Chapter I: SEND you a letter for the same person241 to whom you were to

deliver the two packages, which the individual named Barrere ought to have brought you by this time. I beg that you will give it to him, and send me by the return of the same courier, who will deliver to you this letter, whatever answer he shall make to it. The person who despatches this courier from Lyons, has orders to tell him, that he is the bearer of the letters of Madame Fouquet. It will be right for you to tell him the same thing when you send him back. You will observe, if you please, to put an envelope over your letter to me, addressed to the Sieur Du Bois, Clerk of the Foreign Post at Lyons.

If the person to whom you have to deliver this letter is not arrived, you will send me word of it by the return of the courier, and will keep the letter till his arrival.

DE LOUVOIS.[242]

[241] This person was Catinat, who was now on his way to
Pignerol, under the assumed name of Richemont.

[242] From the Archives of France.

No. 63.

PINCHESNE TO POMPONNE.

Interviews with Matthioli.--Further Delays in the
Ratification of the Treaty.

Feb. 7th, 1679.

WE had hoped, M. d’Asfeld and I, according to the promises which had been given us to this effect by the Count Matthioli, through M. Giuliani, as often as we sent him to Padua, that we might be able to dispose the Duke of Mantua to go to Casale the 25th of this month, according to the King’s intentions; but notwithstanding all that we have been able to allege to the Count in the two conferences we have had with him, last Thursday and this morning, we have not been able to succeed, and we have therefore been obliged to defer the day of the exchange of the ratifications of the treaty till the 10th of next March; on which day the Duke of Mantua promises to be, most assuredly, and without any further delay, at Casale.

We have despatched you this extraordinary courier, Sir, to give you intelligence of this; and we have so strongly recommended diligence to him, that we hope our letters will still arrive soon enough at court, to afford the King sufficient time to give whatever orders his Majesty shall judge necessary, for the delaying of the march of the troops towards Pignerol.

M. d’Asfeld writes in this intention, to M. de Louvois; but I will take the liberty to request you, Sir, in case the King has any new orders to give us on this affair, to order them to be sent directly to me; because, as it is possible that M. d’Asfeld may be obliged to depart before they arrive, I could not be made acquainted with them if they were sent to him, the cypher he has received from M. de Louvois being different to that which you have sent me. We think, nevertheless, we can assure you, Sir, that we do not see, from this delay of time, any reason to doubt the sincerity of the sentiments of the Duke of Mantua; who has again assured us, through the Count Matthioli, that he is more than ever in the intention of executing the treaty he has just made with his Majesty, and of keeping the promise he has given to him.

The Count Matthioli had written to you; but as his letter was not in cypher, and did not contain any thing but what I have sent you word of in this, I have not thought it necessary to send it to you.

DE PINCHESNE.[243]

[243] From the Archives of the Office for Foreign Affairs, at
Paris.

No. 64.

LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.

St. Germain, February 15th, 1679.

* * * * * *

WHEN the affairs for which the Sieur de Richemont is with you shall be concluded, you may, &c.[244] * * *

DE LOUVOIS.[245]

[244] The sentence is left thus imperfect in M. Delort’s
publication. The whole letter, however, is published in the
work entitled, “Les philosophes et les gens de lettres des
XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles à la Bastille.” The rest of the letter
does not refer to Matthioli’s affair.

[245] From the Archives of France.

No. 65.

POMPONNE TO PINCHESNE.

February 17th, 1679.