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On the 9th a decree was passed to suspend the conference till all the promises made by the Court to allow the entry of provisions were punctually executed。
The Prince de Conti informed the House the same day that he was desired by M。 de Longueville to assure them that he would set out from Rouen on the 15th with 7；000 foot and 3；000 horse； and march directly to Saint Germain； the Parliament was incredibly overjoyed； and desired the Prince de Conti to press him to hasten his march as much as possible。
On the 10th the member for Normandy told the House that the Parliament of Rennes only stayed for the Duc de la Tremouille to join against the common enemy。
On the 11th an envoy from M。 de la Tremouille offered the Parliament； in his master's name； 8；000 foot and 2；000 horse； who were in a condition to march in two days； provided the House would permit his master to seize on all the public money at Poitiers； Niort； and other places whereof he was already master。 The Parliament thanked him； passed a decree with full powers accordingly； and desired him to hasten his levies with all expedition。
Posterity will hardly believe that； notwithstanding all this heat in the party； which one would have thought could not have immediately evaporated； a peace was made and signed the same day； but of this more by and by。
While the Court； as has been before hinted； was tampering with the generals； Madame de Montbazon promised M。 de Beaufort's support to the Queen； but her Majesty understood that it was not to be done if I were not at the market to approve of the sale。 La Riviere despised M。 d'Elbeuf no longer。 M。 de Bouillon； since his brother's declaration； seemed more inclined than before to come to an arrangement with the Court； but his pretentions ran very high； and both the brothers were in such a situation that a little assistance would not suffice； and as to the offers made to myself by Madame de Lesdiguieres； I returned such an answer as convinced the Court that I was not so easily to be moved。
In short； Cardinal Mazarin found all the avenues to a negotiation either shut or impassable。 This despair of success in the Court was eventually more to the advantage of the Court than the most refined politics； for it did not hinder them from negotiating； the Cardinal's natural temper not permitting him to do otherwise； but； however； he could not trust to the carrying out of negotiations； and therefore beguiled our generals with fair promises； while he remitted 800；000 livres to buy off the army of M。 de Turenne； and obliged the deputies at Ruel to sign a peace against the orders of the Parliament that sent them。 The President de Mesmes assured me several times since that this peace was purely the result of a conversation he had with the Cardinal on the 8th of March at night； when his Eminence told him he saw plainly that M。 de Bouillon would not treat till he had the Spaniards and M。 de Turenne at the gates of Paris； that is； till he saw himself in the position to seize one…half of the kingdom。 The President made him this answer：
〃There is no hope of any security but in making the Coadjutor a cardinal。〃
To which Mazarin answered： 〃He is worse than the other； who at least seemed once inclined to treat； but he is still for a general peace； or for none at all。〃
President de Mesmes replied： 〃If things are come to this pass we must be the victims to save the State from perishingwe must sign the peace。 For after what the Parliament has done to…day there is no remedy； and perhaps tomorrow we shall be recalled； if we are disowned in what we do we are ruined； the gates of Paris will be shut against us； and we shall be prosecuted and treated as prevaricators and traitors。 It is our business and concern to procure such conditions as will give us good ground to justify our proceedings； and if the terms are but reasonable； we know how to improve them against the factions； but make them as you please yourself； I will sign them all； and will go this moment to acquaint the First President that this is the only expedient to save the State。 If it takes effect we have peace； if we are disowned by the Parliament we still weaken the faction； and the danger will fall upon none but ourselves。〃 He added that with much difficulty he had persuaded the First President。
The peace was signed by Cardinal Mazarin； as well as by the other deputies； on the part of the King。 The substance of the articles was that Parliament should just go to Saint Germain to proclaim the peace； and then return to Paris； but hold no assembly that year； that all their public decrees since the 6th of January should be made void； as likewise all ordinances of Council； declarations and 'lettres de cachet'； that as soon as the King had withdrawn his troops from Paris； all the forces raised for the defence of the city should be disbanded； and the inhabitants lay down their arms and not take them up again without the King's order； that the Archduke's deputy should be dismissed without an answer； that there should be a general amnesty； and that the King should also give a general discharge for all the public money made use of； as also for the movables sold and for all the arms and ammunition taken out of the arsenal and elsewhere。
M。 and Madame de Bouillon were extremely surprised when they heard that the peace was signed。 I did not expect the Parliament would make it so soon； but I said frequently that it would be a very shameful one if we should let them alone to make it。 M。 de Bouillon owned that I had foretold it often enough。 〃I confess；〃 said he； 〃that we are entirely to blame；〃 which expression made me respect him more than ever； for I think it a greater virtue for a man to confess a fault than not to commit one。 The Prince de Conti； MM。 d'Elbeuf； de Beaufort； and de La Mothe were very much surprised； too； at the signing of the peace； especially because their agent at Saint Germain had assured them that the Court was fully persuaded that the Parliament was but a cipher； and that the generals were the men with whom they must negotiate。 I confess that Cardinal Mazarin acted a very wily part in this juncture； and he is the more to be commended because he was obliged to defend himself； not only against the monstrous impertinences of La Riviere； but against the violent passion of the Prince de Conde。
We held a council at the Duc de Bouillon's； where I persuaded them that as our deputies were recalled by an order despatched from Parliament before the treaty was signed； it was therefore void； and that we ought to take no notice of it； the rather because it had not been communicated to Parliament in form； and； finally； that the deputies should be charged to insist on a general treaty of peace and on the expulsion of Mazarin； and； if they did not succeed； to return forthwith to their seats in Parliament。 But I added that if the deputies should have time to return and make their report； we should be under the necessity of protesting； which would so incense the people against them that we should not be able to keep them from butchering the First President and the President de Mesmes； so that we should be reputed the authors of the tragedy； and； though formidable o