arisians; who not only admired him for his own
accomplishments, and pitied him for his sufferings, but also revered
him, as a young hero lineally descended from their renowned Henry
the Fourth. At length, the two English noblemen arriving at Paris as
hostages for the performance of the treaty, and seeing him appear at all
the public places of diversion, complained of this circumstance as an
insult to their sovereign, and an infringement of the treaty so lately
concluded. The French king, after some hesitation between punctilio
and convenience, resolved to employ violence upon the person of this
troublesome stranger, since milder remonstrances had not been able to
influence his conduct; but this resolution was not taken till the return
of a courier whom he despatched to the chevalier de St. George; who,
being thus informed of his son's deportment, wrote a letter to him,
laying strong injunctions upon him to yield to the necessity of the
times, and acquiesce with a good grace in the stipulations which his
cousin of France had found it necessary to subscribe for the interest of
his realm. Edward, far from complying with this advice and injunction,
signified his resolution to remain in Paris; and even declared that
he would pistol any man who should presume to lay violent hands on
his person. In consequence of this bold declaration, an extraordinary
council was held at Versailles, when it was determined to arrest him
without further delay, and the whole plan of this enterprise was finally
adjusted. That same evening, the prince entering the narrow lane that
leads to the opera, the barrier was immediately shut, and the sergeant
of the guard called "to arms;" on which monsieur de Vaudreuil, exempt of
the French guards, advancing to Edward, "Prince," said he, "I arrest you
in the king's name, by virtue of this order." At that instant the youth
was surrounded by four grenadiers, in order to prevent any mischief he
might have done with a case of pocket-pistols which he always carried
about him; and a guard was placed at all the avenues and doors of the
opera-house, lest any tumult should have ensued among the populace.
These precautions being taken, Vaudreuil, with an escort, conducted the
prisoner through the garden of the palais-royal, to a house where the
duke de Biron waited with a coach and six to convey him to the castle of
Vincennes, whether he was immediately accompanied by a detachment from
the regiment of French guards,