ame；　with　a　rupture　if　he　granted　me　passage　through　his　dominions；　but　the　Grand　Duke　sent　to　desire　the　Cardinal　to　let　him　know　whether　there　was　any　possibility　of　refusing　it　without　disobliging　the　Pope　and　the　Sacred　College。　　As　I　was　travelling　through　the　Duke's　country；　my　mules；　being　frightened　by　a　clap　of　thunder；　ran　with　my　litter　into　a　brook；　where　I　narrowly　escaped　being　drowned。
  As　soon　as　I　arrived　at　Rome　the　Pope　sent　me　4；000　crowns　in　gold。　　I　was　immediately　informed　that　a　strong　faction　was　formed　there　against　me　by　the　Court　of　France；　that　the　Cardinal　d'Est；　representative　of　that　nation；　had　terrible　orders　from　the　King；　and　that　they　were　resolved　to　send　me　packing　from　Rome；　cost　what　it　would。　　I　had　my　old　scruples　upon　me；　and　said　I　would　die　a　thousand　deaths　rather　than　make　resistance；　but　I　thought　it　would　be　too　disrespectful　in　a　cardinal　to　come　so　near　the　Pope　and　to　go　away　without　kissing　his　feet；　and　I　resolved　to　leave　the　rest　to　the　providence　of　God。
  The　Pope　having　ordered　his　guards　to　be　ready；　in　case　the　French　faction　should　offer　to　rise；　the　Cardinal　d'Est　was　so　good　as　to　let　me　alone。　　His　Holiness　gave　me　an　audience　of　four　hours；　condescended　to　beg　my　forgiveness　for　not　having　acted　with　more　vigour　for　my　liberty；　and　said；　with　tears　in　his　eyes：　〃God　forgive　those　who　delayed　to　give　me　timely　notice　of　your　imprisonment；　and　who　made　us　believe　that　you　had　been　guilty；　of　an　attempt　upon　the　King's　person。　　The　Sacred　College　took　fire　at　the　news；　but　the　French　Ambassador　being　at　liberty；　to　give　out　what　he　chose；　because　nobody；　appeared　here　on　your　part　to　contradict　him；　Mazarin　extinguished　it；　and　half　the　Sacred　College　thought　you　were　abandoned　by　the　whole　kingdom。〃　　In　short；　the　Pope　was　so　well　disposed　to　me　that　he　thought　of　adopting　me　as　his　nephew；　but　he　sickened　soon　after　and　died。
  The　conclave　chose　Cardinal　Chigi　（who　was　called　Alexander　VIII　for　his　successor；　in　whose　election　I　had　such　a　share　that　when　it　came　to　my　turn；　at　the　adoration　of　the　cardinals；　to　kiss　his　feet；　he　embraced　me；　saying；　〃Signor　Cardinal　de　Retz；　'ecce　opus　manuum　tuarum'〃　（〃Behold　the　work　of　your　own　hands〃）。　　I　went　home　accompanied　with　one　hundred　and　twenty　coaches　of　gentlemen；　who　did　not　doubt　that　I　should　govern　the　Pontificate。
  My　friends　in　France；　who　commonly　judge　of　other　nations　by　their　own；　imagined　that　a　persecuted　cardinal　might；　nay；　ought　to　live　like　a　private　man　even　at　Rome；　and　advised　me　not　to　spend　much　money；　because　my　revenues　in　France　were　all　seized；　and　said　that　such　exemplary　modesty　would　have　an　admirable　effect　upon　the　clergy　of　Paris。　　But　Cardinal　Chigi　talked　after　another　manner：　〃When　you　are　reestablished　in　your　see　you　may　live　as　you　please；　because　you　will　be　in　a　country　where　everybody　will　know　what　you　are　or　are　not　able　to　do。　　You　are　now　at　Rome；　where　your　enemies　say　every　day　that　you　have　lost　your　credit　in　France；　and　you　are　under　a　necessity　to　make　it　appear　that　what　they　say　is　false。　　You　are　not　a　hermit；　but　a　cardinal；　and　a　cardinal；　too；　of　the　better　rank。　　At　Rome　there　are　many　people　who　love　to　tread　upon　men　when　they　are　down。　　Dear　sir；　take　care　you　do　not　fall；　and　do　but　consider　what　a　figure　you　will　make　in　the　streets　with　six　vergers　attending　you；　otherwise　every　pitiful　citizen　of　Paris　that　meets　you　will　be　apt　to　jostle　you；　in　order　to　make　his　court　to　the　Cardinal　d'Est。　　You　ought　not　to　have　come　to　Rome　if　you　had　not　had　resolution　and　the　means　to　support　your　dignity。　　I　presume　you　do　not　make　it　a　point　of　Christian　humility　to　debase　yourself。　　And　let　me　tell　you　that　I；　the　poor　Cardinal　Chigi；　who　have　but　5；000　crowns　revenue；　and　am　one　of　the　poorest　in　the　College；　and　though　I　am　sure　to　meet　nobody　in　the　streets　who　will　be　wanting　in　the　respect　due　to　the　purple；　yet　I　cannot　go　to　my　functions　without　four　coaches　in　livery　to　attend　me。〃
