sented　to　his　Majesty　by　the　deputies　of　the　Parliament　of　Paris；　who　would；　at　the　same　time；　most　humbly　beseech　the　Queen　to　restore　peace　to　Guienne。
  The　Duc　d'Orleans　was　against　debating　about　the　petition　to　the　Queen　for　the　liberation　of　the　Priuces　and　the　banishment　of　Cardinal　Mazarin；　nevertheless；　many　of　the　members　voted　for　it；　upon　a　motion　made　by　the　President　Viole；　who　was　a　warm　partisan　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　not　because　he　had　hopes　of　carrying　it；　but　on　purpose　to　embarrass　M。　de　Beaufort　and　myself　upon　a　subject　of　which　we　did　not　care　to　speak；　and　yet　did　not　dare　to　be　altogether　silent　about；　without　passing　in　some　measure　for　Mazarinists。　　President　Viole　did　the　Prince　a　great　deal　of　service　on　this　occasion；　for　Bourdet　a　brave　soldier；　who　had　been　captain　of　the　Guards　and　was　attached　to　the　interest　of　the　Prince　performed　an　action　which　emboldened　the　party　very　much；　though　it　had　no　success。　　He　dressed　himself　and　fourscore　other　officers　of　his　troops　in　mason's　clothes；　and　having　assembled　many　of　the　dregs　of　the　people；　to　whom　he　had　distributed　money；　came　directly　to　the　Duc　d'Orleans　as　he　was　going　out；　and　cried；　〃No　Mazarin！　　God　bless　the　Princes！〃　　His　Royal　Highness；　at　this　apparition　and　the　firing　of　a　brace　of　pistols　at　the　same　time　by　Bourdet；　ran　to　the　Great　Chamber；　but　M。　de　Beaufort　stood　his　ground　so　well　with　the　Duke's　guards　and　our　men；　that　Bourdet　was　repulsed　and　thrown　down　the　Parliament　stairs。
  But　the　confusion　in　the　Great　Chamber　was　still　worse。　　There　were　daily　assemblies；　wherein　the　Cardinal　was　severely　attacked；　and　the　Prince's　party　had　the　pleasure　of　exposing　us　as　his　accomplices。　　What　is　very　strange　is　that　at　the　same　time　the　Cardinal　and　his　friends　accused　us　of　corresponding　with　the　Parliament　of　Bordeaux；　because　we　maintained；　in　case　the　Court　did　not　adjust　affairs　there；　we　would　infallibly　bring　the　Parliament　of　Paris　into　the　interest　of　the　Prince。　　If　I　were　at　the　point　of　death　I　should　have　no　need　to　be　confessed　on　account　of　my　behaviour　on　this　occasion。　　I　acted　with　as　much　sincerity　in　this　juncture　as　if　I　had　been　the　Cardinal's　nephew；　though　really　it　was　not　out　of　any　love　to　him；　but　because　I　thought　myself　obliged　in　prudence　to　oppose　the　progress　of　the　Prince's　faction；　owing　to　the　foolish　conduct　of　his　enemies；　and　to　this　end　I　was　obliged　to　oppose　the　flattery　of　the　Cardinal's　tools　as　much　as　the　efforts　made　by　those　who　were　in　the　service　of　the　Prince。
  On　the　3d　of　September　President　Bailleul　returned　with　the　other　deputies；　and　made　a　report　in　Parliament　of　his　journey　to　Court；　it　was；　in　brief；　that　the　Queen　thanked　the　Parliament　for　their　good　intentions；　and　had　commanded　them　to　assure　the　Parliament　in　her　name　that　she　was　ready　to　restore　peace　to　Guienne；　and　that　it　would　have　been　done　before　now　had　not　M。　de　Bouillon；　who　had　treated　with　the　Spaniards；　made　himself　master　of　Bordeaux；　and　thereby　cut　off　the　effects　of　his　Majesty's　goodness。
