The Design of the Funeral Representation.
AS Marshal Turenne was no less Pious than Valiant, so it seems not unreasonable to bring in the Christian and Military Vertues, as Mourners to assist at his Funeral, those kind of decorations being both Christian and Military; they are Christian since they are practiceable in the most Sacred places, and in our most Holy mysteries, whither the faithful are invited to Celebrate the Memories of great Souls; and they are Military, because they are representatives of their most Heroick Actions, wherein their Valour and Piety are equally praised.
The first Object that offers it self to the spectators eye, is a Trophie of Arms, Colours, Drums, Trumpets, &c. over the Portal of the [Page 2]Quire of our Ladies Church, under which stands Vertue arm'd, holding in her hand a Church Banner, which is the Arms of the House of Avergne, whereon are written these Verses of the Tenth Book of Virgils Aeneids.
Which is, That there is a peremptory day set to every mortal by the Eternal Wisdom, beyond which none shall pass, that the time of Mans life is short, and once over, never to be retrieved, and that it is Vertue alone that can make us survive Death, by the memory of our good deeds,
On both sides of her, stand two great Skelletons, holding with one hand the Crown of a Prince, and a Leading-staff; with the other a marble Table, in which is Graven this Inscription.
In English, Mourning France pays her last Devoir, in these Funeral Rites, to the memory of Henry de la Tour Viscount Turenne, Colonel General of all the Light horse, and Martial General of the Field and Armies of his Majesty.
You Citizens, Souldiers, and all good men that honour his memory, assist at his Funeral and weep over his Ashes.
France lost in him the terror of her Enemies, Mars has lost a Hero, and all the Orders of the Kingdom, the assertor of their Peace.
This Funeral was ordered by his Majesty to be publickly performed,Nullum funus publicum fuit nisi à Senatu decerneretur. Jac. Guth. de Jure manium [...]. 2. c. 1. Addit equos & tela, quibus spoliaverat hostem; Indutos (que) jubet truncos hostilibus Armis, ipsos ferre duces, inimica (que) nomina figi. Æn. [...]. and all the Orders of the Kingdom to be there assistant.
It was usual among the Antients, when a Prince or General of an Army, did not survive his Victories, that he might receive the Honour of a Triumph, to dress Trophies about his Tomb, and make them be carried by Officers and Souldiers in the procession of his Funeral; it was so practiced in the Funeral of Pallas.
The same thing was done for Marshal Turenne, who fell in Battel. For besides the Escotcheons of his Arms, which were hung upon all the Pillars and Columns of the Church, there were eighteen Trophies consecrated to his Heroick Atchievements in these last Wars.
They might have represented all the Fights and Battails wherein he has been personally ingaged, since he was but thirteen years of Age, when first he bore Arms under his Uncle the Prince of Orange, at the siege of Boisleduc, all the occasions in which he Commanded, all the Cities and Fortified places which he took: But as his last Actions were as glorious as any others of his Life, and that many of the Spectators of this Funeral pomp, might have been eye-witnesses of them, it was thought fit to illustrate these, concluding, that if eighteen Trophies were but the Atchievements of three or four years, it might easily be judged what were the wonders of a Life so illustrious as his for the space of threescore and four years.
The Inscriptions of these Trophies were,
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
All these Trophies were counterfeited in Brass, and placed betwixt great Escotcheons, surmounted with Cornets or Horse Banners, to shew that he was Colonel General of the Light Horse; and surrounded with a great Mantle of Ermins, such as the Princes, Dukes, and Peers of France give in their Arms.
The Mausoleum or Funeral pile,The Italians call these Mausoles, Catafalque, but this word not being used but by Painters and Sculptors, was not made use of in this description; the Greeks & Latins using only the word Mausoleum. Joseph. hist. Jews. placed in the middle of the Quire, was a round Tower upon a Mount, betwixt four great Palm-trees, charged with Arms and Trophies, and Crowned with three Crowns, a Princes Crown, a Crown of Lawrel, and a Crown of Stars, between every tree were Flower de Luces. Over the Tower the four Vertues upheld an Ʋrn, after the manner of the Antients, shaped like a Tomb, upon which Immortality trampling upon Death carries the Image or Picture of Marshal Turenne towards Heaven.
