Henrietta Maria, Queen, consort of Charles I, King of England, 1609-1669
Henrietta first of all looked incredulously at her husband, for she had
never believed, protected as she was by her marriage treaty and by the
Crown of France, that, however dissatisfied he might be, he would push
matters to an extremity. Then, as she saw no relenting on his cold,
handsome face, she burst into tears and wept unrestrainedly. It was long
before she found voice to plead that if Madame S. Georges, whom she knew he
disliked, was too obnoxious, yet that she might keep Madame de Tillières,
against whom no complaints had been brought. But Charles was inflexible.
All were to go. More piteous sobbing followed, until the poor girl--she was
only sixteen--appreciated that her misery was making no impression upon her
husband. Then she stayed her weeping to make a final request. Might she not
see her friends once more, to bid them good-bye, for it had been intimated
to her that sentence would take effect without a moment's unnecessary
delay.
No, was the curt reply. She must see her friends no more.[50]
At this final outrage to her wounded feelings Henrietta's spirit--the
spirit of the Bourbons--rose in revolt. Forgetful of her husband, forgetful
of her queenly dignity, remembering only that those whom she loved were
leaving her for ever, she rushed to the window, that thence she might
obtain a farewell glimpse of her banished compatriots. Such was her
eagerness that she broke the intercepting panes of glass. But even this
poor comfort was denied her. The King pursued her and dragged her back with
such ungentle force that her dress was torn, and her hands with which she
clung to the bars of the windows were galled and grazed.
Elsewhere dismay and consternation reigned. Conway, the Secretary of State,
announced their doom to the assembled French ladies, informing them that
the King wished to have his wife to himself, and that he found it
impossible to do so while she had so many of her own countrywomen about
her. They were begged to retire to Somerset House, whence they would be
sent to France. Madame S. Georges, acting as spokeswoman for the rest, said
that they were the servants of the King of France, they could not leave
their royal mistress without the orders of the Bishop of Mende, who was
their superior. That gentleman arriving, in obedience to a hasty summons,
did indeed at first assert with his usual hauteur that neither he nor any
of the household would depart without the commands of their own sovereign.
But he was soon made to understand, by arguments which not even his spirit
could resist, that no choice was left to him. That evening saw the French
at Somerset House and Henrietta desolate at Whitehall. It was probably
during the few days that had to elapse before her friends were deported to
France that the Queen wrote the following note to the Bishop, which vividly
reflects her loneliness and sorrow:--
"M. DE MANDES,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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