按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
public。〃'1' (Is 〃that one person〃 de la Cloche?)
'1' Madame; by Julia Cartwright; p。 275。
Thus Marsilly thought Charles almost engaged for the Protestant
League; while Charles was secretly allying himself with France
against Holland。 Arlington was probably no less deceived by
Charles than Marsilly was。
The Bishop of London's share in the dealing with Zurich is obscure。
It appears certain that Arlington was not consciously deceiving
Marsilly。 Madame wrote; on February 12; as to Arlington; 〃The
man's attachment to the Dutch and his inclination towards Spain are
too well known。〃'1' Not till April 25; 1669; does Charles tell his
sister that Arlington has an inkling of his secret dealings with
France; how he knows; Charles cannot tell。'2' It is impossible for
us to ascertain how far Charles himself deluded Marsilly; who went
to the Continent early in spring; 1669。 Before May 15…25; 1669; in
fact on April 14; Marsilly had been kidnaped by agents of Louis
XIV。; and his doom was dight。 Here is the account of the matter;
written to by Perwich in Paris:
'1' Ibid。; p。 281。
'2' Ibid。; p。 285。
〃W。 Perwich to
〃Paris; May 25; '69。
〃Honored Sir;
〃The Cantons of Switzerland are much troubled at the French King's
having sent fifteen horsemen into Switzerland from whence the Sr de
Manille; the King's resident there; had given information of the Sr
Roux de Marsilly's being there negotiating the bringing the Cantons
into the Triple League by discourses much to the disadvantage of
France; giving them very ill impressions of the French King's
Government; who was betrayed by a monk that kept him company and
intercepted by the said horsemen brought into France and is
expected at the Bastille。 I believe you know the man。 。 。 。 I
remember him in England。〃
Can this monk be the monk who went mad in prison at Pignerol;
sharing the cell of Mattioli? Did he; too; suffer for his
connection with the secret? We do not know; but the position of
Charles was awkward。 Marsilly; dealing with the Swiss; had come
straight from England; where he was lie with Charles's minister;
Arlington; and with the Dutch and Spanish ambassadors。 The King
refers to the matter in a letter to his sister of May 24; 1669
(misdated by Miss Cartwright; May 24; 1668。)'1'
'1' Madame; by Julia Cartwright; p。 264。
〃You have; I hope; received full satisfaction by the last post in
the matter of Marsillac 'Marsilly'; for my Ld。 Arlington has sent
to Mr。 Montague 'English ambassador at Paris' his history all the
time he was here; by which you will see how little credit he had
here; and that particularly my Lord Arlington was not in his good
graces; because he did not receive that satisfaction; in his
negotiation; he expected; and that was only in relation to the
Swissers; and so I think I have said enough of this matter。〃
Charles took it easily!
On May 15/25 Montague acknowledged Arlington's letter to which
Charles refers; he has been approached; as to Marsilly; by the
Spanish resident; 〃but I could not tell how to do anything in the
business; never having heard of the man; or that he was employed by
my Master 'Charles' in any business。 I have sent you also a copy
of a letter which an Englishman writ to me that I do not know; in
behalf of Roux de Marsilly; but that does not come by the post;〃
being too secret。'1'
'1' State Papers; France; vol。 126。
France had been well…informed about Marsilly while he was in
England。 He then had a secretary; two lackeys; and a valet de
chambre; and was frequently in conference with Arlington and the
Spanish ambassador to the English Court。 Colbert; the French
ambassador in London; had written all this to the French
Government; on April 25; before he heard of Marsilly's arrest。'1'
'1' Bibl。 Nat。; Fonds。 Francais; No。 10665。
The belief that Marsilly was an agent of Charles appears to have
been general; and; if accepted by Louis XIV。; would interfere with
Charles's private negotiations for the Secret Treaty with France。
On May 18 Prince d'Aremberg had written on the subject to the
Spanish ambassador in Paris。 Marsilly; he says; was arrested in
Switzerland; on his way to Berne; with a monk who was also seized;
and; a curious fact; Marsilly's valet was killed in the struggle。
This valet; of course; was not Dauger; whom Marsilly had left in
