Colonel Ornano is made Prisoner in the Bastile, and thence sent to the Castle of Caen.
VVHilest the King negotiated these two important Treaties, and that the Car∣dinal gave a happy progress to them by his Counsails, the Marquis de la Vieville, who for the two last years had a great hand in the affairs, inform'd the King, that the Colonel d' Ornano, Governour to the Duke of Orleans, his Bro∣ther, took such a course as would in time trouble the State: The he had not for∣got any artifice to render himself agreeable to the Monsieur, and to gain such a power over his spirit, that the Honour which he had to be his Governour gave him a great power in his Family: That before he had gained the Mounsieurs af∣fection, he made his brags openly, that he would get the Mastery over him, to the intent he might raise his fortune to a higher pitch: That he began to sow di∣strusts in the mind of that Prince, and to extinguish the seeds of that Respect, Love and Obedience which Nature had given to him in creating him: That he took advantage of his good favour, to make himself feared; and that he vaunted to have done many things contrary to his duty, of which there were many particulars, and that he was observed to take great care to hold Intelligence with the Grandees of the Court. This was so much the more to be feared, for that the greatest misfortunes, and the most part of Civil Wars have no other begin∣ning, then misunderstandings of Princes against their Kings. The King thought good to impart it to the Cardinal, and having demanded his advice, of what was proper to be done in that occasion, he did not at all dissemble the danger, it would be, to permit this procedure of the Colonel: But the moderation of his spirit would not suffer him to carry him on to use such violent remedies as others did advise him to; but on the contrary, he represented to him, that the Laws of Mercy obliged Kings to pardon the first faults of Grandees, provided that they would confesse their errors, especially if there be a meanes to prevent any conse∣quence of danger: That the wisest are sometimes subject to miscarriages, and are also capable to repent them; and afterwards to doe great services: That the mo∣deration which many wise Princes have shewed towards such offenders, hath made them more faithful and affectionate then those who never committed any miscar∣riage at all: That this Repentance, was the more reasonably to be hoped, from the Colonel d' Ornano, who till then had lived within those limits, which ought to be observed by those of his condition, that his Father had given him a good ex∣ample, by those services which he had done until his death: That he had in∣deed forgot himself, but that his omission might be remedied which seemed to deserve pardon so much the more, in regard it is almost impossible for the greatest part of Mankind not to forget themselves, whenas fortune shall advance them into a place of Eminency: Moreover there was reason to hope, that the onely removing him for some time from the Monsieur would make him reassume his for∣mer countenance, would make him sensible of his fault, and he himself would easily be induced to judge that this embroyl wherein he had suffered himself to be surpri∣sed would undoubtedly precipitate him into utter ruin, instead of raising him into a higher condition.
This counsel was accompanied with a much Prudence as Moderation; and the