136 MEMOIRS OF THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON.

that Saint Kuth was incorrigible, was good enough to send him
to Guyenne under pretence of employment. Afterwards he was
sent to Ireland, where he was killed.

The Mardchale de la Meilleraye had been perfectly beautiful,
and was full of wit. She so turned the head of the Cardinal
de Retz, that he wanted to turn everything topsy-turvy in
France, in order to make himself a necessary man and force the
King to use his influence at Rome in order to obtain a dispen-
sation by which he (the Cardinal) should be allowed, though a
priest and a consecrated Bishop, to marry the Marechale d.e la
Meilleraye while her husband was alive and she on very good
terms with him! This madness is inconceivable and yet
existed.

I have described in its place the disgrace of Cardinal de
Bouillon, and the banishment to which he was sentenced,
Exile did not improve him. He languished in weariness and
rage, and saw no hope that his position would ever change.
Incapable of repose, he had passed all his long enforced leisure
In a monastic war. The monks of Cluni were his antagonists •
He was constantly bringing actions against them, which they
as constantly defended. He accused them of revolt—they ac-
cused him of scheming. They profited by his disgrace, and
omitted nothing to shake off the yoke, which when in favour,
he had imposed upon them. These broils went on, until at last
a suit, which Cardinal de Bouillon had commenced against the
refractory monks, and which had been carried into the grand
Council of Paris, was decided against him, notwithstanding all
the efforts he made to obtain a contrary verdict. This was the
last drop which made the too full cup overflow, and which con-
summated the resolution that Cardinal had long since had in
his head, and which he now executed.

By the terms of his exile, he was allowed to visit, without
restraint, his various abbeys, situated in different parts of the
realm. He took advantage of this privilege, gave out that he
•was going to Normandy, but instead of doing so, posted away
to Picardy, stopped briefly at Abbeville, gained Arras, where
he had the Abbey of Saint Waast, thence feigning to go and