The Constable did not expect to find the same disinclination to

marriage in his second son which he had found in his eldest, but he

proved mistaken. The Duke d'Anville was desperately in love with the

Dauphin-Queen, and how little hope soever he might have of succeeding

in his passion, he could not prevail with himself to enter into an

engagement that would divide his cares. The Mareschal de St. Andre was

the only person in the Court that had not listed in either party: he

was a particular favourite, and the King had a personal affection for

him; he had taken a liking to him ever since he was Dauphin, and

created him a Mareschal of France at an age in which others rarely

obtain the least dignities.

His favour with the King gave him a lustre

which he supported by his merit and the agreeableness of his person, by

a splendour in his table and furniture, and by the most profuse

magnificence that ever was known in a private person, the King's

liberality enabling him to bear such an expense. This Prince was

bounteous even to prodigality to those he favoured, and though he had

not all the great qualities, he had very many; particularly he took

delight and had great skill in military affairs; he was also

successful, and excepting the Battle of St. Quintin, his reign had been

a continued series of victory; he won in person the Battle of Renti,

Piemont was conquered, the English were driven out of France, and the

Emperor Charles V found his good fortune decline before the walls of

Mets, which he besieged in vain with all the forces of the Empire, and

of Spain: but the disgrace received at St. Quintin lessened the hopes

we had of extending our conquests, and as fortune seemed to divide

herself between two Kings, they both found themselves insensibly

disposed to peace.

The Duchess Dowager of Loraine had made some overtures about the time

of the Dauphin's marriage, since which a secret negotiation had been

constantly carried on; in fine, Coran in Artois was the place appointed

for the treaty; the Cardinal of Loraine, the Constable Montmorency, and

the Mareschal de St. Andre were plenipotentaries for the King; the Duke

of Alva, and the Prince of Orange for Philip the II, and the Duke and

Duchess of Loraine were mediators. The principal articles were the

marriage of the Princess Elizabeth of France with Don Carlos the

Infanta of Spain, and that of his majesty's sister with the Duke of

Savoy.

The King, during the Treaty, continued on the frontiers, where he

received the news of the death of Queen Mary of England; his Majesty

dispatched forthwith the Count de Randan to Queen Elizabeth, to

congratulate her on her accession to the Crown, and they received him

with great distinction; for her affairs were so precarious at that

time, that nothing could be more advantageous to her, than to see her

title acknowledged by the King. The Count found she had a thorough

knowledge of the interests of the French Court, and of the characters

of those who composed it; but in particular, she had a great idea of

the Duke of Nemours: she spoke to him so often, and with so much

ernestness concerning him, that the Ambassador upon his return declared

to the King, that there was nothing which the Duke of Nemours might not

expect from that Princess, and that he made no question she might even

be brought to marry him. The King communicated it to the Duke the same

evening, and caused the Count de Randan to relate to him all the

conversations he had had with Queen Elizabeth, and in conclusion

advised him to push his fortune: the Duke of Nemours imagined at first

that the King was not in earnest, but when he found to the contrary,




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