[606] Unpublished despatch from Marshal de Tessé to Barbézieux, March 27, 1694:--Archives of the Ministry of War. [607] January 11, 1694, Barbézieux writes to Saint-Mars: “The Sieur de Laprade, to whom the King has confided the care of the prisoners who are confined by his Majesty’s orders in the donjon of Pignerol, writes me word that the one who has been imprisoned longest is dead, and that he does not know his name. As I have no doubt but that you remember it, I beg you to inform me of it in cipher.” The oldest prisoner was Eustache d’Auger, who was confined, as we have seen, in 1669. Anyhow it could not be Matthioly, since we have given a few pages back a despatch from Laprade, December 27, 1693, in which he mentions his name in reference to what he had written on the lining of his coat. Now Laprade would never have asked in January, 1694, the name of a prisoner whom he knew in December, 1693. [608] Unpublished despatch from Barbézieux to Saint-Mars, February 20, 1694. [609] _Ibid._, March 20, 1694. [610] Despatch from Catinat to Louvois, May 3, 1679:--Given by Delort, p. 212. [611] Unpublished despatch from Barbézieux to Saint-Mars, May 5, 1692:--Archives of the Ministry of War. [612] Pp. 322-331, _ante_. [613] Unpublished despatch from Barbézieux to Saint-Mars, July 20, 1694. [614] _Ibid._, December 5, 1694. [615] _Ibid._, December 20, 1694. [616] A despatch overlooked by M. Topin when writing this work, but subsequently published by him, and in which Saint-Mars describes the minute precautions he adopts in order to ensure the safe custody of his prisoners and prevent them from communicating with any one, is sufficiently curious to be given at full length:-- “Monseigneur,-- “You command me to inform you how people would act when I am absent or ill, with reference to the precautions which are taken and the visits which are paid every day to the prisoners who are committed to my care.