the prison
there, His Majesty has commanded me to let you know, that he wishes
you not to allow any one to enter there, without his express order;
and his intention is, if you have any soldiers or servants who are
Piedmontese, Savoyards, or Italians, that you should get rid of them
as quietly as possible, under pretext of their not serving you well.
DE LOUVOIS.[311]
[311] From the Archives of France
No. 110.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
St. Germain, December 5th, 1680.
YOUR letter of the 27th of last month has reached me. The King
does not wish you to have any soldiers in your company who are
Piedmontese, Savoyards, Italians, or natives of the Government of
Pignerol. With regard to the three servants of this nation, who have
been with you for six or seven years, you may keep them, since you
are certain of their fidelity.
DE LOUVOIS.[312]
[312] From the Archives of France.
No. 111.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Appointment of Saint-Mars to the Government of
Exiles--Measures to be taken by him thereupon.
Versailles, May 12th, 1681.
I READ to the King your letter of the 3d of this month, by which
his Majesty having discovered the extreme repugnance you have to
accept the command of the citadel of Pignerol, he has thought proper
to accord to you that of Exiles, vacant by the death of the Duke
of Lesdiguières; whither he wishes you to transport those of the
prisoners who are under your care, whom he shall think it important
not to entrust to any other hands but yours. I shall take care to
solicit at the office of M. de Croissy[313] for the grants of the
aforesaid government, of which, as the salary does not exceed four
thousand livres, His Majesty will continue to you the five hundred
livres a month he gave you at Pignerol, by means of which your
emoluments will be as considerable as those of the Governors of the
great places in Flanders.
I have requested the Sieur du Channoy to go with you to visit
the buildings at Exiles, and to make there a list of the repairs
absolutely necessary for the lodging of the two prisoners in the
lower part of the tower, who are, I think, the only ones His Majesty
will have transferred to Exiles.
Send me a list of all the prisoners under your care, and write
opposite to each name all that you know of the reasons why they were
arrested.
With regard to the two in the lower part of the tower, you need only
designate them by this name, without adding any thing else.
The King expects that, during the little time you will be absent
from the citadel of Pignerol, when you go with the Sieur du Channoy
to Exiles, you will arrange the guarding of your prisoners in such a
manner, that no accident may happen to them, and that they may have
no intercourse with any one, any more than they have hitherto had
during the time they have been under your charge.
DE LOUVOIS.[314]
[313] Charles Colbert, Marquis de Croissi, brother of the great
Colbert, was employed in many embassies, which he conducted
with ability and success. In 1679 he succeeded Arnaud de
Pomponne as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He died in
1696.
[314] From the Archives of France.
No. 112.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Precautions for the Journey of the Prisoners from Pignerol
to Exiles.
Versailles, June 9th, 1681.
I SEND you the necessary grants, as Governor of Exiles, which the
King has thought good to have sent to you. The intention of His
Majesty is, that as soon as the room at Exiles, which you shall
judge the most proper for the secure keeping of the two prisoners in
the lower part of the tower, shall be in a state to receive them,
you will send them out of the citadel of Pignerol in a litter, and
conduct them there under the escort of your troop, for the march
of whom the orders are hereunto joined: and immediately after the
departure of the aforesaid prisoners, it is His Majesty’s intention
that you should go to Exiles, to take possession of the government,
and to make it, for the future, your residence.
And because His Majesty does not wish that the remainder of the
prisoners at present under your charge, who are to remain in the
citadel of Pignerol should be left to the care of a Captain of a
Battalion, who may be changed from day to day, I address to you an
order from the King to have the Sieur de Villebois recognized as
Commandant of the aforesaid citadel of Pignerol, until the return
of M. de Rissan, or the arrival of the person whom His Majesty
shall entrust with the command of the aforesaid citadel. In case
the health of the aforesaid Sieur de Rissan does not permit him to
return there, you will, if you please, acquaint the aforesaid Sieur
de Villebois with it, to whom the Sieur du Channoy has orders to pay
two crowns a day, for the support of those three prisoners.
You will see by the orders of the King hereunto joined, that your
company is to be reduced to forty-five men, to commence from the
15th of this month; and by the statement which accompanies them,
the footing upon which it is to be paid, as well as what the
King has ordered you for the subsistence of the two before-named
prisoners, whom His Majesty expects that you will guard with the
same exactitude you have made use of hitherto. Therefore, it only
remains for me to recommend you to give me, from time to time,
intelligence respecting them.
With regard to the effects belonging to the Sieur Matthioli, which
are in your possession, you will have them taken to Exiles, in order
to be given back to him, if ever His Majesty should order him to be
set at liberty.
You will receive the orders I have mentioned by the first occasion.
DE LOUVOIS.[315]
[315] From the Archives of France.
No. 113.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Versailles, June 11th, 1681.
I HAVE acquainted the King with the contents of your letter of the
13th of last month, and with the list of the repairs necessary to
be made to the tower at Exiles, which you deem the most proper
residence for the prisoners whom His Majesty leaves under your care.
The King has thought fit to grant you a thousand crowns, as well for
the aforesaid repairs, as for those which you shall judge necessary
to make in your own lodging; which, as soon as you receive this,
you will take care to have done immediately, as if the expense was
to come out of your own pocket: and as soon as the prison shall be
in a fit state, it is the intention of His Majesty that you should
transfer the aforesaid two prisoners to it, according to what I have
already commanded you in my last letter; and in conformity with that
and the order which was joined to it, you will then deliver to the
Sieur de Villebois the command of the citadel of Pignerol.
