Chapter XV

Bassompierre, during his absence in Lorraine, condemned by the Archbishop of Aix to espouse Mlle. d’Entragues, on pain of excommunication--The archbishop’s decision quashed by the Parlement of Paris--Financial and amatory embarrassments of Bassompierre--Death of his mother--The action which the d’Entragues have brought against him finally decided in his favour--Condé withdraws from Court and issues a manifesto against the Government--Civil war begins--Marriage of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria--Peace of Loudun--Fall of the old Ministers of Henri IV--Concini and the shoemaker--Condé becomes all-powerful--He obliges Concini to retire to Normandy--Arrogance of Condé and his partisans, who are suspected of conspiracy to change the form of government--The Queen-Mother sends for Bassompierre at three o’clock in the morning and informs him that she has decided upon the arrest of the Princes--Preparations for this _coup d’état_--Arrest of Condé--Concini’s house sacked by the mob--The Comte d’Auvergne and the Council of War--Bassompierre conducts Condé from the Louvre to the Bastille.....pp. 177-195

CHAPTER XVI

Serious illness of the young King, who, however, recovers--Bassompierre and Mlle. d’Urfé--Gay winter in Paris--Richelieu enters the Ministry as Secretary of State for War--His foreign policy--His energetic measures to put down the rebellion of the Princes--Return of Concini--His arrogance and presumption--Singular conversation between Bassompierre and Concini after the death of the latter’s daughter--Policy pursued by Marie de’ Medici and Concini towards Louis XIII--Humiliating position of the young King--His favourite, Charles d’Albert, Seigneur de Luynes--Bassompierre warns the Queen-Mother that the King may be persuaded to revolt against her authority.....pp. 196-207

CHAPTER XVII

Bassompierre joins the Royal army in Champagne as Grand Master of the Artillery by commission--Surrender of Château-Porcien--Bassompierre is wounded before Rethel--He sets out for Paris in order to negotiate the sale of his office of Colonel-General of the Swiss to Concini--He visits the Royal army which is besieging Soissons--A foolhardy act--Singular conduct of the garrison--The Président Chevret arrives in the Royal camp with the news that Concini has been assassinated--Details of this affair--Bassompierre continues his journey to Paris--His adventure with the Liègeois cavalry of Concini.....pp. 208-218

CHAPTER XVIII

Bassompierre arrives in Paris--Marie de’ Medici is exiled to Blois--Bassompierre’s account of the parting between Louis XIII and his mother--The rebellious princes return to Court and are pardoned, but Condé remains in the Bastille--His wife solicits and receives permission to join him there--Arrest of the Governor and Lieutenant of the Bastille, on a charge of conniving at a secret correspondence between Barbin and the Queen-Mother--Bassompierre is placed temporarily in charge of the fortress--The Prince and Princesse de Condé are transferred to the Château of Vincennes--Bassompierre goes to Rouen to attend the assembly of the Notables--A rapid journey.....pp. 219-224

CHAPTER XIX

Luynes succeeds to the power and wealth of Concini--Trial and execution of Concini’s widow, Leonora Galigaï--Luynes begins to direct affairs of State--His marriage to Marie de Rohan--Conduct of the Duc d’Épernon--His quarrel with Du Vair, the Keeper of the Seals--His disgrace--He begins to intrigue with the Queen-Mother--Escape of the latter from Blois--Treaty of Angoulême--The Court at Tours--Arnauld d’Andilly’s account of Bassompierre’s lavish hospitality--Favours bestowed by the King on Bassompierre--Meeting between Louis XIII and the Queen-Mother--Liberation of Condé--Bassompierre entertains the King at Monceaux--He is admitted to the Ordre du Saint-Esprit.....pp. 225-234

CHAPTER XX

The grandees, irritated by the increasing power and favour of Luynes, decide to make common cause with the Queen-Mother against him--Departure of Mayenne from the Court--He is followed by Longueville, Nemours, Mayenne and Retz--Formidable character of the insurrection--Bassompierre receives orders to mobilise a Royal army in Champagne--He informs the King that the Comte de Soissons, his mother, the Grand Prieur de Vendôme and the Comte de Saint-Aignan intend to leave Paris to join the rebels--Alarm and indecision of Luynes--Advice of Bassompierre--It is finally decided to allow them to go--Success of Bassompierre in mobilising troops in Champagne, despite great difficulties--The Duc de Bouillon sends a gentleman to him to endeavour to corrupt his loyalty--Reply of Bassompierre--The town and château of Dreux surrender to him--He joins the King near La Flèche with an army of 8,600 men--Combat of the Ponts-des-Cé--Peace of Angers.....pp. 235-254