The Virginia Gazette

ENTERTAINMENT.

VOLTAIRE having lately amused the World with Part of an Anecdote relating to a Person of Distinction in France, who, he says, was kept Prisoner for some Time in the Isle of St. Margaret, and afterwards in the Bastille, at Paris, and who was known by no other Name than the Man with the Iron Mask, because he always appeared in one, which was so contrived, with Steel Springs, that he could eat with it; and having left the Public in the Dark, as to the real Name and Quality of this extraordinary Personage, perhaps a more particular Account of him may be acceptable to our Readers.

It must be recollected that Lewis XIV. was excessively Amorous, and had several Mistresses. Amongst the Rest was one without Beauty, but tall and well shaped, and whose Wit and fine Sense made more than amends for the Deficiency of her personal Graces. The King loved her to Distraction, and by her had a Son, on whom he conferred the Title of Duke de Vermandois, and caused him to be educated with all imaginable Care. He was handsome, well made, full of Vivacity, but haughty and passionate, and could not bear to pay the Dauphin, the only legitimate Son of Lewis XIV. the Respect due to a Prince born to be his King. These two young Princes, near the same Age, were of very opposite Characters.

The Dauphin, possessed of the same personal Advantages as the Duke, excelled him by his Mildness, his Affability, and a Heart full of Goodness and Generosity. These Qualities, as estimable as uncommon in a Prince born to hereditary Power, rendered the Dauphin the Object of the Duke's Contempt, who missed no Occasion of expressing his Concern for the French Nation, destined one Day to obey a Prince without Spirit, and unworthy to rule. The King was informed of this Behaviour of the Duke, and saw how blameable it was; but Authority yielding to parental Affection, deprived him of the Power to correct his favourite Son. The Duke, encouraged by this Indulgence, so far forgot himself as one Day to give the Dauphin a Blow. The King was presently acquainted with it, and trembled for the Criminal.

Whatever Inclination he had to dissemble this Affront, the Dignity of the Crown, and the Disturbance it made at Court, got the better of his Tenderness. He assembled, not without Reluctance, his favourite Ministers, to whom he disclosed his Concern, and demanded their Advice. In Proportion to the Enormity of the Crime, and according to the Maxims of State, they all judged It merited Death. However, one of the Council, more sensible of the King's Affection than the Rest, said, there was a Way to punish the Duke without taking his Life. He proposed, the King should immediately send him to the Army then on the Frontiers of Flanders; that soon after his Arrival there, it should be given out he was seized with the Plague, to prevent his being visited by Persons of Distinction; that after a few Days pretended Illness, it should be reported he was dead; and that, while in the Sight of the Army, his Funeral Ceremonies were performed in a Manner suitable to his Birth, he should by Night be secretly conveyed to the Island of St. Margaret, where he should be imprisoned for Life. This Advice was approved by the King. Faithful Persons were entrusted with the Execution of it. The Duke set out for the Army with a splendid Equipage. The Rest of the Scheme was executed as laid down, and while the whole Camp bewailed the imagined Death of this unhappy Prince, he was conducted through Bye-ways to the Castle of St. Margaret, and put into the Hands of the Governor, who had beforehand received Orders from the King to suffer his Prisoner to be seen by no other Person whatever. The Duke was allowed one single Domestic, who was in the Secret, but he dying on the Road, the Guards disfigured him with their Sabres, to prevent his being known, and leaving him stripped for the same Reason, continued their Journey. The Governor received and treated his Prisoner with the greatest Respect, he served him in Person, receiving whatever he wanted from the Servants at the Door of the Duke's Apartment, without suffering any of them to enter, so that he remained invisible to all about him. One Day however he bethought himself of graving his Name on the Back of a Plate, with the Point of his Knife; the Servant who discovered this, brought it to his Master, in Hopes of a Reward, but the unhappy Wretch was killed on the Spot, that the Secret might die with him.

The Duke remained for some Years in this Prison, till the Governor being advanced to the Government of the Bastille at Paris, it was thought proper to transfer with him his illustrious Prisoner. Both at St. Margaret's and the Bastille, whenever on Account of Sickness, or any other Occasion they were obliged to let the Duke be seen, he was constrained to wear a Mask. Several Persons worthy of Credit affirm they have seen him thus. If it be queried why the Duke, having so long outlived both the King and Dauphin, was not released, it must be considered as impossible to restore to his Rank, Dignity, or Estate, a Prince whose Tomb existed, and of whose Obsequies so many then living were Witnesses; so that it would have been scarce possible to undeceive the People, who to this Day believe he died of the Plague in the Camp of Flanders.

Those who have read Voltaire's Account will, no doubt, observe in it a considerable Anachronism. It makes the Imprisonment of his unknown Person as early as the Administration of Cardinal Mazarine, and his Death