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juncture； would be ready to serve the Queen。 And if it seemed good to your Majesty to entrust one of them with some important employment； I should be more pleased than with ten cardinals' hats。〃
The Cardinal told the Queen that nothing was more just； and the affair should be considered between him and me。
We had several conferences； at which we agreed on gratifications for some of our friends and to arrest the Prince de Conde； the Prince de Conti； and the Duc de Longueville。
The Cardinal took occasion to speak of the treachery of La Riviere。 〃This man；〃 said he； 〃takes me to be the most stupid creature living； and thinks he shall be to…morrow a cardinal。 I diverted myself to…day with letting him try on some scarlet cloth I lately received from Italy； and I put it near his face to know whether a scarlet colour or carnation became him best。〃
I heard from Rome that his Eminence was not behindhand with La Riviere upon the score of treachery。 For on the very day he got him nominated by the King； he wrote a letter to Cardinal Sachelli more fit to recommend him to a yellow cap than to a red one。 This letter； nevertheless； was full of tenderness for La Riviere； which Mazarin knew was the only way to ruin him with Pope Innocent； who hated Mazarin and all his adherents。
Madame de Chevreuse undertook to see how the Duc d'Orleans would relish the design of imprisoning the Princes。 She told him that； though the Queen was not satisfied with M。 le Prince； yet she could not form a resolution of apprehending him without the concurrence of his Royal Highness。 She magnified the advantages of bringing over to the King's service the powerful faction of the Fronde； and the daily dangers Paris was exposed to； both by fire and sword。 This last reason touched him as much or more than all； for he trembled every time he came to the Parliament； M。 le Prince very often could not prevail upon him to go at all； and a fit of colic was generally assigned as the reason of his absence。 At length he consented； and on the 18th of January the three Princes were put under arrest by three officers of the Queen's Guards。
The people having a notion that M。 de Beaufort was apprehended； ran to their arms； which I caused to be laid down immediately； by marching through the streets with flambeaux before me。 M。 de Beaufort did the like； and the night concluded with bonfires。
The Queen sent a letter from the King to the Parliament with the reasons； which were neither strong nor well set out； why the Prince de Conde was confined。 However； we obtained a decree for our absolution。
The Princesses were ordered to retire to Chantilly。 Madame de Longueville went towards Normandy； but found no sanctuary there； for the Parliament of Rouen sent her a message to desire her to depart from the city。 The Duc de Richelieu would not receive her into Havre； and from there she retired to Dieppe。
M。 de Bouillon； who after the peace was strongly attached to the Prince de Conde； went in great haste to Turenne； M。 de Turenne got into Stenai； M。 de La Rochefoucault； then Prince de Marsillac； returned home to Poitou； and Mar4chal de Breze； father…in…law to the Prince de Conde； went to Saumur。
There was a declaration published and registered in Parliament against them； whereby they were ordered to wait on the King within fifteen days； upon pain of being proceeded against as disturbers of the public peace and guilty of high treason。
The Court carried all before them。 Madame de Longueville； upon the King going into Normandy； escaped by sea into Holland； whence she went afterwards to Arras； to try La Tour； one of her husband's pensioners； who offered her his person； but refused her the place。 She repaired at last to Stenai； whither M。 de Turenne went to meet her； with all the friends and servants of the confined Princes that he could muster。 The King went from Normandy to Burgundy； and returned to Paris crowned with laurels of victory。
The Princess…dowager； who had been ordered to retire to Bourges； came with a petition to Parliament； praying for their protection to stay in Paris； and that she might have justice done her for the illegal confinement of the Princes her children。 She fell at the feet of the Duc d'Orleans； begged the protection of the Duc de Beaufort； and said to me that she had the honour to be my kinswoman。 M。 de Beaufort was very much perplexed what to do； and I was nearly ready to die for shame； but we could do nothing for her； and she was obliged to go to Valery。
Several private annuitants； who had made a noise in the assemblies at the Hotel de Ville； were afraid of being called to account； and therefore； after M。 le Prince was arrested； they desired me to procure a general amnesty。 I spoke about it to the Cardinal； who seemed very pliable； and； showing me his hatband； which was 'a la mode de la Fronde'； said he hoped himself to be comprised in that amnesty； but he shuffled it off so long that it was not published and registered in Parliament till the 12th of May； and it would not have been obtained then had not I threatened vigorously to prosecute the Crown witnesses； of which they were mightily apprehensive； being so conscious of the heinousness of their crime that two of them had already made their escape。
The present calm hardly deserved that name； for the storm of war began to rise again in several places at once。
Madame de Longueville and M。 de Turenne made a treaty with the Spaniards； and the latter joined their army； which entered Picardy and besieged Guise； after having taken Catelet； but for want of provisions the Archduke was obliged to raise the siege。 M。 de Turenne levied troops with Spanish money； and was joined by the greater part of the officers commanding the soldiers that went under the name of the Prince's troops。
The wretched conduct of M。 d'Epernon had so confounded the affairs of Guienne that nothing but his removal could retrieve them。
One of the greatest mischiefs which the despotic authority of ministers has occasioned in the world in these later times is a practice； occasioned by their own private mistaken interests； of always supporting superiors against their inferiors。 It is a maxim borrowed from Machiavelli； whom few understand； and whom too many cry up for an able man because he was always wicked。 He was very far from being a complete statesman； and was frequently out in his politics； but I think never more grossly mistaken than in this maxim； which I observed as a great weakness in Mazarin； who was therefore the less qualified to settle the affairs of Guienne； which were in so much confusion that I believe if the good sense of Jeannin and Villeroi had been infused into the brains of Cardinal de Richelieu； it would not have been sufficient to set them right。
Senneterre； perceiving that Cardinal Mazarin and I were not cordial friends； undertook to reconcile us； and for that end took me to the Cardinal； who embraced me very tenderly； said he laid his heart upon the table； that was one of his usual phrases；and protested he would talk as freely to me as if I were his own son。 I did not believe a word of what he said； but I assured his Eminence that I would speak to him as if he were my