rse of the greatness of the
present King of France--what great things he hath done, that a man may
pass, at any hour in the night, all over that wild city [Paris], with a
purse in his hand and no danger: that there is not a beggar to be seen
in it, nor dirt lying in it; that he hath married two of Colbert's
daughters to two of the greatest princes of France, and given them
portions--bought the greatest dukedom in France, and given it to
Colbert;

[The Carterets appear to have mystified Pepys, who eagerly believed
all that was told him. At this time Paris was notoriously unsafe,
infested with robbers and beggars, and abominably unclean. Colbert
had three daughters, of whom the eldest was just married when Pepys
wrote, viz., Jean Marie Therese, to the Duc de Chevreuse, on the 3rd
February, 1667. The second daughter, Henriette Louise, was not
married to the Duc de St. Aignan till January 21st, 1671; and the
third, Marie Anne, to the Duc de Mortemart, February 14th, 1679.
Colbert himself was never made a duke. His highest title was
Marquis de Seignelay.--B.]

and ne'er a prince in France dare whisper against it, whereas here our
King cannot do any such thing, but everybody's mouth is open against
him for it, and the man that hath the favour also. That to several
commanders that had not money to set them out to the present campagne,
he did of his own accord--send them L1000 sterling a-piece, to
equip themselves. But then they did enlarge upon the slavery of the
people--that they are taxed more than the real estates they have; nay,
it is an ordinary thing for people to desire to give the King all their
land that they have, and themselves become only his tenants, and pay him
rent to the full value of it: so they may have but their earnings, But
this will not be granted; but he shall give the value of his rent,
and part of his labour too. That there is not a petty governor of a
province--nay, of a town, but he will take the daughter from the richest
man in the town under him, that hath got anything, and give her to his
footman for a wife if he pleases, and the King of France will do the
like to the best man in his kingdom--take his daughter from him, and
give her to his footman, or whom he pleases. It is said that he do make
a sport of us now; and says, that he knows no reason why his cozen, the
King of England, should not be as willing to let him have his kingdom,
as that