By this is meant the Tower of David, Adricomius interpreter of the Canticles upon these words. so famous in Holy Writ, built upon Mount Sion, fronting four ways, the Temple, the [Page 10]Kings Palace, Sicut Turris David vidi. Collum tuum. Cant. 4 the Arsenal, or Armoric, and the publick Schools, and had as many Gates towards these several Buildings; a thousand Shields hung at the Arches or Niches, and Windows thereof; this Tower was equally an ornament and safeguard to the City of Hierusalem.
The Mausolea of Princes have frequently been erected in form of a Tower. The Tomb of Augustus, and that of Adrian, were made in this shape, the Books of the Ecclesiastical Ceremonies, call the Cœnotaphe, or place of Representations, Castrum Doloris, because they antiently were built like Towers, haply because Towers are the Emblems of Princes,Cum ceciderint Tueres. Isa. 30. and Great men in sacred Oracles.
The Name of Turenne, and the Atchievement of his House, which are a Field Azure parsemè of Fleurs de Lys Or, a Tower Argent; seem to make this Application of the Tower of David more happy, and particular to this Subject.
Which likewise makes the four Gates of [Page 11]this Tower, applicable to the four peculiar Vertues of Marshal Turenne, to his Piety, to his Stedfastness in the Kings Service, to his Valour, and to his Wisdom, and therefore was written upon the four frontispieces or faces of the Urn, these four words.
- Religioni.
- Fidei.
- Fortitudini.
- Sapientiæ.
They thought fit likewise to place these Inscriptions,Adricomius in Theatro terræ s [...]nctæ. Domus Fortium. Turris Fortitudinis. Sapienta ædi [...]cavit. Prov. 9. after the Antient model of the Tower of David, which to the East faced the Temple, to the South the House of the Mighty, from whence perhaps it was called the Tower of Valour, to the North the Kings Palace, and to the West the House of Wisdom.
The four Vertues that create a Hero are these, Religion makes him an honest man, Fidelity a man of Honour,The Author happily meant the 4 Cardinal Vertues, prudence, fortitude, patience, temperance. Prudence a man of understanding, and Fortitude a man of courage; He that was master of these four Vertues, was the vir quadratus of the Antients.
The four Vertues that bear up the Ʋrn, are Religion, Ex quatuor literis hujus nominis. Nescio qua ratione Turrim quadratam conficiunt. Joad. Quir. d'Sallazar in c. 18. Prov. Turris fortissima nomen domini, ad ipsam currit justus & exaltabitur. Fidelity, Valour, and Wisdom. Religion hath written upon her Breast the ineffable Name of God, composed of four Hebrew letters, which the Rabbins disposed into the form of a Tower, which made the Wise man say, that the Name of the Lord was a very strong Tower, where a good man should find his refuge, and whence he ought to take his rise and glory.
This Vertue with one hand bears up the Urn, and in the other carries one of those kind of filver Towers, which the Primitive Church used for Lamps, of which for the most part the Sockets in which the Light was set, were made like Dolphins.
This Tower and these Dolphins, shew no less the Character of Marshal Turenne's Family, than his own singular Piety, since that of the Tower of Avergne, is the same with that of the Tower of Pin, branches of the third Race of the Antient Dolphins.
The Emblem of Fidelity, is a Tower with [Page 13]Keys, there is nothing shows more the fidelity of Governors, then their care in defending the places committed to their trust.
The Symbole of Fortitude is a Tower furnished with all sorts of Arms, for its defence.
Wisdom device, is a Watch-Tower to discover a great way off, whatever sails upon the Sea, whose use is to shew Vessels the Harbour, and how safely to get to it, as well as Rocks and Shelves, and how prudently to avoid them.
Upon the Shields that hung upon the Walls were painted the Royal Ensigns Armorial of France, Navarre, Arragon, Castile, England, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Sicily, Bohemia, Cyprus and Scotland.