England。 Marsilly 〃doit avoir demande la protection du Roy de la
Grande Bretagne en faveur des Religionaires (Huguenots) de France;
et passer en Suisse avec quelque commission de sa part。〃
D'Aremberg begs the Spanish ambassador to communicate all this to
Montague; the English ambassador at Paris; but Montague probably;
like Perwich; knew nothing of the business any more than he knew of
Charles's secret dealings with Louis through Madame。'1'
'1' State Papers; France。 vol。 126。
To d'Aremberg's letter is pinned an unsigned English note;
obviously intended for Arlington's reading。
〃Roux de Marsilly is still in the Bastille though they have a mind
to hang him; yet they are much puzzled what to do with him。 De
Lionne has beene to examine him twice or thrice; but there is noe
witnes to prove anything against him。 I was told by one that the
French king told it to; that in his papers they find great mention
of the Duke of Bucks: and your name; and speak as if he were much
trusted by you。 I have enquired what this Marsilly is; and I find
by one Mr。 Marsilly that I am acquainted withall; and a man of
quality; that this man's name is onely Roux; and borne at Nismes
and having been formerly a soldier in his troope; ever since has
taken his name to gain more credit in Switserland where hee;
Marsilly; formerly used to bee employed by his Coll: the Mareschall
de Schomberg who invaded Switserland。〃
We next find a very curious letter; from which it appears that the
French Government inclined to regard Marsilly as; in fact; an agent
of Charles; but thought it wiser to trump up against him a charge
of conspiring against the life of Louis XIV。 On this charge; or
another; he was executed; while the suspicion that he was an agent
of English treachery may have been the real cause of the
determination to destroy him。 The Balthazar with whom Marsilly
left his papers is mentioned with praise by him in his paper for
Arlington; of December 27; 1668。 He is the General who should have
accompanied Marsilly to the Diet。
The substance of the letter (given in full in Note I。) is to the
following effect。 P。 du Moulin (Paris; May 19/29 1669) writes to
Arlington。 Ever since; Ruvigny; the late French ambassador; a
Protestant; was in England; the French Government had been anxious
to kidnap Roux de Marsilly。 They hunted him in England; Holland;
Flanders; and Franche…Comte。 As we know from the case of Mattioli;
the Government of Louis XIV。 was unscrupulously daring in breaking
the laws of nations; and seizing hostile personages in foreign
territory; as Napoleon did in the affair of the Duc d'Enghien。
When all failed Louis bade Turenne capture Roux de Marsilly
wherever he could find him。 Turenne sent officers and gentlemen
abroad; and; after four months' search they found Marsilly in
Switzerland。 They took him as he came out of the house of his
friend; General Balthazar; and carried him to Gex。 No papers were
found on him; but he asked his captors to send to Balthazar and get
〃the commission he had from England;〃 which he probably thought
would give him the security of an official diplomatic position。
Having got this document; Marsilly's captors took it to the French
Ministers。 Nothing could be more embarrassing; if this were true;
to Charles's representative in France; Montague; and to Charles's
secret negotiations; also to Arlington; who had dealt with
Marsilly。 On his part; the captive Marsilly constantly affirmed
that he was the envoy of the King of England。 The common talk of
Paris was that an agent of Charles was in the Bastille; 〃though at
Court they pretended to know nothing of it。〃 Louis was overjoyed
at Marsilly's capture; giving out that he was conspiring against
his life。 Monsieur told Montague that he need not beg for the life
of a would…be murderer like Marsilly。 But as to this idea; 〃they
begin now to mince it at Court;〃 and Ruvigny assured du Moulin
〃that they had no such thoughts。〃 De Lyonne had seen Marsilly and
observed that it was a blunder to seize him。 The French Government
was nervous; and Turenne's secretary had been 〃pumping〃 several
ambassadors as to what they thought of Marsilly's capture on
foreign territory。 One ambassador replied with spirit that a
crusade of all Europe against France; as of old against the
Moslems; would be necessary。 Would Charles; du Moulin asked; own
or disown Marsilly?
Montague's position was now awkward。