Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 3 | Page 4

may wish to sample the author's ideas before making
an entire meal of them. D.W.]

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 proposal had been carried out. He therefore declared it was
altogether unheard of and unnatural to divide a succession under such
circumstances, and that he would hear nothing upon the subject until
after the death of the King of Spain. The resistance he made caused the
whole scheme to come to the ears of the King of Spain, instead of
remaining a secret, as was intended.
The King of Spain made a great stir in consequence of what had taken
place, as though the project had been formed to strip him, during his

lifetime, of his realm. His ambassador in England spoke so insolently
that he was ordered to leave the country by William, and retired to
Flanders. The Emperor, who did not wish to quarrel with England,
intervened at this point, and brought about a reconciliation between the
two powers. The Spanish ambassador returned to London.
The Emperor next endeavoured to strengthen his party in Spain. The
reigning Queen was his sister-in-law and was all-powerful. Such of the
nobility and of the ministers who would not bend before her she caused
to be dismissed; and none were favoured by her who were not partisans
of the House of Austria. The Emperor had, therefore, a powerful ally at
the Court of Madrid to aid him in carrying out his plans; and