conducted to the Castle of Dijon: All her chief Domestics were committed, fome to the Bastille, and others to Vincennes. The Prince of Dombes and the Count de Eu were banish'd to Eu, where they had fo much Liberty however, that this Change of Fortune had not altogether the Air of Difgrace. As for Maidemotfelle de Maine; the Princefs of Conty took her Home with her. The Cardinal de Polignac, who was very much attach'd to the Family of Maine, alfo fhar'd their Fate; for he was banish'd to his Abbey of Anchin, and had but Two Hours allow'd him to fet his Affairs in Order.

While thefe Things pafs'd in France, the King of Spain, or rather his Minifter, caus'd the Duke of St. Aignan, the Ambaffador of France, to be very ill treated, who having taken Leave of the Kiug and Queen, ftay'd fome Days longer to fettle his domeftic Affairs, perhaps alfo to fee what Turn Things would take, in cafe the King of Spain, who was then dangerously ill, should die. I am affur'd that the King having told him, that by his Will he left the Regency to the Queen and Cardinal Alberoni, the Ambaffador made Answer, That his Teftamentary Settlement might probably be of as little Effect as Lewis XIV's was. This Anfwer difpleas'd the Cardinal, who thought of nothing but of being reveng'd; and indeed fome time after, the Marquis de Grimaldo, Secretary of State, went to the Duke of St. Aignan, and fignify'd an Order to him from the King, to leave Madrid in Twenty-four Hours, and the Kingdom in Twelve Days, 'Twas 10 O' Clock at Night when this Order was notify'd, and next Day, viz. the 14th of December, at 7 o'clock in the Morning, the Ambassador's House was surrounded by

a Party of Life-Guards, commanded by an Exempt, who having plac'd Centinels at all the Doors of his Lodgings, enter'd the Duke's Apartment, who was ftill a-bed with his Duchefs, made them drefs themselves with all Speed, and then conducted them out of the City.

Cardinal Alberoni, who did not yet know, that the Plot he had laid was discover'd, wrote with Speed to the Prince of Cellamare, that he might guess what to expect after the Treatment that had been fhewn to the Ambaffador of France P tho' he told him, that ought not to be a Reason for ufing him in the fame manner, and that the Duke de St. Aignan's Misbehaviour had made it neceffary to take that Course with him. He exhorted him not to ftir from Paris, till he was compell❜d to it by Force, nor even then, till he had made all the convenient Protefts. He said to him in the Conclufion, Put the Cafe that your Excellency be obliged to go, you will first fet Fire to all your Mines. Little did he think how terribly they were at that Time countermin'd!

This Letter, which was a farther Confirmation of the Prince de Cellamare's Confpiracy, and the Affront put upon the Ambassador of the most Christian King, intirely convinc'd the Regent, that the Spanish Minifter was refolv'd to go all Lengths. War was declar'd on both Sides, in which Spain did not come off with Honour. I fhall have further Occafion to fpeak of it to you fome Time hereafter.

I am next to give you an Account, how it Far'd with myself at this Time: Tho' I had no Hand in this Plot, yet I was fhrewdly fufpected; for feveral Conferences were held at my House: I was intimate with those who were deepest in the Secret, and in Fine, whether it proceeded

from

from Prudence, or from a Panic, I refolv'd to take Care of myself. I fet out from Paris in a very great Hurry, with a Defign to repair to the Palatine Court, and stay there till the Storm was quite over. I went to Germany thro' Lorrain, but had much ado to get thither, because I had no Paffport, and Orders were arriv'd from Court, to ftop all that travell'd without one; I therefore thought of the following Stratagem.

