Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 12 | Page 4

Regent.--Anecdote of the Duchesse du Maine.--Further Proceedings of the Parliament.--Influence of the Reading of Memoirs.--Conduct of the Regent.--My Political Attitude.--Conversation with the Regent on the Subject of the Parliament.--Proposal to Hang Law.--Meeting at My House.-- Law Takes Refuge in the Palais Royal.
CHAPTER XCI
Proposed Bed of Justice.--My Scheme.--Interview with the Regent.-- The Necessary Seats for the Assembly.--I Go in Search of Fontanieu.-- My Interview with Hini.--I Return to the Palace.--Preparations.-- Proposals of M. le Duc to Degrade M. du Maine.--My Opposition.--My Joy and Delight.--The Bed of Justice Finally Determined On.--A Charming Messenger.--Final Preparations.--Illness of the Regent.--News Given to M. du Maine.--Resolution of the Parliament.--Military Arrangements.--I Am Summoned to the Council.--My Message to the Comte de Toulouse.
CHAPTER XCII
The Material Preparations for the Bed of Justice--Arrival of the Duc d'Orleans:--The Council Chamber.--Attitude of the Various Actors.--The Duc du Maine.--Various Movements.--Arrival of the Duc de Toulouse.-- Anxiety of the Two Bastards.--They Leave the Room.--Subsequent Proceedings.--Arrangement of the Council Chamber.--Speech of the Regent. --Countenances of the Members of Council.--The Regent Explains the Object of the Bed of Justice.--Speech of the Keeper of the Seals.--Taking the Votes.--Incidents That Followed.--New Speech of the Duc d'Orleans.-- Against the Bastards.--My Joy.--I Express My Opinion Modestly.--Exception in Favour of the Comte de Toulouse.--New Proposal of M. le Duc.--Its Effect.--Threatened Disobedience of the Parliament.--Proper Measures.-- The Parliament Sets Out.
CHAPTER XCIII
Continuation of the Scene in the Council Chamber.--Slowness of the Parliament.--They Arrive at Last.--The King Fetched.--Commencement of the Bed of Justice.--My Arrival.--Its Effect.--What I Observed.--Absence of the Bastards Noticed.--Appearance of the King. The Keeper of the Seals.-- The Proceedings Opened.--Humiliation of the Parliament.--Speech of the Chief-President.--New Announcement.--Fall of the Duc du Maine Announced. --Rage of the Chief-President.--My Extreme joy.--M. le Duc Substituted for M. du Maine.--Indifference of the King.--Registration of the Decrees.
CHAPTER XCIV
My Return Home.--Wanted for a New Commission.--Go to the Palais Royal.-- A Cunning Page.--My journey to Saint-Cloud.--My Reception.--Interview with the Duchesse d'Orleans.--Her Grief.--My Embarrassment.--Interview with Madame.--Her Triumph.--Letter of the Duchesse d'Orleans.--She Comes to Paris.--Quarrels with the Regent.
CHAPTER XCV
Intrigues of M. du Maine.--And of Cellamare, the Spanish Ambassador.-- Monteleon and Portocarrero.--Their Despatches.--How Signed.--The Conspiracy Revealed.--Conduct of the Regent.--Arrest of Cellamare.--His House Searched.--The Regency Council.--Speech of the Duc d'Orleans.-- Resolutions Come To.--Arrests.--Relations with Spain.--Alberoni and Saint-Aignan.--Their Quarrel.--Escape of Saint-Aignan.
CHAPTER XCVI
The Regent Sends for Me.--Guilt of the Duc de Maine.--Proposed Arrest.-- Discussion on the Prison to Be Chosen.--The Arrest.--His Dejection.-- Arrest of the Duchess.--Her Rage.--Taken to Dijon.--Other Arrests.-- Conduct of the Comte de Toulouse.--The Faux Sauniers.--Imprisonment of the Duc and Duchesse du Maine.--Their Sham Disagreement.--Their Liberation.--Their Reconciliation.
CHAPTER LXXXVIII
The Abbe Alberoni, having risen by the means I have described, and acquired power by following in the track of the Princesse des Ursins, governed Spain like a master. He had the most ambitious projects. One of his ideas was to drive all strangers, especially the French, out of the West Indies; and he hoped to make use of the Dutch to attain this end. But Holland was too much in the dependence of England.
At home Alberoni proposed many useful reforms, and endeavoured to diminish the expenses of the royal household. He thought, with reason, that a strong navy was the necessary basis of the power of Spain; and to create one he endeavoured to economise the public money. He flattered the King with the idea that next year he would arm forty vessels to protect the commerce of the Spanish Indies. He had the address to boast of his disinterestedness, in that whilst working at all manner of business he had never received any grace from the King, and lived only on fifty pistoles, which the Duke of Parma, his master, gave him every month; and therefore he made gently some complaints against the ingratitude of princes.
Alberoni had persuaded the Queen of Spain to keep her husband shut up, as had the Princesse des Ursins. This was a certain means of governing a prince whose temperament and whose conscience equally attached him to his spouse. He was soon completely governed once more--under lock and key, as it were, night and day. By this means the Queen was jailoress and prisoner at the same time. As she was constantly with the King nobody could come to her. Thus Alberoni kept them both shut up, with the key of their prison in his pocket.
One of the chief objects of his ambition was the Cardinal's hat. It would be too long to relate the schemes he set on foot to attain his end. He was opposed by a violent party at Rome; but at last his inflexible will and extreme cunning gained the day. The Pope, no longer able to resist the menaces of the King of Spain, and dreading the vengeance of the all-powerful minister, consented to grant the favour that minister had so pertinaciously demanded. Alberoni was made Cardinal on the 12th of July, 1717. Not