Produced by David Widger
MEMOIRS OF JEAN FRANCOIS PAUL de GONDI,
CARDINAL DE RETZ
Written by Himself
Being Historic Court Memoirs of the Great Eventsduring the Minority of Louis XIV.and the Administration of Cardinal Mazarin.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Cardinal de Retz——Photogravure from an Old Painting
Turenne——Photogravure from an Old Painting
Richelieu——Engraving by Lubin
Anne of Austria——Original Etching by Mercier
Louis XIII——Painting in the Louvre
Conde'——Painting in Versailles Gallery
Our Author, John Francis Paul de Gondi, Cardinal de Retz, Sovereign of
Commercy, Prince of Euville, second Archbishop of Paris, Abbot of Saint
Denis in France, was born at Montmirail, in Brie, in October, 1614.
His father was Philippe Emanuel de Gondi, Comte, de Joigni, General of
the Galleys of France and Knight of the King's Orders; and his mother was
Frances Marguerite, daughter of the Comte de Rochepot, Knight of the
King's Orders, and of Marie de Lannoy, sovereign of Commercy and Euville.
Pierre de Gondi, Duc de Retz, was his brother, whose daughter was the
Duchesse de Lesdiguieres.
His grandfather was Albert de Gondi, Duc de Retz, Marquis de Belle Isle,a Peer of France, Marshal and General of the Galleys, Colonel of theFrench Horse, First Gentleman of the Bedchamber, and Great Chamberlain tothe Kings Charles IX. and Henri III.
This history was first printed in Paris in 1705, at the expense of theDuchesse de Lesdiguieres, the last of this noble family, whose estatefell after her decease to that of Villeroy.
His preceptor was the famous Vincent de Paul, Almoner to Queen Anne of
Austria.
In 1627 he was made a Canon of the Cathedral of Paris by his uncle, JeanFrancois de Gondi, first archbishop of that city, and was not long aftercreated a Doctor of the Sorbonne.
In 1643 he was appointed Coadjutor of the archbishopric of Paris, withthe title of Archbishop of Corinth, during which, such was his pastoralvigilance that the most important affairs of the Church were committed tohis care.
As to his general character, if we take it from his own Memoirs, he hadsuch presence of mind, and so dexterously improved all opportunitieswhich fortune presented to him, that it seemed as if he had foreseen ordesired them. He knew how to put a good gloss upon his failings, andoftentimes verily believed he was really the man which he affected to beonly in appearance. He was a man of bright parts, but no conduct, beingviolent and inconstant in his intrigues of love as well as those ofpolitics, and so indiscreet as to boast of his successful amours withcertain ladies whom he ought not to have named. He affected pomp andsplendour, though his profession demanded simplicity and humility. Hewas continually shifting parties, being a loyal subject one day and thenext a rebel, one time a sworn enemy to the Prime Minister, and by and byhis zealous friend; always aiming to make himself formidable ornecessary. As a pastor he had engrossed the love and confidence of thepeople, and as a statesman he artfully played them off against theirsovereig