requests. It proposed at the same time regulations of finance, which seemed to have for their object to check the cupidity of the farmers of the revenue; and it further announced, that a court of justice should be immediately established, to inquire into past depredations. It finished by strictly forbidding, in the name of the king, the holding of any assemblies from that time in the chamber of St. Louis. When the moment arrived for coming to a vote on the declaration, many counsellors of the inquests called to the chancellor, "We will give you our decision to-morrow, when the king will no longer be present, and we can use our suffrages without restraint." The next day new resistance was offered, notwithstanding the efforts of Gaston, the old counsellor. Broussel, who was irritated at not having obtained for his son a lieutenancy in the guards, carried with him a majority of the voters. The Duke of Orleans at length found himself reduced to ask that the general assemblies should be suspended till the commissioners who were appointed to report to parliament on the royal declaration should have performed their task. The assembly then consented to an adjournment.

HILE these scenes were passing, the Prince of Condé rejoined the army, and ran a new career of glory. The battle of Lens filled all France with joy. On the 19th of August, that celebrated plain was entered by the French army, fourteen thousand strong, with eighteen pieces of cannon. The town of Lens had surrendered to the Archduke Leopold. It was the object of Condé to draw the enemy into the plain: and the prudence which he displayed on this occasion was equal to the ardour which he had on former occasions mani fested. Leopold was on his guard, and was not easily induced to quit the position which he had chosen. The prince at length directed a retrograde movement; and General Beck

was ordered by Leopold to advance with the cavalry to fall on his rear-guard. Condé, exulting in the success of his stratagem, ordered Chatillon, who commanded the cavalry, to support the rear-guard, while the left wing of the army was placed under Grammont. The enemy, at first routed, bravely rallied, and attacked the French with such fury, that they were broken, and began to fly in disorder. Condé pursued the fugitives, halted them, and again brought them to face the enemy. Beck paused, waiting for Leopold to join him. Condé harangued his troops, reminded them of the glories of Rocroi, and other battles in which he had led them to victory. The armies again met; the shock was awful, and the slaughter great. Two pages were killed by the side of Condé; and at length ordering the reserve, which was under D'Erlach, to advance, he put himself at its head, and routed the opposing force. The left wing, under Grammont, had been equally successful. The two commanders met on the battle field, each pursuing the foe he had defeated, when they joyfully flew into each others embrace. The archduke, under these circumstances, retreated towards Douai. Condé ordered the town of Lens to be invested, and then returned to the battle-field. The French guards, having carried every thing before them, by their eagerness to pursue were in danger of being cut to pieces, but the timely arrival of Condé averted the danger. The whole of the Spanish infantry remained in one unbroken mass, which seemed impenetrable. Desroches, the prince's lieutenant of the guards, was ordered by Condé to advance against them. A desperate attack was accordingly made, which, though sternly resisted, ended in the Spaniards throwing down their arms. On this celebrated day, the loss of the enemy amounted to ten thousand privates and eight hundred officers, while a hundred and twenty standards, thirty-eight pieces of cannon, and all their baggage, fell into the hands of the victors. General Beck was among the slain. In achieving a triumph so extraordinary, the French lost but five hundred men!

COURAGEOUS CONDUCT OF MATTHEW MOLE.

URING the period of Cardinal Mazarin's administration, the popular party, called the Fronde, stimulated into tumults by De Retz, were constantly opposing the measures of the court. Matthew Molé, chief president of the Par

liament, at this time, 1649, came very near being sacrificed to the popular fury, in consequence of the part which he took in negotiating a peace, which at the same moment, confirmed the power of Mazarin, and rendered important service to France. The affair is thus related by Bussy.

Most unexpectedly, on the 19th of February, the Prince of Conti announced to the parliament that a certain lord, Don Joseph Illescas, sent by the archduke Leopold with authority to treat for a general peace, waited at the serjeants' bar, and desired to be introduced and heard. There was a great struggle between the old members of me grand chamber and the young counsellors of the inquests, who had with them Broussel; but in the end the latter triumphed; and notwithstanding the opposition of Matthew Molé and the president, De Mesmes, Don Joseph Illescas was introduced. They listened to his propositions, but did not dare to reply to them; and it was unanimously resolved that "the deputies should carry to her majesty the credentials of the archduke, with a copy of the propositions which he had submitted, and to which the parliament, from respect for her majesty, had not presumed to reply, nor to deliberate upon, before her majesty's pleasure should be made known to them." The deputies named to wait on the queen were Matthew Molé and the president De Mesmes. The ardour of the young counsellors, it may be perceived from this resolution, had been not a little cooled down. This mission ful