  Therefore　I　hired　a　palace；　kept　a　great　table；　and　entertained　fourscore　persons　in　liveries。　　The　Cardinal　d'Est；　the　very　day　after　the　creation　of　the　new　Pope；　forbade　all　Frenchmen　to　give　me　the　way　in　the　streets；　and　charged　the　superiors　of　the　French　churches　not　to　admit　me。　　M。　de　Lionne；　who　resided　here　as　a　sort　of　private　secretary　to　Mazarin；　was　so　nettled　because　the　new　Pope　had　granted　me　the　pallium　for　my　archbishopric　that　he　told　him　the　King　would　never　own　me；　insinuated　that　there　would　be　a　schism　among　the　clergy　of　France；　and　that　the　Pope　must　expect　to　be　excluded　from　the　congress　for　a　general　peace。　This　so　frightened　his　Holiness　that　he　made　a　million　of　mean　excuses；　and　said；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　that　I　had　imposed　upon　him；　and　that　he　would　take　the　first　opportunity　to　do　the　King　justice。　　Upon　this　M。　de　Lionne　sent　word　to　the　Cardinal　that　he　hoped　very　shortly　to　acquaint　him　of　my　being　prisoner　in　the　Castle　of　Saint　Angelo；　and　that　the　Cardinal　would　be　no　better　off　for　his　Majesty's　amnesty；　because　the　Pope　said　none　but　he　could　absolve　or　condemn　cardinals。　　Meantime　all　my　domestics　who　were　subjects　of　the　King　of　France　were　ordered　to　quit　my　service；　on　pain　of　being　treated　as　rebels　and　traitors。　　I　could　have　little　hope　of　protection　from　the　Pope；　for　he　was　become　quite　another　man；　never　spoke　one　word　of　truth；　and　continually　amused　himself　with　mere　trifles；　insomuch　that　one　day　he　proposed　a　reward　for　whoever　found　out　a　Latin　word　for　〃calash；〃　and　spent　seven　or　eight　days　in　examining　whether　〃mosco　〃　came　from　〃muses；〃　or　〃musts　〃　from　〃mosco。〃　　All　his　piety　consisted　in　assuming　a　serious　air　at　church；　in　which；　nevertheless；　there　was　a　great　mixture　of　pride；　for　he　was　vain　to　the　last　degree；　and　envious　of　everybody。　　The　work　entitled　〃Sindicato　di　Alexandro　VII。〃　gives　an　account　of　his　luxury　and　of　several　pasquinades　against　the　said　Pope；　particularly　that　one　day　Marforio　asking　Pasquin　what　he　had　said　to　the　cardinals　upon　his　death…　bed；　Pasquin　answered；　〃Maxima　de　aeipso；　plurima　de　parentibus；　parva　de　principibus；　turpia　de　cardinalibus；　pauca　de　Ecclesia；　de　Deo　nihil。〃　（〃He　said　fine　things　of　himself；　a　great　many　things　of　his　kindred；　some　things　of　princes；　nothing　good　of　the　cardinals；　but　little　of　the　Church；　and　nothing　at　all　of　God〃）。　　His　Holiness；　in　a　consistory；　laid　claim　to　the　merit　of　the　conversion　of　Christina；　Queen　of　Sweden；　though　everybody　knew　to　the　contrary；　and　that　she　had　abjured　heresy　a　year　and　a　half　before　she　came　to　Rome。
  Having　heard　that　Bussiere；　who　is　Chamberlain　to　the　Ambassadors　at　Rome；　had　declared　I　should　not　have　a　place　in　Saint　Louis's　church　on　the　festival　of　that　saint；　I　was　not　discouraged　from　going　thither。　　At　my　entrance　he　snatched　the　holy　water　stick　from　the　cure　just　as　he　was　going　to　sprinkle　me；　nevertheless；　I　took　my　place；　and　was　resolved　to　keep　up　the　status　and　dignity　of　a　French　cardinal。　　This　was　my　condition　at　Rome；　where　it　was　my　fate　to　be　a　refugee；　persecuted　by　my　King　and　abused　by　the　Pope。　　All　my　revenues　were　seized；　and　the　French　bankers　forbidden　to　serve　me；　nay；　those　who　had　an　inclination　to　assist　me　were　forced　to　promise　they　would　not。　　Two　of　the　Abbe　Fouquet's　bastards　were　publicly　maintained　out　of　my　revenues；　and　no　means　were　left　untried　to　hinder　the　farmers　from　relieving　me；　or　my　creditors　from　harassing　me　with　vexatious　and　expensive　lawsuits。
  End