Nevv epistles of Mounsieur de Balzac. Translated out of French into English, by Sr. Richard Baker Knight. Being the second and third volumes

To Monsieur de Gomberville, LETTER XI.

SIR, the mischance at the Tuilliries, hath disquieted me all night, and my unquiet∣nesse would have continued still, if you had not taken the paines to calme it. The newes you send me, gives me life; A man cannot be innocent, whom Madam de Maiso•…•…fort judgeth culpa∣ble, shee is not one that will complaine where there is no fault; and truly, if she had taken the mischance of her page in another fashion than shee did, I would rather have abandoned reason than maintaine it against her, & would not have

trusted my owne testimony, if shee rejected it. You remember, that but hearing her Name, I fell downe in a trance, and that the very sight of her livery, strucke into me a religious horrour, and a trembling respect, which is not borne, but to things divine. And in this ranke, I place so rare a beauty as hers is; and though I be no man of the world, yet I am not so very a stranger to the occurrents of the world, but that I very well know, shee is universally adored; I must not al∣wayes passe for an Hermite; this I am sure, shee carries with her the desires and vowes of all the Court, and shee leades in triumph those Gallants, who have themselves triumphed over our enemies: yet I know withall, they depend more upon her by their owne passion, than by her endeavours, and follow without being drawne. These are Captives, whom shee trusts upon their word, for their true imprison∣ment, and whom shee suffers to be their owne Keepers. In the course shee holds of honestie, her favours are so morall, or so light, that either they content none but the wise, because they desire no more than what is given them; or none but the unwise, because they take that to be given them, which was never meant them; so there are some perhaps well satisfied, but it is by the force of their imagination, and no body hath cause to be proud of a Fortune, which no body possesseth. As her vertue is as cleere as the fire that sparkles in her eyes, so her reputa∣tion is as much without blemish as her beautie; & of this, honest people give testimony by their

words, and Detractors by their silence. Shee makes thornes that they cannot pricke, and makes slander it selfe to learne good manners. And therefore Sir, I should be very unfortu∣nate, if I had been cause of displeasing her, whom all the world endeavours to please; and it would be a shame to our Nation, that a Frenchman should beare himselfe unreverently towards her, to whom very Barbarians beare a reverence. If this mis-fortune had besallen me, it is not the saving my Pages life, should make me stand in the defence; and I would never de∣sire to augment my traine, but to the end I might have the more sacrifices to offer upon the Altar of her choler. But shee is too mercifull, to pu∣nish meane Delinquents, and too generous, to give petty Examples: shee reserves her justice for the Great ones, and the Proud; for those who having more tender senses, are better able to feele the weight of her anger; or els in truth her purpose is to shew me a particular favour, by a publike declaration, and to let the world see, shee makes a reckoning of that of which the world makes none. And knowing what the gratefulnesse of good Letters is, shee is desirous to have them in her debt; shee payes our studies before-hand, for the fruit shee expects from them, and obligeth the Art which can prayse the Obligation: shee is made beleeve, that I have some skill in this Art, and I perceive I am not in so little respect with her as I thought; and of this I am assured, by the paines it cost you, to make her take her Page againe that was hurt;

and by the civill language shee desired you to deliver from her. It exceeded indeed all bounds of moderation, and it seemes shee would not only for my sake protect an innocent, but would be ready, if need were, to reward a delinquent. For acknowledgment of which generous good∣nesse, all my owne spirit, and all my friends put together, can never be too much. It is particu∣larly your selfe to whom I must have recourse in this occasiō: you Sir, who set the Crown up∣on Beauties head, who have the power to make Queenes at your pleasure; and to whom Olym∣pia and Yzatide, are beholding for their Em∣pire: having bestowed so great glory upon persons that never were; and set all France a running after Phantosmes, you may well take upon you to defend the reputation of a sensible and living vertue, and choose a subject that may be thankefull to you for your choice; and this is a matter you cannot deny, of which wee will talke more, and conclude it after dinner in pre∣sence of the Lady that is interessed in it, into whose presence, I must entreat you, to be my usher to bring me, that so I may ever more and more be,

Sir,

Your most humble and most obliged servant, &c.

At Paris, 1. June: 1631.