The Imperial Coat Armours of Nassaw, Bavaria, Saxony and Austria.
Also the Atchievements of Soveraign Families, as of Savoy, the Antient Dolphins, Mantua, Lorrain and Hesse, to which the House of Tours of Avergne is Allied, and from which by matches it descends.
The Representations are placed betwixt the four Gates of the Tower,Equester ordo suscepit urbique intulit atque in vestibulo domus collocavit. Suet. in August. after the manner of former Ages, in which it was usual to expose the Bodies of Princes and Illustrious persons, at the Gates of their Pallaces; Suetonius says, that the Roman Knights carried the Body of Augustus, and placed it at the Gate of his Pallace.
There were branches of Lawrel,Extructosque Thoros obtentu frondis inumbrant. XI Aencid. Palm and Cypress, about the Representation; Virgil describing the Funeral of Pallas, puts branches or bows of trees about the Herse.
The four Trophies that hung upon the four Palm-trees about the Tower, did represent Marshal Turenne's Victories in Germany, Italy, Flanders and Catalonia, which are the four frontiers of France.
The three Crowns that seem to grow upon those trees,Dabo tibi Coronam vitæ. Apoc. 2. In reliquo reposita est mihi corona justitiæ. 2 Tim. 4. and to Crown the Trophies, are the Crowns of our Birth, Life and Death, of which mention is so often made in the sacred History, and they are applicable to Marshal Turenne, more properly than to many others, [Page 15]since he was born in greatness, which is represented by the Crown of a Prince, he lived in the midst of Combats and Victories, which is shewn by the Crown of Lawrel, and died in the bed of Honour, which is signified by the Crown of Stars; giving to understand that to be a true Hero, it is requisite to be high born, to perform great and glorious Actions, and to dye with Honour, as Marshal Turenne did.
The Palms were intermixt with Flower de Luces, environed with rays, to shew that Marshal Turenne made the splendor of his Birth, Life and Death, serve to augment the Glory of France.
Under these Trees stood Honour, Reputation, and Glory, bewailing the fall of this great Man, but Reputation and Glory were writing his Name and Character upon great shields or bucklers, to render his Memory eternal; under their feet these Monsters lay in Chains, viz. Envy, Rashness, Precipitation, Cowardice, Self-Interest, Impiety, &c.
The Antients reckoned their years by branches of Palm, because that Tree puts forth every month a new branch, so that twelve branches of Palm signified a Year amongst the Egyptians and Jews, it was enough to represent here, the four ages of Marshal Turenne, by these four Palms; his Infancy, his Youth, his Manhood, and his Old-age, all which he spent in exercise of Arms, which he began to wear at the age of thirteen, under the Prince of Orange his Uncle by the Mother, at the siege of Boisleduc, where he was made Captain of Foot, and since advanced through all the Military degrees, Tu largus Eoa germina, tu messes Cilicumque Arabumque superbis merge rogis; ferat ignis opus hæredis, & alto aggere missuri nitido pia Nubila Cælo, stipentur Cineres. Stat. l. 3 Sylv. in lacrim. Hetrusci. to the supream dignity of Marshal General of the Field and Armies of the King, in which he ended his days.
The Antients did not only Embalm the Bodies of Great men, to preserve them from corruption, but also burnt perfumes over their Tombs, which in process of time became a kind of Sacrifice, the smoak of these perfumes naturally soaring upwards, made them believe their smell ascended up to Heaven, with which [Page 17]they fancied their Gods were much pleased. Orpheus a famous antient Poet, did not only offer Incense to his fictitious Gods, but likewise to the Memory, the Judgment, Justice, Death, Victory, and to all the Vertues.
It was believed that the Vertues and great Actions of Marshal Turenne, did merit perfumes of this nature; and even his Death, which happen'd as fatal to France, as it was glorious to himself.
