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LETTER V.
To the Kaimacham.
I Shall now acquaint thee with the Death of the Queen-Mother and Dowager of France, who fell a Sacrifice to the Ambition of the Cardinal of Richlieu, as those of her Party do commonly suggest. For, being highly disgu∣sted at his Counsels, and Intreagues, especial∣ly his playing the Incendiary, and inflaming those of the Blood Royal one against another, she departed from France, and by a kind of Voluntary Banishment, exposed her self to so many Inconveniences, Hardships, and Ri∣gors of Fortune, as seemed to hasten her End; Her Great Spirit chusing rather to break, than bow to the turbulent Cardinal.
She Sojourned in Flanders, Holland, England, and the Empire. Her Travels being chec∣quer'd all along with a Mixture of Good and Evil. Here meeting with Respect, there with Indifference and Coldness, if not Contempt. In some Places, her Misfortunes were pitied, and the Cardinal blamed for Persecuting so Great and Good a Queen: In others, the Car∣dinal was Justified, and her Conduct censu∣red and condemned. And she accused her self, for raising him to the power of doing her these Injuries. At length, tired out with the Fatigues of State, and grown sick of the World, she betook her self to a Monastery in