RICHELIEU,
A TALE OF FRANCE.
The Cardinal’s malice and his potency
Together: to consider further, that
What his high hatred would effect, wants not
A minister in his power.
SHAKSPEARE.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. III.
LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET.
1829.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY S. AND R. BENTLEY,
Dorset Street, Fleet Street.
CHAPTER I., II., III., IV., V., VI., VII., VIII., IX., X., XI., XII., XIII., XIV., XV.NOTES.
RICHELIEU.
CHAPTER I.
Showing how a Great Minister made a great mistake.
STRANGE to say, in the manuscript notes from which this true history isderived, there occurs the most extraordinary omission that perhaps everappeared in the writings of any one pretending to accuracy; and mostprovoking of all, I have searched memoirs and annals, histories andletters, state papers and private memoranda, and have consulted allsorts of tradition, oral and written, without being enabled to supplyfrom any other source the neglect of the original historian. Who wouldbelieve, that, after having interested the reader so deeply in thecharacter of Jacques Chatpilleur, Cuisinier Aubergiste, the writer ofthe above-mentioned notes would be so inconsiderate, so stupid, sodisappointing, as not to say one word concerning the farther progress ofthe redoubtable vivandier on that night, wherein he achieved the twofamous victories recorded in the last volume. But so it is: instead ofgiving us a pathetic account of the scanty supper he at length contrivedto furnish forth for the noble prisoner, or of satisfying our curiosityin regard to the means he employed to appease the wrath of the Governor,the notes skip over the farther proceedings of that entire night, andbring us at once upon the Count de Blenau’s levee the next morning;entering into very minute details concerning the difficulties heencountered in arranging his mustaches, buttoning his pourpoint, &c.without assistance; all of which I shall pass over as contemptible andirrelevant, and below the dignity of authentic history.
With the embarrassment of the Count de Blenau’s mind we have somethingmore to do; and, to tell the truth, the more he reflected upon hissituation, the more he was puzzled in regard to his future co