Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland : with a view of the primary causes and movements of the Thirty Years' War, 1610a
- Pages
- about 48
- Category
- History
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 53 min at 250 wpm
From the opening
Passion of Henry IV. for Margaret de Montmorency--Her Marriage with
the Prince of Conde--Their Departure for the Country--Their Flight to
the Netherlands-Rage of the King--Intrigues of Spain--Reception of
the Prince and Princess of Conde by the Archdukes at Brussels--
Splendid Entertainments by Spinola--Attempts of the King to bring
the Fugitives back--Mission of De Coeuvres to Brussels--Difficult
Position of the Republic--Vast but secret Preparations for War.
"If the Prince of Conde comes back." What had the Prince of Conde, his
comings and his goings, to do with this vast enterprise?
It is time to point to the golden thread of most fantastic passion which
runs throughout this dark and eventful history.
One evening in the beginning of the year which had just come to its close
there was to be a splendid fancy ball at the Louvre in the course of
which several young ladies of highest rank were to perform a dance in
mythological costume.
The King, on ill terms with the Queen, who harassed him with scenes of
affected jealousy, while engaged in permanent plots with her paramour and
master, the Italian Concini, against his policy and his life; on still
worse terms with his latest mistress in chief, the Marquise de Verneuil,
who hated him and revenged herself for enduring his caresses by making
him the butt of her venomous wit, had taken the festivities of a court in
dudgeon where he possessed hosts of enemies and flatterers but scarcely a
single friend.
He refused to attend any of the rehearsals of the ballet, but one day a
group of Diana and her nymphs passed him in the great gallery of the
palace. One of the nymphs as she went by turned and aimed her gilded
javelin at his heart. Henry looked and saw the most beautiful young
creature, so he thought, that mortal eye had ever gazed upon, and
according to his wont fell instantly over head and ears in love.
A short sample. Read the whole book
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