The letter for which the Baron of Wardes[1] was thought to be imprisoned for; had this taunt in it touching his Majestie of France, that since the Cardinal['s] death, his M. had made noe other Conquest other that of Madame de Valliere[2]
After the arresting Prisoner Fouquet the King upon his returne addressed from Nantes addressed himselfe to the Queen mother after in these wordes. He bien Madame! Ne scais-je bien guarder le secret.
‘Tis said of the Card. Richelieu that he use to Equivoqu[ate] upon de Puis-Laurens[3] subject avec le temps jour ay de l’age. Which he meant of what destroying de Puis –Laurans who was called de L’age.
Upon D. Willis’s[4] subject Mr W[ray]. told me that when he was \of Advis/ to prescribe \the use of/ Pilles to any Patient if the Patient did put the Question \to him/ of what sort shall I take \upon/ he was wont still to Answer, ever of what sort you please, so little he regarded all \other/ingredients in Pilles save the common basis of them Alöes to which he only he onl trusted to do the businesse.
Folio 223 verso
One has the advantage of passing the time away \in conversation/ in France, much \better/ than in England. for after the first Visite \made/ you are free of the house and may make Visits each day of the weeke to the same persons if you please, without expecting any returnes of compliment as in England.
Sir Th. C.[5] concluded with me, that the Frence Women had noe respect for their husbands, the Children for their Parents, nor the Valets for their Masters. Which obligations as they are reciprocall, soe they be tru othe contrary.
It was in an Entretien upon a Visitor I made to Sir T. C. when he assured me, that Monsieur de Castres Governor of Montpelier[6] had the best governed ordered Family he ever saw in France; and although the [[one word]] of his charge be not very considerable and after a 100 in France, yet his Table and Train was equall to the 5 peere in England. he excepted that Chancellor, my Lord of Ormand etc.
[1] Presumably Fouquet.
[2] Louise de la Vallière (1644-1710), mistress of Louis XIV from 1661 to 1667. The Cardinal referred to here is Cardinal Jules Mazarin, who died in 1661.
[3] Antoine de l’Âge, duc de Puylaurens (1602-1635), a French courtier and advisor to Gaston d’Orleans, third son of King Henry IV. L’Âge’s influence upon the weak and vacillating Prince became all-powerful, and with L’Âge’s encouragement, the Prince became involved in intrigues against Cardinal Richelieu. Puylaurens was eventually imprisoned by Richelieu in 1635, first in the Louvre, then in Vincennes, where he died in captivity.
[4] A reference to Dr. Thomas Willis (1621-1675) English physician, pioneer in neurology and anatomy, and founding member of the Royal Society.
[5] Sir Thomas Crew.
[6] René Gaspard de la Croix, created Marquis de Castries in 1645.