Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 3 | Page 7

The King, Monseigneur, the Chancellor, the Duc de Brinvilliers, Torcy,
and Madame de Maintenon, were the only persons who deliberated
upon this affair. Madame de Maintenon preserved at first a modest
silence; but the King forced her to give her opinion after everybody had
spoken except herself. The council was divided. Two were for keeping
to the treaty that had been signed with King William, two for accepting
the will. Monseigneur, drowned as he was in fat and sloth, appeared in
quite another character from his usual ones at these councils. To the
great surprise of the King and his assistants, when it was his turn to
speak he expressed himself with force in favour of accepting the
testament. Then, turning towards the King in a respectful but firm
manner, he said that he took the liberty of asking for his inheritance,
that the monarchy of Spain belonged to the Queen his mother, and
consequently to him; that he surrendered it willingly to his second son
for the tranquillity of Europe; but that to none other would he yield an
inch of ground. These words, spoken with an inflamed countenance,
caused excessive surprise, The King listened very attentively, and then
said to Madame de Maintenon, "And you, Madame, what do you think
upon all this?" She began by affecting modesty; but pressed, and even
commanded to speak, she expressed herself with becoming confusion;
briefly sang the praises of Monseigneur, whom she feared and liked but
little--sentiments perfectly reciprocated--and at last was for accepting
the will.

The King did not yet declare himself. He said that the affair might well
be allowed to sleep for four-and-twenty hours, in order that they might
ascertain if the Spaniards approved the choice of their King. He
dismissed the council, but ordered it to meet again the next evening at
the same hour and place. Next day, several couriers arrived from Spain,
and the news they brought left no doubt upon the King's mind as to the
wishes of the Spanish nobles and people upon the subject of the will.
When therefore the council reassembled in the apartments of Madame
de Maintenon, the King, after fully discussing the matter, resolved to
accept the will.
At the first receipt of the news the King and his ministers had been
overwhelmed with a surprise that they could not recover from for
several days. When the news was spread abroad, the Court was equally
surprised. The foreign ministers passed whole nights deliberating upon
the course the King would adopt. Nothing else was spoken of but this
matter. The King one evening, to divert himself, asked the princesses
their opinion. They replied that he should send M. le Duc d'Anjou (the
second son of Monseigneur), into Spain, and that this was the general
sentiment. "I am sure," replied the King, "that whatever course I adopt
many people will condemn me."
At last, on Tuesday, the 16th of November, the King publicly declared
himself. The Spanish ambassador had received intelligence which
proved the eagerness of Spain to welcome the Duc d'Anjou as its King.
There seemed to be no doubt of the matter. The King, immediately
after getting up, called the ambassador into his cabinet, where M. le
Duc d'Anjou had already arrived. Then, pointing to the Duke, he told
the ambassador he might salute him as King of Spain. The ambassador
threw himself upon his knees after the fashion of his country, and
addressed to the Duke a tolerably long compliment in the Spanish
language. Immediately afterwards, the King, contrary to all custom,
opened the two folding doors of his cabinet, and commanded
everybody to enter. It was a very full Court that day. The King,
majestically turning his eyes towards the numerous company, and
showing them M. le Duc d'Anjou said--"Gentlemen, behold the King of
Spain. His birth called him to that crown: the late King also has called

him to it by his will; the whole nation wished for him, and has asked
me for him eagerly; it is the will of heaven: I have obeyed it with
pleasure." And then, turning towards his grandson, he said, "Be a good
Spaniard, that is your first duty; but remember that you are a
Frenchman born, in order that the union between the two nations may
be preserved; it will be the means of rendering both happy, and of
preserving the peace of Europe." Pointing afterwards with his finger to
the Duc d'Anjou, to indicate him to the ambassador, the King added, "If
he follows my counsels you will be a grandee, and soon; he cannot do
better than follow your advice."
When the hubbub of the courtiers had subsided, the two other sons of
France, brothers of M. d'Anjou, arrived, and all three embraced one
another tenderly several times, with