DE LOUVOIS.[316]
[316] From the Archives of France.
No. 114.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Versailles, July 9th, 1681.
I HAVE received your letter of the 29th of last month. You may have
the doors you have need of, for the security of your prisoners, made
at Exiles, without taking the trouble of having them carried from
Pignerol.
I have written to the _Père Lachaise_ for the benefice, which you
ask of the King for one of your children, to whom I trust His
Majesty will grant it.
DE LOUVOIS.[317]
[317] Ibid.
No. 115.
SAINT-MARS TO LOUVOIS.
Precautions for the Security and Concealment of the
Prisoners at Exiles.
Pignerol, July 12th, 1681.
Just setting off for Exiles.
IN order that the prisoners may not be seen (at Exiles,) they will
not leave their chamber when they hear mass; and in order that they
may be kept the more securely, one of my lieutenants will sleep
above them, and there will be two sentinels night and day, who will
watch the whole round of the tower, without its being possible for
them and the prisoners to see and to speak to one another, or even
to hear any thing of one another. They will be the soldiers of my
company, who will be always the sentinels over the prisoners. There
is only a confessor, about whom I have my doubts; but if you do not
disapprove, I will give them the curate of Exiles instead, who is
a good man, and very old, whom I will forbid, on the part of His
Majesty, to enquire who these prisoners are, or their names, or
what they have been, or to speak of them in any way, or to receive
from them by word of mouth, or by writing, either communications or
notes.
I am, &c.
DE SAINT-MARS.[318]
[318] Extracted from the work of M. Roux (Fazillac).
No. 116.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Departure of Saint-Mars from Pignerol ordered to be
deferred, in order that he might receive Catinat there.
Versailles, July 22d, 1681.
I HAVE received your letter of the 12th of this month, by which I
see that the repairs which you have ordered to be made at Exiles
will not permit you to leave Pignerol before the end of next
month. As the service of the King will perhaps require that you
should remain there all the following month, it would be well that
you should advance the aforesaid repairs of Exiles as little as
possible, in order that you may have a pretext for not leaving
Pignerol till the first days of the month of October; taking care to
act in such a manner, that your continuing to remain there may not
appear to be the result of voluntary delay.
I am about to send the necessary order for the repayment of the
money you have expended for your prisoners, and you will receive it
by the next post.
You will find joined with this letter a packet for M. de
Pianesse,[319] which I request you to deliver to him without fail.
DE LOUVOIS.[320]
[319] The Marquis de Pianesse was one of the Ministers of the
Court of Turin.
[320] From the Archives of France.
No. 117.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Fontainebleau, August 3d, 1681.
YOUR letter of the 23rd of last month has been delivered to me. The
King approves of your going to see the Marquis de Pianesse at his
country house, and of your making a journey to Turin, if you desire
it, provided you do not sleep out of the citadel of Pignerol more
than one night at a time. With regard to the journey to Exiles, and
the leave of absence you ask for the Sieur Tourtebat, whom you wish
to take with you, you will have seen by my former letters, that the
intention of the King is that you should not go there.
DE LOUVOIS.[321]
[321] From the Archives of France.
No. 118.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Orders for the Reception of Catinat at Pignerol.
Fontainebleau, August 13th, 1681.
THE King having ordered M. de Catinat to go as soon as possible to
Pignerol, for the same affair which before took him there at the
commencement of the year 1679, I send you these few lines by order
of His Majesty, to give you intelligence thereof, in order that you
may prepare an apartment for him, in which he can remain concealed
for three weeks or a month; and also to tell you that when he shall
send to let you know that he is arrived at the place where you went
to meet him in the aforesaid year 1679, it is the intention of His
Majesty that you should go there again to meet him, and that you
should conduct him into the prison of the citadel of the aforesaid
Pignerol, with every kind of precaution, in order that no one may
know he is with you. I do not say any thing to you about assisting
him with your servants, your horses, and whatever carriages he may
have occasion for, because I have no doubt but you will do with
pleasure on these heads, whatever he shall ask you.
If between this time and his arrival any packet for him should be
addressed to you either from Piedmont or from Italy, you will keep
it, if you please, to deliver to him.
DE LOUVOIS.[322]
[322] From the Archives of France.
No. 119.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Fontainebleau, August 23d, 1681.
I HAVE received your letter of the 13th of this month, which
requires no answer, except to say that I have given orders for a
French clerk to be sent, to have the direction of the Post-office
at Pignerol; by means of whom we shall be assured that no further
abuses can be committed with regard to the letters.
DE LOUVOIS.[323]
[323] From the Archives of France.
No. 120.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Fontainebleau, Sept. 20th, 1681.
THIS word is only for the purpose of acknowledging the receipt of
your letter of the 16th of last month. The King will not disapprove
of your visiting, from time to time, the last prisoner who has
been placed in your charge, after he shall have been established
in his new prison, and shall have left that where he is at present
confined. His Majesty desires that you will execute the order he has
sent you for your establishment at Exiles. I beg you to deliver the
packet hereunto joined into M. de Richemont’s own hands.
DE LOUVOIS.[324]
[324] From the Archives of France. To the name of Richemont
is appended in the original the following note, in the
hand-writing of Saint-Mars; “This name means M. de Catinat,
whom I had then shut up with me at Pignerol.”
No. 121.
SAINT-MARS TO LOUVOIS.
Exiles, Dec 4th, 1681.