Anxious to respond to these flattering demonstrations, and to justify the trust reposed in them, the ministers resolved, in order still further to protect the Crown against any aggression on the part of the Princes, to recall to Court the Marechal de Lesdiguieres, who was easily induced to resign his command of the army in Champagne by the prospect which they held out to him, of verifying and confirming the ducal patent which he had obtained from Henri IV.  They, however, subsequently failed to keep this promise, and the disappointment so irritated the Marechal that he resolved to revenge himself by joining the party of the Princes, and otherwise harassing the Council; a determination which was unfortunately too easily realized at a period of such internal convulsion.[128]

The last event worthy of record which took place in the present year was the purchase towards the close of September of the Hotel de Luxembourg by the Queen-Regent, for the sum of thirty thousand crowns, in order to erect upon its site the celebrated Palais d’Orleans, now once more known by its original name of the Luxembourg.  The construction of this splendid edifice was entrusted to Jacques de Brosse,[129] who immediately commenced removing the ruins of the dilapidated hotel which encumbered the space destined for the new elevation; and four years subsequently the first stone was laid of the regal pile which transmitted his own name to posterity, linked with those of Marie de Medicis and Peter Paul Rubens.[130]

FOOTNOTES: 

[98] Sully, Mem. vol. viii. p. 129.

[99] Joachim, Sire de Chateauvieux, had been captain of the bodyguard to Henri IV.

[100] Sully, Mem. vol. viii. pp. 133, 134.

[101] Charles de l’Aubespine, Marquis de Chateauneuf-sur-Cher, was born on the 22nd of February 1580.  He was abbot and sub-dean of Preaux, and was successively ambassador to Switzerland, Holland, Brussels, England and Venice.  On the 14th of November 1630 he was appointed Keeper of the Seals of France; was deprived of his office on the 25th of February 1633, and recalled on the 2nd of March 1650.  He, however, voluntarily resigned the appointment on the 3rd of April 1651, and retired from the Court.  He died at Leuville on the 17th of September 1653.

[102] D’Hericourt, Hist. de France, vol. i. p. 524.

[103] Mezeray, vol. xi. pp. 16, 17.

[104] Richelieu, Hist. de la Mere et du Fils, vol. i. pp. 121, 127.

[105] D’Estrees, Mem. p. 384, edit.  Petitot, suite de Bassompierre.

[106] Bassompierre, Mem. p. 75.

[107] Richelieu, Hist. de la Mere et du Fils, vol. i. pp. 224, 225.

[108] L’Etoile, vol. iv. p. 206.

[109] D’Estrees, Mem. p. 385.

[110] L’Etoile, vol. iv. pp. 210, 211.

[111] Le Vassor, Hist. de Louis XIII, vol. i. pp. 57, 58.