For this very reason upon the Prebends Seats all round the Quire, were placed several antique faces, born up with brass bases or brackets, couched upon back marble, out of which did issue Deaths heads of silver, crown'd with Lawrel, with bats ears of silver, being the Emblems of Night and Death, upon each of these antiques stood a vessel of Porphiry fuming; betwixt these antique faces or fronts were placed Towers of silver, whence flamed sweet odours and perfumes, because the Antients used to set little Boxes like Towers upon the Tombs of their Hero's, every Tower was [Page 18]environed with four Flower des Lys of Gold, in which, as well as on the antiques, were placed flambois and great wax lights.
Under these faces were set two and thirty Hieroglyphicks upon the Birth, Life, Glorious Atchievements, Vertues, and Death of Turenne, as first,
To shew the greatness of his high descent, was painted a Spring rising out of a high Hill, with this Motto,
It is necessary your Spring Head be at least as high as the place to which you would make your water rise. It was one of the advantages Marshal Turenne had over many others, to be allied to all the Crown'd heads in Europe.
II.
A Heliotropion or Sun-flower, growing upon a very high stalk, which it shadowed with his leaves like rays.
Marshal Turenne was an honor to his House by his glorious Actions.
III.
An Eaglet in an Eirye, clapping his wings, and looking towards a great Eagle that flies in the air, with this of Virgil,
The great actions of Henry de la Toure, Duke of Bovillon, and Prince of Sedan his father, did raise his youthful courage to an inclination and propesinty to warlike exploits, even from his childhood.
IV.
A young Lyon following an old one, with this of Virgil,
He followed his Uncle at 13 years of age, to the siege of Boisleduc. [Page 20]
V.
A squib afire in the air.
So Turenne as he grew in years, so he advanced in Courage, and love to warlike actions, which he made appear at the siege of Saverne, where he received a wound with a Musket bullet, being then Colonel of a Regiment of Foot, which to his dying day bore his Name.
VI.
A Ship in a storm, with this of the third Ode of Horace,
VII.
Never did the fatigue of War shake his resolution, in which he rather took delight; which is expressed in the seventh Emblem, which was an Elephant charged with a wooden Tower full of armed men, with this of Virgil, [Page 21]
VIII.
A Porcupine.
To shew the great inclination he always had for his Majesties service;
IX.
A young Eagle soaring up to the Sun.
To express his exactness in observing his Majesties Orders in all his Marches and enterprizes;
X.
A Sun Dial that has no other motion but that of the Sun, which it exactly nicks with his shadow.
For his Valour in taking of Dunkirk, Furnes, Bergen, Dixmund, Ipres, Ninove, Oudenard, Comines, and so many other Towns; [Page 22]
XI.
A Granado in the Air.
XII.
A great Eagle followed by many lesser, with this half Verse of Lucans ninth Book of Pharsalia,
He trained up to the exercise of Wars the Duke of Bovillon, the Count of Avergne, the Marshal of Duras, and the Count de l'Orge his Nephews.
For his Piety, and duly praying to God morning and evening;
XIII.
A double Sun-flower hanging with his head towards the Sun,
Though he be fast to the Earth by his roots, yet he still looks towards Heaven, and turns to the Sun. [Page 23]
XIV.
Cannons planted upon a Battery pallisadoed,
The King in these last Wars looked upon him as one of his chief helps in all his Enterprises, and intrusted him with the greatest designs of the Campagne.
For his Wisdom, Conduct and Experience, in Military Affairs, arguing a man of a solid judgment;
XV.
A battering Ram.
For his Valour in forcing the Enemies trenches,
XVI.
A flame from a Mine blowing up a Bastion.
XVII.
A Watch, with a hand winding it up with a Key, with these words of Ennius,
To shew Marshal Turenne's Address, when he [Page 24]understood the Enemy were in Alsatia, with intention to invade Lorraine, he feigned a retreat, and passing with his Army by a place called Lapetit Pierre, he coasted the Mountains of Vauge, and taking his march through streights, he fell into the Enemies quarters when they least expected him, and forced them to repass the Rhine at Strasbourg, where of threescore thousand men they had brought into Alsatia, scarce twenty thousand got back. Thus the great Fabius defeated Hannibal, of whom Ennius, ‘Ʋnus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem.’
