The Virginia Gazette

LONDON, April 5.

The following Extract of a Letter from Paris, sufficiently shows how greatly they were mistaken in Opinion, who look'd on the Disgrace of M. Chauvelin as mere Farce only.

"The Fall of M. Chauvelin has greater Consequences than were at first expected: The Public Hatred that Minister gained during his Administration, and the many disagreeable Things done by him to Numbers about the Court, have occasioned the most important Discoveries against him. An extraordinary Council has been held on his Account in the King's Presence, assisted by the Cardinal de Fleury, the Duke of Orleans, and Marshall Noailles, at which the several Articles of Male Administration laid to his Charge, were strictly examined into.

Among other Things, it is said he is accused of having misapplied Thirty Millions of the Publick Money.

That King Staniflaus charges him with having withheld a great Part of the Sums order'd him during his Stay in Poland.

Marshall Noailles says, that the Intendant of Dauphine, who was likewise to supply the Troops in Italy, held a Correspondence with Chauvelin, in Concert with whom he sunk part of the Money appointed to defray the Expence of the Army.

It further appears, by the Registers of the Tenth Penny, that M. Chauvelin took part of the Revenue to himself also. M. Orry, Comptroller-General of the Finances, proves these Accusations by the Account kept in his Office, and declared, that if it was necessary to make further Discoveries, that they had but to possess themselves of the Papers of M. Teixeira, Notary at Paris; that accordingly, by Order of the King, the Papers of that Notary had been seized, by which a Discovery is made of the great Advantages reap'd by M. Chauvelin, from the Rise and Fall of the Actions, or Stocks, which he influenced as he thought fit. Over and above all these Crimes, he is accused of having traded in Public Offices, Employments, and Benefices, which he disposed of to those who would give most.

Upon the breaking up of the Council, a Messenger was dispatched to M. Chauvelin, with a Paper divided into Two Columns; the one of which contained the Twenty-Two Articles of Male-Administration, with which he stands charged, the other is Blank; for him to give his Answer thereon. Since the Receipt of this Message, M. Chauvelin appears more affected with his Disgrace than he has hitherto done."

Since the Receipt of the above Letter, we have receiv'd the following Parody upon the 51st Psalm, being the Miserere of Mont. Chauvelin, address'd to the Cardinal, to whom he makes an ample Confession of the Crime he is charged with.

1. Have Mercy upon me, most Eminent Cardinal, according to thy loving Kindness, and suffer me not to be unmask'd. According to the Multitude of thy tender Mercies, hide thou thy Face from my Injustice, from my Impositions, and from the many Edicts which I have sealed, after having alter'd them to the Advantage of those who would give Money for so doing.

2. Wash me thoroughly from the Filth out of which I sprung, by creating me a Peer or Duke.

3. I acknowledge all my Transgressions, of which the Publick knows but little: And my Sins, since they are come to your Knowledge, are always before me; especially the Sums I received from Spain, to agree to the Treaty of Seville; the Disgrace of Pelletier des Forts; the Handy-Work of De la Motte at Dantzick; the Assassination of Mons. Plelo; my haughty Behaviour to the Secretaries of State; my secret League with the Jansenists; my suppressing of your Dispatches, to send Orders altogether contrary to them; my Tricks with the India Company's Actions, which would fill a Folio; my carrying off the Minutes of Mons. Bernard's Affair, to put into the Hands of my faithful Notary Teixier; the Abuse I thought fit to make of my Authority, and the Contempt I shew'd to the most inviolable Rules, as was manifest in the Execution of Madam the Countes of Vertue's Will; the infamous Method I took to defeat the Creditors of the Prince of Carignan, who for want of their Right were perishing; Works so infamous and notorious, that the Abbot Pompona resented and reproached me with them to my Face; my betraying the most solemn Secrets, and my cruel Perfidy to the Marquis de Brancas, and my Ingratitude to the Marshall d'Uxelles: All these, and more, I say, stare me in the Face, put me to the Rack, and fill me with Confusion and Terror.

4. But against thee, thee heinously have I sinned, and endeavoured to overturn thy Authority, and supplant thee.

5. Behold! I was shapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did my Mother conceive me; therefore I cannot help being very wicked, and exceedingly unrighteous.

6. Behold! Thou desirest me to reveal the Truth from my Heart, and that none of my Rogueries may be concealed from thee.

7. Cast a favourable Look towards me, and I shall become Whiter than Snow; ay but the Word, and my Enemies shall hold their Peace; no one for the Future will presume to tell thee my Tricks.

8. Make me to hear the Joy and Gladness with which I have been intoxicated these Ten Years; free me from that Abasement which the Thoughts of my approaching Disgrace has thrown me into: Then shall I carry myself more haughtily, my Countenance will become more resolute, and my Smiles falser and more severe.

9. Once more, I entreat thee, hide thy Face from my Crimes; do not them remember, and all the World will forget them.

10. Change thou my System, tho' my Heart is not to be changed, and suffer once more my Ambition to shew itself.

11. Cast me not utterly away from thy Presence; and if thou takest from me thy Confidence, do not take from me, my Place, lest I be out of Play at the Time of thy departing; long enjoy this mortal Life.

12 and 13. Restore unto me thy seeming Grace and Favour; then will I teach thy Ministers the Art of deceiving, the Queen of Spain shall be reconciled to thee, and the Duke shall speak well of thee.

14. Deliver me from my Blood-thirsty Enemies, the Abbot Couturier, the Jesuits, the Parliament, the Marshall Noailles, who all wait to devour their Prey; and this Act of Grace will soon be deemed an Act of Justice.
15. Open thou my Lips, which have too long been shut; then Shall I be able to deride Foreign Ministers, after my accustomed Manner.

16. Thou desirest not the Sacrifice of Millions, being at the Fountain-head of Riches, else would I give it thee; I have nothing to offer thee but what thou aboundedst in.

17. The only Sacrifice, alas! I can make thee, is my Regret, my sincere Regret, for not having succeeded in my Designs against thee.

18. Do good in thy good Pleasure to thy unworthy Servant; once more permit me so to increase in Riches, as that I may be able to finish my Acquisition of Labrador, and my Building a magnificent Palace at Gros Bois.

19. There shalt thou be pleased to see, as a lasting Monument of my Gratitude, thine own Arms joined with mine on the Gates of my House; and my Son, who is fit for nothing else, shall assiduously pay his Court to thy Nephews and Nieces.