English Rebellion, and French Policy. royal family their prisoners. But as there is no dependance on the friendship of the wicked, the confederates in this atrocious plot betrayed each other, on promise of pardon, and in hopes of a reward; and Colonel Cade, with several of the ringleaders, were executed, as rebels to the king and state. This was a severe disappointment to France. Melancholy, an unusual feature in that nation, lowered over the countenances of Frenchmen for some time; and they were so depressed, that they were unable to conceal their grief from the few English that were then at the court of France, but expressed strong indignation at the English severity in their execution of Cade. De Commines, however, was not totally discouraged. He offered great rewards and high preferments to a needy English Rebellion, and French Policy. English officer to head the disaffected party in Ireland; but this proposal was rejected with noble and honourable disdain. Excursions to France. CHAP. XI. EXCURSIONS TO FRANCE. Now I would pray our monsieurs, To think an English courtier may be wise, SHAKESPEARE. THE French king's minister proved himself in the right, when he judged with how much eagerness the English would repair to that court, where gaiety and delight spread every snare, to delude the unwary Briton, and empty his purse, while they corrupt his mind. Thousands flocked to Paris, actuated by the love of pleasure, whim, novelty, or mistaken economy. Excursions to France. Amongst these, LOVELACE was impatient to pay his devoirs to a king and minister he had ever admired; and also to present his female friend, now his lawful wife, at a court by no means tenacious of, or famed for the virtue of modesty, or a regard to delicacy and decorum. The gallic beaur were much surprised at the appearance of MRS. LOVELACE; of whose person they had formed the most advantageous ideas. LOVELACE had, himself, a swarthy complexion, a black bushy beard, and, from an excess of living, appeared corpulent, and inclining to be dropsical; but his picture had been so handed about in every nation, dressed in every character and costume that fancy could invent, but in which the likeness of THE MAN OF THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE appeared so strong, that they Excursions to France. were prepared for all they beheld in the original. But as Frenchmen look much to the surface, and especially among women, they were astonished to see his bride on the wrong side of fifty, coarse looking, bad complexioned, marked with the small pox, and of a rotundity equal to a butt of strong English beer; not possessing one charm of person, except an hand and arm that might serve as models for a statuary or painter to place on the body of a Venus. The beauties about the court of Louis, by no means set off the charms of this fat, old lady; and the most celebrated for the charms of her person, was the wife of a rich financier; and, to those dazzling attractions she possessed, together with the weight of her husband's coffers, which enabled him to lend sums to government, she owed her free accession to the court |