XVIII.
A Lyon walking majestically, sweeping with his stern or tail the track of his footsteps, that it might not appear where he passed, with this of Horace,
He knew very well how to hide his designs from the Enemy, and alwaies appeared to them to the best advantage, though he often was weaker than they in number of men.
XIX.
For his vigor in matter of war, even in his old age,
An old streight tree loaden with fruit.
For the Justness of his soul in his conduct and great actions,
XX.
A Chesrook upon a Chessbord,
For being disinteressed, never looking after self ends,
XXI.
A loadstone drawing Iron to it, without touching upon pieces of Gold that lye about it.
At his Death he had but five hundred Crowns in money, and very few days before, he had borrowed a considerable sum of money to cloath part of the Army, he could never be perswaded to touch great sums, which he might have commanded in those Campaignes he passed in Germany.
XXII.
For his conversion to the Catholick Religion,
A ship tossed in a storm, a pharus or light house upon the Sea coast, which at once shews him the shelves and the haven.
XXIII.
For the love the Souldiers bore him, being the effect of the great esteem they had for his merit,
The master Bee leading a swarm.
The King of Bees has no sting like the rest, but enforces obedience by still going before them and keeping in their company every where.
XXIV.
The morning star going before the Sun.
The King did Marshal Turenne the honor to be his Scholler, and to learn of him the Art and Mystery of War.
XXV.
A blood hound following a herd of Dear through Woods, over Mountains, and Rivers,
Upon his Death,
XXVI.
A Palm-tree thunder-struck, whose branches are shatter'd and broken.
When Marshal Turenne was kil'd, he was upon the point of performing one of the greatest Actions of his Life; being ready to involve the Enemies Army in a total ruine.
XXVII.
A Cannon shot overthrowing a Tower, which in the fall crushes a great number of the Enemy,
The Enemy were defeated a few days after his Death, by the directions he gave before he died.
XXVIII.
A Poppy without leaves, the head or crown only remaining,
Though Marshal Turenne be dead, the memory of his Herock Actions can never dye, which will crown him after his death.
XXIX.
A vast Collossus overthrown, and broken in pieces; with these words of the 7th of Pharsalia.
XXX.
We might make use of these words of Plinius, speaking of the Collossus Rhodius when it was thrown down,
The worth of this great Hero never appeared more advantagiously than since his death.
XXXI.
Eight Stars and the Sun set,
The setting of this Planet makes many rise, meaning the eight Marshals of France, created by the King immediately after Marshal Turennes death.
XXXII.
An Iris or Rainbow dissolving in dew and rain,
The splendor, the merit, and the vertues of this great man, is the cause of our tears.
This great and pompous representation ends in a great Inscription, which is as it were a dismissing [Page 29]of the assisting spectators, after the antient custom of the Romans, where a Herald was appointed to dismiss the Mourners with these words, Illicet or Irelicet, th [...]t is, you may withdraw
This was a large night piece, wherein was represented a Marble Tomb, carried by Griphons, leaning upon Globes, which are the Emblems of Immortality, upon this Tomb Marshal Turenne was painted, lying in his Armor, and leaning upon his right arm, with a leading staff in his left hand. On both sides of the Tomb, stood Christian Vertue, and Military vertue weeping, the one over his Helmet, the other over a Crown of Lawrel, two great Squeletons draw a curtain, to shew behind the Tomb a Pyramid, a l'antique upon the top of which was an Ʋrn, upon the Pyramid was graven this Inscription:
In English thus;
Passenger depart, and having shed some tears over Turennes Tomb, admire the magnificence of Lewis the Great, who commands this last honour to be paid to the memory of this Great Captain, in the midst of Trophies and spoils taken from the Enemies; where he had been more willing to have erected triumphal Arches for him, than a Funeral pile. You that love honour lay down your lives for so great a Prince, who so plentifully rewards those that serve him, and causes such honour to be given to the memory of those that dye for him.