Here we may introduce the brief history of Tancred de Rohan.[1] The great Duc de Rohan had fallen at the battle of Rheinfeldt in 1638. His daughter Marguerite thus became the greatest heiress in France, and it was hoped that she would marry a Protestant of noble family. The young lady was forward to declare that she would give her hand to no suitor but a prince of royal blood and of a reigning family. She, nevertheless, was surrounded with admirers. In the midst of her pride, her mother announced to her that she was not the heiress. The Dowager’s disclosure was, that having observed how her husband was always exposed to Popish plots, she had concealed from him, as well as from the public, the fact of the birth of a son and heir. This concealment, she said, had prevented the abduction of the infant by the Roman Catholics. The mother’s story had this confirmation, that she had handed over an infant boy, whom she called her son and named Tancred, to be educated by Monsieur La Metairie at his remote chateau. When Marguerite heard this story, she at once resolved to take into her counsel some man of sense and dexterity. Among her admirers was one, whom Benoist describes as “a gentleman of a very handsome person, full of wit, courage, and business talent, a very considerable person at court, and with every prospect of making a large fortune for himself through the good-will of Cardinal Mazarin.” This was Henry, Lord of Ruvigny. He entered into the lady’s views (though, it is said, he had some trouble in dissuading her from the rough remedy of assassination), and the alleged brother was removed, unknown to the Dowager, to the care of a burgess of Leyden, to be brought up as a man of rank. It is said that Ruvigny believed himself to be the accepted suitor of Marguerite. But though the fair one forgot her vow as to royal lineage, she unexpectedly announced that she was affianced to the Marquis De Chabot. The court at once secondéd her in her sudden resolution, as the new favourite was a Roman Catholic. The young lady was unmoved by the dissuasive expostulation of her mother and her pastors. Ruvigny took up the tone of one who had been accepted and discarded, but could make no impression. He then formally threatened to transfer Tancred to her mother’s charge. Marguerite told Chabot, whose agent forthwith ran a race to Leyden with the Duchess’s messengers. The latter arrived first, and consigned Tancred to the care of a magistrate. The youth was, with proper precautions, conveyed to Paris, and the Duchess endeavoured to introduce him to society. At the same time, she laid proofs of his paternity and legitimacy before the Parliament of Paris. While the case was pending, the Protestant community was ready to believe Tancred to be the ducal heir, while all the Roman Catholics sided with the heiress. It clearly appeared that the late Duke considered his daughter to be an only child, and had never been aware of the existence of a son: and the Duchess’s apology for her alleged concealment of his birth being considered frivolous and unreal, the Parliament decided in favour of the daughter. This conclusion was spoken of by the Duchess as being the mere consequence of dictation from the ruling powers. In the hope, therefore, of getting the decree reconsidered and reversed, she persuaded Tancred to fight on the side of the Parliament in the civil war. The young man was wounded in a sortie, and was carried to Vincennes, where he died. The mother and daughter were reconciled after the lapse of some years, but neither of them again breathed the name of Tancred de Rohan.
Although Mazarin, not to hinder the pacification, again retired, and was formally excluded from the king’s councils, yet that Prime Minister, without either negotiation or opposition, came back in February 1653, and coolly resuming the reins of government, held them without molestation till his death. On the 10th of the preceding July, Ruvigny had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General. The Prince of Condé joined the enemies of his country, and served in Flanders in 1653 as generalissimo of the Spaniards. Ruvigny served there under Turenne and Le Ferté. He is mentioned in connection with three sieges, Vincennes (in Picardy) and Rhetel (both of which were recovered from the enemy), and Mouzon, which capitulated after a blockade of fourteen days. His last campaign was in 1654, also in Flanders.
Abundance of occupation at home had been provided for the Lord of Ruvigny. It was far from his own wish to retire from military service. But Mazarin had represented to him that as a Protestant he could not hope for any higher promotion, and therefore urged him to accept an office which would give him a residence at the court of Louis XIV., amid general deference due to his rank and character, and with
- ↑ This account of the cause celêbre is an abridgement of the story as told by Benoist in his History of the Edict of Nantes. The greater part of it, of course, belongs to earlier dates than those of Ruvigny’s marriage and his subsequent public life.
