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declare for the exclusion of the Cardinal； you will be tomorrow as popular as either of us； and we shall be looked upon as the only centre of their hopes。 All the blunders of the ministers will turn to our advantage； the Spaniards will caress us； and the Cardinal； considering how fond he is of a treaty； will be under the necessity to court us。 I own this scheme may be attended with inconveniences； but； on the other side of the question； we are sure of certain ruin if we have a peace and an enraged minister at the helm； who cannot hope for reestablishment but upon our destruction。 Therefore； I cannot but think the expedient is as proper for you to engage in as for me； but if； for argument's sake； it were not； I am sure it is for your interest that I should embrace it； for you will by that means have more time to make your own terms with the Court before the peace is concluded； and after the peace Mazarin will in such case be obliged to have more regard for all those gentlemen whose reunion with me it will be to his interest to prevent。〃
M。 de Bouillon was so convinced of the justice of my reasoning that he told me； when we were by ourselves； that he had； as well as myself； thought of my expedient as soon as he received the news of the army deserting M。 de Turenne； that he could still improve it； as the Spaniards would not fail to relish it； and that he had been on the point several times one day to confer about it with me； but that his wife had conjured him with prayers and tears to speak no more of the matter； but to come to terms with the Court； or else to engage himself with the Spaniards。 〃I know；〃 said he； 〃you are not for the second arrangement； pray lend me your good offices to compass the first。〃 I assured him that all my best offices and interests were entirely at his service to facilitate his agreement with the Court； and that he might freely make use of my name and reputation for that purpose。
In fine； we agreed on every point。 M。 de Bouillon undertook to make the proposition palatable to the Spaniards； provided we would promise never to let them know that it was concerted among ourselves beforehand； and we never questioned but that we could persuade M。 de Longueville to accept it； for men of irresolution are apt to catch at all overtures which lead them two ways； and consequently press them to no choice。
I had almost forgotten to tell you what M。 de Bouillon said to me in private as we were going from the conference。 〃I am sure；〃 said he； 〃that you will not blame me for not exposing a wife whom I dearly love and eight children whom she loves more than herself to the hazards which you run； and which I could run with you were I a single man。〃
I was very much affected by the tender sentiments of M。 de Bouillon and the confidence he placed in me； and assured him I was so far from blaming him that I esteemed him the more； and that his tenderness for his lady； which he was pleased to call his weakness； was indeed what politics condemned but ethics highly justified； because it betokened an honest heart； which is much superior both to interest and politics。 M。 de Bouillon communicated the proposal both to the Spanish envoys and to the generals； who were easily persuaded to relish it。
Thus he made； as it were； a golden bridge for the Spaniards to withdraw their troops with decency。 I told him as soon as they were gone that he was an excellent man to persuade people that a 〃quartan ague was good for them。〃
The Parliamentary deputies； repairing to Saint Germain on the 17th of March； 1649； first took care to settle the interests of the generals； upon which every officer of the army thought he had a right to exhibit his pretensions。 M。 de Vendome sent his son a formal curse if he did not procure for him at least the post of Superintendent of the Seas； which was created first in favour of Cardinal de Richelieu in place of that of High Admiral； but Louis XIV。 abolished it； and restored that of High Admiral。
Upon this we held a conference； the result of which was that on the 20th the Prince de Conti told the Parliament that himself and the other generals entered their claims solely for the purpose of providing for their safety in case Mazarin should continue in the Ministry； and that he protested； both for himself and for all the gentlemen engaged in the same party； that they would immediately renounce all pretensions whatsoever upon the exclusion of Cardinal Mazarin。
We also prevailed on the Prince de Conti； though almost against his will； to move the Parliament to direct their deputies to join with the Comte de Maure for the expulsion of Cardinal Mazarin。 I had almost lost all my credit with the people； because I hindered them on the 13th of March from massacring the Parliament； and because on the 23d and 24th I opposed the public sale of the Cardinal's library。 But I reestablished my reputation in the Great Hall among the crowd； in the opinion of the firebrands of Parliament； by haranguing against the Comte de Grancei； who had the insolence to pillage the house of M。 Coulon； by insisting on the 24th that the Prince d'Harcourt should be allowed to seize all the public money in the province of Picardy； by insisting on the 25th against a truce which it would have been ridiculous to refuse during a conference； and by opposing on the 30th what was transacted there； though at the same time I knew that peace was made。
I now return to the conference at Saint Germain。
The Court declared they would never consent to the removal of the Cardinal； and that as to the pretensions of the generals； which were either to justice or favour； those of justice should be confirmed； and those of favour left to his Majesty's disposal to reward merit。 They declared their willingness to accept the Archduke's proposal for a general peace。
An amnesty was granted in the most ample manner； comprehending expressly the Prince de Conti； MM。 de Longueville； de Beaufort； d'Harcourt； de Rieug； de Lillebonne； de Bouillon； de Turenne； de Brissac； de Duras； de Matignon； de Beuron； de Noirmoutier； de Sdvigny； de Tremouille； de La Rochefoucault； de Retz； d'Estissac； de Montr4sor； de Matta； de Saint Germain； d'Apchon； de Sauvebeuf； de Saint Ibal； de Lauretat； de Laigues； de Chavagnac； de Chaumont； de Caumesnil； de Cugnac； de Creci； d'Allici； and de Barriere； but I was left out； which contributed to preserve my reputation with the public more than you would expect from such a trifle。
On the 31st the deputies； being returned； made their report to the Parliament； who on the 1st of April verified the declaration of peace。
As I went to the House I found the streets crowded with people crying 〃No peace！ no Mazarin！〃 but I dispersed them by saying that it was one of Mazarin's stratagems to separate the people from the Parliament； who without doubt had reasons for what they had done； that they should be cautious of falling into the snare； that they had no cause to fear Mazarin； and that they might depend on it that I would never agree with him。 When I reached the House I found the guards as excited as the people； and bent on murdering every one they knew to be of Mazarin's party； but I pacified them as I had done the others。 The Fi