Page:Secret History of the French Court under Richelieu and Mazarin.djvu/125

Rh influenced the mind of Anne of Austria and gave Mazarin much anxiety.

The chief difficulty of the prime minister lay in making Queen Anne—the sister of the king of Spain and herself possessing true Spanish piety—comprehend that it was absolutely necessary that, despite the engagements she had so often contracted, despite the urgent entreaties of the Court of Rome, and despite the solicitations of the chiefs of the episcopate, she should continue the alliance with Holland and the German Protestants, and persist in insisting on a general peace to be shared by our allies as well as ourselves, while the devotees were constantly repeating to her that she could make a partial peace and treat separately with Spain on most favorable terms, and that the scandal of an impious war between His Most Christian Majesty and the Catholic king would thus cease, and a much-needed relief be obtained for France. This was the policy of the former party of the queen. It was specious at least, and reckoned numerous partisans among the most enlightened and patriotic men. Mazarin, the disciple and heir of Richelieu, entertained higher thoughts which he was not yet willing to confide to Anne of Austria. He realized them by degrees, thanks to efforts unceasingly renewed and managed with infinite art; thanks most of all, to the victories of the Duke d'Enghien—for in every thing there is no more eloquent and persuasive advocate than success. However, the queen remained long undecided, and we see in the Carnets of Mazarin about the end of May, and through the months of June and July, that the great aim of the cardinal was to induce the regent not to abandon her allies, but to continue the war. Madame de Chevreuse, with Châteauneuf, defended the former policy of the party, and labored to win Anne of Austria back to it. "Madame de Chevreuse," says Mazarin, "causes it to be reported to the queen from every side that I do not wish for peace, that I have the same maxims as the Cardinal de Richelieu, and that to make a separate peace is both necessary and