MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV AND HIS COURT AND OF THE REGENCY

BY THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON

VOLUME 3.

CHAPTER XVIII

Settlement of the Spanish Succession.--King William III.--New Party in Spain.--Their Attack on the Queen.--Perplexity of the King.--His Will.-- Scene at the Palace.--News Sent to France.--Council at Madame de Maintenon's.--The King's Decision.--A Public Declaration.--Treatment of the New King.--His Departure for Spain.--Reflections.--Philip V. Arrives in Spain.--The Queen Dowager Banished.

CHAPTER XIX

Marriage of Phillip V.--The Queen's Journey.--Rival Dishes.-- A Delicate Quarrel.--The King's journey to Italy.--The Intrigues against Catinat.--Vaudemont s Success.--Appointment of Villeroy.--The First Campaign.--A Snuffbox.--Prince Eugene's Plan.--Attack and Defence of Cremona.--Villeroy Made Prisoner.--Appointment of M. de Vendome.

CHAPTER XX

Discontent and Death of Barbezieux.--His Character.--Elevation of Chamillart.--Strange Reasons of His Success.--Death of Rose.--Anecdotes. --An Invasion of Foxes.--M. le Prince.--A Horse upon Roses.--Marriage of His Daughter: His Manners and Appearance

CHAPTER XXI

Monseigneur's Indigestion.--The King Disturbed.--The Ladies of the Halle.--Quarrel of the King and His Brother.--Mutual Reproaches.-- Monsieur's Confessors.--A New Scene of Wrangling.--Monsieur at Table.-- He Is Seized with Apoplexy.--The News Carried to Marly.--How Received by the King.--Death of Monsieur.--Various Forms of Grief.--The Duc de Chartres.

CHAPTER XXII

The Dead Soon Forgotten.--Feelings of Madame de Maintenon.--And of the Duc de Chartres.--Of the Courtiers.--Madame's Mode of Life.--Character of Monsieur.--Anecdote of M. le Prince.--Strange Interview of Madame de Maintenon with Madame.--Mourning at Court.--Death of Henriette d'Angleterre.--A Poisoning Scene.--The King and the Accomplice.

CHAPTER XXIII

Scandalous Adventure of the Abbesse de la Joye.--Anecdote of Madame de Saint-Herem.--Death of James II. and Recognition of His Son.--Alliance against France.--Scene at St. Maur.--Balls and Plays.--The "Electra" of Longepierre--Romantic Adventures of the Abbe de Vatterville.

CHAPTER XXIV

Changes in the Army.--I Leave the Service.--Annoyance of the King.--The Medallic History of the Reign.--Louis XIII.--Death of William III.-- Accession of Queen Anne.--The Alliance Continued.--Anecdotes of Catinat. --Madame de Maintenon and the King.

CHAPTER XVIII

For the last two or three years the King of Spain had been in very weak health, and in danger of his life several times. He had no children, and no hope of having any. The question, therefore, of the succession to his vast empire began now to agitate every European Court. The King of England (William III.), who since his usurpation had much augmented his credit by the grand alliance he had formed against France, and of which he had been the soul and the chief up to the Peace of Ryswick, undertook to arrange this question in a manner that should prevent war when the King of Spain died. His plan was to give Spain, the Indies, the Low Countries, and the title of King of Spain to the Archduke, second son of the Emperor; Guipuscoa, Naples, Sicily, and Lorraine to France; and the Milanese to M. de Lorraine, as compensation for taking away from him his territory.

The King of England made this proposition first of all to our King; who, tired of war, and anxious for repose, as was natural at his age, made few difficulties, and soon accepted. M. de Lorraine was not in a position to refuse his consent to a change recommended by England, France, and Holland. Thus much being settled, the Emperor was next applied to. But he was not so easy to persuade: he wished to inherit the entire succession, and would not brook the idea of seeing the House of Austria driven from Italy, as it would have been if the King of England's