About a League from Toul, which is the laft Place in France, I feign'd myself sick, that I might have fome colour for halting there, and difmiffing my Poftilion. At that Village I lay all Night, and rising very early next Morning, I told my Landlady that I would go to Toul on Foot, and defir'd her to fend my Boots according to a Direction I left with her. My Defign was to go into Toul as a Townfman; for I hop'd, that my being on Foot, and not having the Air of a Traveller, I fhould pafs without Moleftation; but I was quite mistaken; for the Guard ftopp'd me, and ask'd me, Who I was, and, Whither I was bound? I faid, That I was a German, that I had been the Valet de Chambre of a German Nobleman, who dy'd at Paris, and that I was returning from thence Homewards. The Officer carry'd me before the King's Lieutenant, who, I thought, was a mere Brute; yet I think I fhould be in the Wrong to complain, for I gave myself out for a Footman, and really as fuch he treated me: He put feveral Queftions to me, which I always made Anfwer to like a moft fubmiffive Lackey, in Hopes of foothing his fullen Humour; but nothing could defend me from his Reproaches : You are not a Footman, faid he, I rather believe

you

you are fome Bankrupt; therefore tell me the Truth, or I'll inftantly throw you into a Dungeon. I ftili affirm'd, that I was a Footman; but the Lieutenant, not well pleas'd with my Anfwer, committed me to the Guard-Houfe, where he left me Five or Six Hours, and then fent me Word, that I might go to an Inn: I was conducted thither by a Soldier, who was always a Guard upon me, and next Day carry'd me again before the King's Lieutenant, who took me into his Clofet, and told me, 'Twas to no Purpose for me to think of concealing myfelf any longer from him; for that he was juft inform'd who I was, by a Perfon who knew me. I own, Madame, that I began to be afraid, yet I stood to my Text ftill, with all the Affurance that could be. He then call'd one of his Domestics, and bid him fetch the Man that knew me; but 'twas well for me, that this Perfon had no Existence but in his Imagination. Mean Time he feem'd to be out of Patience that he did not come ; and at last told me, that I must return to the Guard-Houfe, and not stir from thence till I had fully fatisfy'd him who and what I was. Then I happen'd to hit upon an Expedient which prov'd a lucky one; I told him, That I was very willing to remain in Cuftody till I had receiv'd an Answer from the Landlady of the Inn where my Master dy'd, who would make good what I had affirm'd. Upon this he order'd Paper to be given me; and I wrote in fhort to my Landlady at Paris, by the Name of a Valet de Chambre, whom I left there when I came away. As she was a Woman of quick Apprehenfion, and knew my Hand- Writing, I perfuaded myself that the would easily comprehend the Meaning of it. When my Letter was finish'd, I shew'd it

to

1

to the King's Lieutenant, who read it, and told me, That he would undertake both for its Delivery, and an Answer to it. In the mean Time he remanded me back to my Inn, and in Two Hours after, fent to tell me, that I might purfue my Journey. You will naturally imagine, that I took him at the firft Word. I accordingly walk'd out of Toul on Foot, but I hir'd a Horfe at a Village belonging to the Principality of Elbauf, and went to Nancy, where I had the Precaution to provide myself with a Paffport, which the Innkeeper, where I lay, procur'd me, by the Name of a certain Merchant of that City. I did not think fit to go to Strasbourg, where perhaps I might have been known; but went to Haguenau; from thence to Fort Louis, where I pals'd the Rhine; and at laft arriv'd at Heidelberg in the Beginning of the Year 1719.

The Palatine Court refided at + Heidelberg †, but 'twas not the fame Elector that I had the Honour to mention to you before, for he was dead, and was fucceeded by his Brother Prince Charles, who kept a numerous and magnificent Court, and was the Darling of all his Family. He was fo good to his Domeftics, that there are few fuch to be found among Princes; and yet without debafing his Rank, of which he underflood every Part of its Dignity, and perfectly knew how to have the Refpect paid that was due to him: Being withal generous, good-natur'd, affable and charitable; he lov'd People fhould Speak to him with Freedom. He was very regular in his Conduct, even to a Degree of Devotion, yet in no refpect an Enemy to Pleasures