  The　Duc　d'Orleans　informed　the　House　that　he　had　received　a　letter　from　the　Archduke；　signifying　that　the　King　of　Spain　having　sent　him　full　powers　to　treat　for　a　general　peace；　he　desired　earnestly　to　negotiate　it　with　him。　　But　his　Royal　Highness　added　that　he　did　not　think　it　proper　to　return　him　any　answer　till　he　had　the　opinion　of　the　Parliament。　　The　trumpeter　who　brought　the　letter　gathered　a　party　at　Tiroir　cross；　and　spoke　very　seditious　words　to　the　people。　　The　next　day　they　found　libels　posted　up　and　down　the　city　in　the　name　of　M。　de　Turenne；　setting　forth　that　the　Archduke　was　coming　with　no　other　disposition　than　to　make　peace；　and　in　one　of　them　were　these　words：　〃It　is　your　business；　Parisians；　to　solicit　your　false　tribunes；　who　have　turned　at　last　pensioners　and　protectors　of　Mazarin；　who　have　for　so　long　a　time　sported　with　your　fortunes　and　repose；　and　spurred　you　on；　kept　you　back；　and　made　you　hot　or　cold；　according　to　the　caprices　and　different　progress　of　their　ambition。〃
  You　see　the　state　and　condition　the　Frondeurs　were　in　at　this　juncture；　when　they　could　not　move　one　step　but　to　their　own　disadvantage。　　The　Duc　d'Orleans　spoke　to　me　that　night　with　a；　great　deal　of　bitterness　against　the　Cardinal；　which　he　had　never　done　before；　and　said　he　had　been　tricked　by　him　twice；　and　that　he　was　ruining　himself；　the　State；　and　all　of　us；　and　would；　by　so　doing；　place　the　Prince　de　Conde　upon　the　throne。　In　short；　Monsieur　owned　that　it　was　not　yet　time　to　humble　the　Cardinal。　〃Therefore；〃　said　M。　Bellievre；　〃let　us　be　upon　our　guard；　this　man　can　give　us　the　slip　any　moment。〃
  Next　day　a　letter　was　sent　from　the　Prince　de　Conde；　by　the　Baron　de　Verderonne；　to　the　Archduke；　desiring　him　to　name　the　time；　place　and　persons　for　a　treaty。　　The　Baron　returned　with　a　letter　from　the　Archduke　to　his　Royal　Highness；　desiring　that　the　conferences　might　be　held　between　Rheims　and　Rhetel；　and　that　they　might　meet　there　personally；　with　such　others　as　they　should　think　fit　to　bring　with　them。　　The　Court　was　surprised；　but；　however；　did　not　think　fit　to　delay　sending　full　powers　to　his　Royal　Highness　to　treat　for　peace　on　such　terms　as　he　thought　reasonable　and　advantageous　for　the　King's　service；　and　there　were　joined　with　him；　though　in　subordination；　MM。　Mole；　the　First　President；　d'Avaux；　and　myself；　with　the　title　of　Ambassadors　Extraordinary　and　Plenipotentiaries。　　M。　d'Avaux　obliged　me　to　assure　Don　Gabriel　de　Toledo；　in　private；　that　if　the　Spaniards　would　but　come　to　reasonable　terms；　we　would　conclude　a　peace　with　them　in　two　days'　time。　And　his　Royal　Highness　said　that　Don　Gabriel　being　a　lover　of　money；　I　should　promise　him　for　his　part　100；000　crowns　if　the　conference　that　was　proposed　ended　in　a　peace；　and　bid　him　tell　the　Archduke　that；　if　the　Spaniards　proposed　reasonable　terms；　he　would　sign　and　have　them　registered　in　Parliament　before　Mazarin　should　know　anything　of　the　matter。
