Biography of Cardinal Mazarin 1602-1661
On 14 Jul 1602 Cardinal Mazarin was born to Pietro Mazzarino (age 26).
Evelyn's Diary. 06 Feb 1650. In the evening, came Signor Alessandro, one of the Cardinal Mazarine's (age 47) musicians, and a person of great name for his knowledge in that art, to visit my wife (age 15), and sung before divers persons of quality in my chamber.
Evelyn's Diary. 09 Feb 1651. Cardinal Mazarin (age 48) was proscribed by Arrêt du Parlement, and great commotions began in Paris [Map].
Evelyn's Diary. 25 Mar 1653. Came to see me that rare graver in taille-douce, Monsieur Richett, he was sent by Cardinal Mazarine (age 50) to make a collection of pictures.
In 1654 [his father] Pietro Mazzarino (age 78) died.
Pepy's Diary. 03 Mar 1661. In the Abby all the afternoon. Then at Mr. Pierces the surgeon, where Shepley and I supped. So to my Lord's, who comes in late and tells us how news is come to-day of Mazarin's (age 58) being dead, which is very great news and of great consequence1. I lay tonight with Mr. Shepley here, because of my Lord's going to-morrow.
Note 1. This report of the death of Cardinal Mazarin (age 58) appears to have been premature, for he did not die until the 9th of March, 1661.
On 09 Mar 1661 Cardinal Mazarin (age 58) died.
Evelyn's Diary. 13 Mar 1661. I returned home with my Cousin, Tuke, now going for France, as sent by his Majesty (age 30) to condole the death of that great Minister and politician, Count Mazarine (deceased).
Pepy's Diary. 26 Jan 1663. Up and by water with Sir W. Batten (age 62) to White Hall, drinking a glass of wormewood wine at the Stillyard [Map], and so up to the Duke, and with the rest of the officers did our common service; thence to my Lord Sandwich's (age 37), but he was in bed, and had a bad fit last night, and so I went to, Westminster Hall [Map], it being Term time, it troubling me to think that I should have any business there to trouble myself and thoughts with. Here I met with Monsieur Raby, who is lately come from France. (he) tells me that my Lord Hinchingbroke (age 15) and his brother do little improve there, and are much neglected in their habits and other things; but I do believe he hath a mind to go over as their tutour, and so I am not apt to believe what he says therein. But I had a great deal of very good discourse with him, concerning the difference between the French and the Pope, and the occasion, which he told me very particularly, and to my great content; and of most of the chief affairs of France, which I did enquire: and that the King (age 32) is a most excellent Prince, doing all business himself; and that it is true he hath a mistress, Mademoiselle La Valiere (age 18), one of the Princess Henriette's women, that he courts for his pleasure every other day, but not so as to make him neglect his publique affairs. He tells me how the King (age 32) do carry himself nobly to the relations of the dead Cardinall1, and will not suffer one pasquill to come forth against him; and that he acts by what directions he received from him before his death.
Note 1. Cardinal Mazarin died March 9th, 1661.
Pepy's Diary. 02 Jul 1663. Walking in the garden this evening with Sir G. Carteret (age 53) and Sir J. Minnes (age 64), Sir G. Carteret (age 53) told us with great contempt how like a stage-player my Lord Digby (age 50) spoke yesterday, pointing to his head as my Lord did, and saying, "First, for his head", says Sir G. Carteret (age 53), "I know what a calf's head would have done better by half for his heart and his sword, I have nothing to say to them". He told us that for certain his head cost the late King his, for it was he that broke off the treaty at Uxbridge. He told us also how great a man he was raised from a private gentleman in France by Monsieur Grandmont1, and afterwards by the Cardinall, [Mazarin] who raised him to be a Lieutenant-generall, and then higher; and entrusted by the Cardinall, when he was banished out of France, with great matters, and recommended by him to the Queen (age 61) as a man to be trusted and ruled by: yet when he came to have some power over the Queen, he begun to dissuade her from her opinion of the Cardinal; which she said nothing to till the Cardinal was returned, and then she told him of it; who told my Lord Digby (age 50), "Eh bien, Monsieur, vous estes un fort bon amy donc2" but presently put him out of all; and then he was, from a certainty of coming in two or three years' time to be Mareschall of France (to which all strangers, even Protestants, and those as often as French themselves, are capable of coming, though it be one of the greatest places in France), he was driven to go out of France into Flanders; but there was not trusted, nor received any kindness from the Prince of Conde (age 41), as one to whom also he had been false, as he had been to the Cardinal and Grandmont. In fine, he told us how he is a man of excellent parts, but of no great faith nor judgment, and one very easy to get up to great height of preferment, but never able to hold it.
Note 1. Antoine, Duc de Gramont, marshal of France, who died July 12th, 1678, aged seventy-four. His memoirs have been published.
Note 2. TT. Ah well sir, you are a very good friend, therefore.
Pepy's Diary. 11 Dec 1663. So to Mr. Holden's and evened all reckonings there for hats, and then walked to Paul's Churchyard and after a little at my bookseller's and bought at a shop Cardinall Mazarin's Will in French.
Evelyn's Diary. 11 Jun 1699. After a long drought, we had a refreshing shower. The day before, there was a dreadful fire at Rotherhithe [Map], near the Thames side, which burned divers ships, and consumed nearly three hundred houses. Now died the famous Duchess of Mazarin (age 53); she had been the richest lady in Europe. She was niece of Cardinal Mazarin, and was married to the richest subject in Europe (age 67), as is said. She was born at Rome, Italy, educated in France, and was an extraordinary beauty and wit but dissolute and impatient of matrimonial restraint, so as to be abandoned by her husband (age 67), and banished, when she came into England for shelter, lived on a pension given her here, and is reported to have hastened her death by intemperate drinking strong spirits. She has written her own story and adventures, and so has her other extravagant sister (age 59), wife to the noble family of Colonna.
