Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-05

crown in case Of the birth of two eldest sons
u the Ming
The Queen was delivered of dauphiu
smaller and handSOmer than the other, which
continued u moan and cry as il it already re-
GREETED having entered life where it was
subsequently to suffer so much. The chan
cellOr of France drew up the record OF this
marvellous birth, without precedent 10 our
history. His Majesty did not like the first
record, and burnt il before our eyes, and COM
maulad him II write it over several times,
until it suited with His Mljesty's wishes,
DESPITE "Reminiscences Of the AlmOner, who
pretended that the King could not concea!
the birth of prince; to which the Ming re-
piled, there was State reason Tor 1t. The
King next made US sligo our oath; the Chan
celor first signed it, then his AlmOner, then
the Queens contessor, and | signed it after
! them; the oath was also signed by the surgeon
and the midwife, and the King attached this
piece to the record, which be carried away
/ with him, and | have never since heard Of it.
After this the midwife was charged with the
new born child, and as fears were entertained
that she might speak too much about his
birth, she told me she was often menaced
with death if enc ever spoke Of it. Wewere
forbidden, we who were the witnesses Of the
delivery, ever to speak Of it, even among our
selves; not one of US has yet violated his oath.
The King next commanded us also 10 exam
Inc the unhappy prince with particular at
tentiOn: he had mole above the left elbow,
q ytllOwsh spot on the right side OF his neck,
aud a smaller mole in the tleshy part OF the
right thigh because His Majesty intended,
and with Justice, that if the first born should
die, he would place this royal child 10 its
stead; therefore he required US to sign the
record, which he sealed with the lesser royal
zeal, aud signed according to His Majesty's
orders, and after His Majesty. The Dame
Peronctte acted by the child during its nfan-
cy as if it had been her own child, but which
passed for that of some grand seignOr Of the
day; because everybody saw by the care she
took Of it and the expenses she was at, that
though disownei, it was nevertheless rich.--
When the prince grew little older, Cardi-
nal Mazarin, who was charged with his edu-
cation after the Cardinal de Richelieu, sent
for me to instruct him, and bring him up, as
the son of king, but in secret. The Dame
PerOnette continued to serve him until her
death, with great affection, and he loved her
even more than she him. The prince was
educated in my house. in Burgundy, with
all tho care which should be bestowed on one
who is son and brother to kings. | frequent
u cOnyersed with the Queen Mother during
the troubles OF La FOude, and Her Majesty
seemed to me- to fear that if ever the birth OF
that child should be known during the life.
time of his brother, the young king, some
discontei persons would seize it as pretext
for revolt.
Nevertheless, this fear was never able to
engage the Queen to destroy the written evil
dence of his BIRTH because in case of any
event and Of the death of the young King,
she was determined that his brother should
be recognized, although she had another
child: she lrequently told me that she kept
this written proof in her rassste. | gave to
the unfortunate prince all the education |
would desire 10 receive. and the acknowledged
sons Of princes never received better one
An have to reproach myself with is. that | /
,vqs invnIuntariIv the consc of the rrince's |
unhanniress. far when he was nineteen
Years olJ he had q STRANGE desire to know |
Irho ba ,pos and a. no saw that was firm !
l., rasoivad 70 conceal il from him nroviny |
, ~ ohs,inota tho mora ooaorIv he besouobt
he determined to conceal his CURIOSITY, |
and 70 make me believe thai he regarded him
self = son horn of illeoitimate love. fire. |
onontIv t,ld him when he called me father, !
when we were alone that he was mistaken:
hur ceased 70 combat the sentiments he af- |
Ce.te6 nprnans with rho hone Of LEADING me
+, sneak LEAVING him under the belief that he |
was NV SON. without onposipg his opinion; he
rarosai owbiIn in this belief bnt was all the |
time enieavorinp r, find some wav of discoy |
erinr who in reality he was.
"Tyo wears passed away. when most un-
hapny imprudence on nv part for which |
address MANY reproaches to mvself) revealed
10 him in part who he was. lie knew that
the king recc0,Iv sent me messages and !
was so unrortunat, as 10 leave nv caSseie |
or tho lcttors of rho oucop and cardinal OMEN.
no rood ., norton of II and davisad tho other |
Win his ufuoI orntcnass and hc afrorwards !
c.,Cossol r, mo tbo. no had ,ol,a, ont If rho |
r,yy,yc and kent the most conclusive letter re
lrtng 70 his birth. recollcct that chur- |
lish. and brutal habit succeeded to his friend |.
shin and resDcct for me. in which | had !
trained him IN; but could not at first tell |
what was the cause fthis change, for ney-
er suspected that he had opened my CaSSstte |
Nerthelcss, he was one day guilty Of the i'm
prudence of asking Iue to show him the por-
traits of the late King, Louis XIII, and the