  Don　Gabriel　received　the　overture　with　joy；　he　had　some　particular　fancies；　but　Fuensaldagne；　who　had　a　particular　kindness　for　him；　said　that　he　was　the　wisest　fool　he　ever　saw　in　his　life。　　I　have　remarked　more　than　once　that　this　sort　of　man　cannot　persuade；　but　can　insinuate　perfectly　well；　and　that　the　talent　of　insinuation　is　of　more　service　than　that　of　persuasion；　because　one　may　insinuate　to　a　hundred　where　one　can　hardly　persuade　five。
  The　King　of　England；　after　having　lost　the　battle　of　Worcester；　arrived　in　Paris　the　day　that　Don　Gabriel　set　out；　the　13th　of　September；　1651。　My　Lord　Taff　was　his　great　chamberlain；　valet　de　chambre；　clerk　of　the　kitchen；　cup…bearer；　and　all；an　equipage　answerable　to　his　Court；　for　his　Majesty　had　not　changed　his　shirt　all　the　way　from　England。　　Upon　his　arrival　at　Paris；　indeed；　he　had　one　lent　him　by　my　Lord　Jermyn；　but　the　Queen；　his　mother；　had　not　money　to　buy　him　another　for　the　next　day。　The　Duc　d'Orleans　went　to　compliment　his　Majesty　upon　his　arrival；　but　it　was　not　in　my　power　to　persuade　his　Royal　Highness　to　give　his　nephew　one　penny；　because；　said　he；　〃a　little　would　not　be　worth　his　acceptance；　and　a　great　deal　would　engage　me　to　do　as　much　hereafter。〃　　This　leads　me　to　make　the　following　digression：　that　there　is　nothing　so　wretched　as　to　be　a　minister　to　a　Prince；　and；　at　the　same　time；　not　his　favourite；　for　it　is　his　favour　only　that　gives　one　a　power　over　the　more　minute　concerns　of　the　family；　for　which　the　public　does；　nevertheless；　think　a　minister　accountable　when　they；　see　he　has　power　over　affairs　of　far　greater　consequence。
  Therefore　I　was　not　in　a　condition　to　oblige　his　Royal　Highness　by　assisting　the　King　of　England　with　a　thousand　pistoles；　for　which　I　was　horridly；　ashamed；　both　upon　his　account　anal　my　own；　but　I　borrowed　fifteen　hundred　for　him　from　M。　Morangis；　and　carried　them　to　my　Lord　Taff。＇Lord　Clarendon　extols　the　civilities　of　Cardinal　de　Retz　to　King　Charles　II。；　and　has　reported　a　curious　conversation　which　the　Cardinal　had　with　that　Prince。＇　It　is　remarkable　that　the　same　night；　as　I　was　going　home；　I　met　one　Tilney；　an　Englishman　whom　I　had　formerly　known　at　Rome；　who　told　me　that　Vere；　a　great　Parliamentarian　and　a　favourite　of　Cromwell；　had　arrived　in　Paris　and　had　orders　to　see　me。　　I　was　a　little　puzzled；　however；　I　judged　it　would　be　improper　to　refuse　him　an　interview。　　Vere　gave　me　a　brief　letter　from　Cromwell　in　the　nature　of　credentials；　importing　that　the　sentiments　I　had　enunciated　in　the　〃Defence　of　Public　Liberty〃　added　to　my　reputation；　and　had　induced　Cromwell　to　desire　to　enter　with　me　into　the　strictest　friendship。　　The　letter　was　in　the　main　wonderfully　civil　and　complaisant。　　I　answered　it　with　a　great　deal　of　respect；　but　in　such　a　manner　as　became　a　true　Catholic　and　an　honest　Frenchman。　　Vere　appeared　to　be　a　man　of　surprising　abilities。
  I　now　return　to　our　own　affairs。　　I　was　told　as　a　mighty　secret　that　Tellier　had　orders　from　the　Cardinal　to　remove　the　Princes　from　the　Bois　de　Vincennes　if　the　enemy　were　likely　to　come　near　the　place；　and　that　he　should　endeavour　by　all　means　to　procure　the　consent　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans　for　that　end；　but　that；　in　case　of　refusal；　these　orders　should　be　ex