who, to save his son, studied to favor the escape of all those whose depositions might have served to convict him, or guarded them in some sort himself, by concealing and even imprisoning them at Anet.[1] Mazarin was only able to seize obscure men, who were ignorant of the details of the plot and incapable of throwing any light on it. Notwithstanding, among these there were two noblemen, who, without having known this enterprise thoroughly, had at least been present at several assemblies which had been held under the plausible pretext of taking up the cause of the Duchess de Montbazon. Mazarin names them; they were MM. d'Avancourt and de Brassy, noblemen of Picardy, of tried courage, and intimate friends of Lié, captain of the guards of Beaufort, and one of the conspirators. Ganseville and Vaumorin, upon whose testimony Retz insists in order to prove that there never was any conspiracy, were of no importance. Vaumorin may have become captain of the guards of the Duke de Beaufort in 1649, but he was not so in 1643, it was Lié; and Ganseville was one of those subordinates who had never been admitted to his confidence. They knew nothing; they may, therefore, have very truly said to Retz during the Fronde, what he makes them say. But D'Avancourt and De Brassy did know something, and it was for this reason that the Duke de Vendôme entreated them to come to Anet. Arrested and thrown into the Bastille, and intimidated or gained over, whatever Retz may say of it, they made grave depositions and furnished conclusive evidence; but these stopped at Henri de Campion and Lié, the only conspirators whom they had known. Mazarin neglected nothing to draw out and make use of the only important capture which he had made. "Hasten the examination of the two prisoners," says he. "Summon the proprietor of the Maison du Sauvage, situated next the hôtel de Vendôme, where D'Avancourt and De Brassy lodged, as well as the innkeeper
- ↑ IV. Carnet, p. 8.
