‘Retrospect of French Literature—History and Biography. ‘645 
covered, dared to form the audacious 
project of elevating himself, by the force 
of intrigue, on the ruins of that hero 
who lad overwhelmed lim under the 
weight of his virtues.” 
Soon after this her majesty once more 
issued orders for his arrest, but he had 
the good fortune to escape from that 
prison, ito which, as he himself frankly 
avowed to the celebrated Bossuet, ‘ he 
had entered the most innocent and re- 
tired from the most culpable of men:” 
From this moment Condé seems to have 
considered himself at liberty to wage 
war against the court, and he according- 
ly sent Sillery to Brussels, on purpose to 
solicit the assistance of the Spaniards. 
Nearly at the same time, he was offered 
the throne of Naples, by the people, 
which he refused, as well as the crown 
of Poland, which also was tendered him 
in the sequel. 
Having repaired immediately to Bour- 
deaux, the prince raised a body of. from 
ten to twelve thousand troops, while M. 
de Conti produced a revolt in Berry 
and the Bourbonnois; but De Bouillon 
and Turenne, notwithstanding their pro- 
mise, refused to declare in his favour. 
On this Mazarin re-entered France, and 
that very parliament which had set a 
price on his head, declared Condé, bis 
enemy, guilty of treason, although he had 
only taken up arms to prevent the return 
of this odious minister. 
In 1653, his highness repaired to Brus- 
sels, for the express purpose of soliciting 
succours in person. On this occasion 
the archduke imsisted on precedency, 
but Condé threatened to leave the Spa- 
nish dominions unless he was treated 
with due respect. In the month of June 
he entered Picardy, at the head of 27,000 
combatants, nearly at the same time that 
his rival Turenne penetrated into Cham- 
pagne with the French army. His allies, 
however, whose interest it was to pro- 
duce and to continue the miseries of 
civil war, would not join in any efficient 
measures; and the action at Rocrai was 
accordingly the only decisive victory 
gained by hin. ‘ The title of generalis- 
simo, conferred on Condé by his Catholic 
majesty, appears to have given an air of 
feebleness to the whole of his conduct. 
According to some, from the moment 
he assumed the command, he ought not 
to have yielded tosany one, but, on the 
contrary, punished whosogyer dared to 
disobey him. Such, however, is usually 
the fate of a rebel, ‘who surrenders him- 
self to the enemies of his country: he 
renounces the duties of a subject, to 
impose on himself the yoke of a slave” 
At this period, we are told, “* Charles 
Il. of England, dethroned by Cromwell, 
sought a retreat in the Low Countries ; 
aitd Condé, who never measured his 
esteem by the caprices of fortune, obliged 
the Spawards, by his example, to pay 
him the greatest respect.” 
While his army was encamped in the 
vicinity of Dunkirk, the prince fell sick, 
and was supposed to be in the most 
imminent danger. On this, the queen 
sent the physician Guénaut to Ins assist- 
ance; and even Mazarin himself thought 
it becoming to feign a sorrow which he 
did not feel. His convalescence, we are 
told, was equally grateful to the French 
aud their enemies; a circumstance per- 
haps unexampled in history. 
At length, after a civil war of con- 
siderable GEE Don Louis de Haro, 
the Spanish ambassador, insisted, during 
the famous conferences with Mazarin, 
in the Ie des Faisans, that M. le Prince 
should be re-established in all. his bo- 
nours, estates, employments, govern- 
ments, &c. that he should receive a mil- 
hon of crowns from Spain, in addition 
to the five millions ‘paid under the name 
of subsidies; and that all his friends 
should be restored and indemnified, 
On this he left Brussels, in 1660, re- 
entered France, embraced Mazarin near 
Aix, who had advanced two leagues to 
receive him, and then fell at the feet of 
Louis XIV. who assured him that every 
thing was forgotten. In order, hawever, 
that he might cease to be dangeraus to 
the state, the troops who had fought se 
bravely under his command were sent to 
the assistance of the republic cf Ve- 
nice. 
On the death of the cardinal, which 
occurred not long after, Condé deter- 
mined to retire from court, fur the ex- 
press purpose of superintending the edu- 
cation of his son. Nearly at the same 
time (1664) he received 400,000 crowns 
from Spain, which he caused to be distri- 
buted among his friends, although he 
himself at that very moment was in great 
need of money. In 1665, he married the 
Duke d’Enghien to the Princess Pala- 
tine, Anne of Bavaria, on which he re- 
paired to Chantilly, and spent his life 
tranguilly, surrounded by many of the 
great men of the age of Louis XIV. 
Tn 1667, he sent his son to the army, 
then commanded by Turenne; and te him- 
self, in 1668, was persuaded bythe king to 
tale the field also. On hiss appearance, Dole 
capitulated, 
