Under this well-grounded impression the unfortunate young Prince had no other alternative than to submit to the humiliation inflicted on him, and on the 31st of December he signed a document by which he abjured for the future every alliance save that with France; accorded a free passage to the French armies through his duchy at all times; and pledged himself not to harbour any individuals hostile to Louis, particularly the Queen-mother or Monsieur; and, as a pledge of his promised obedience, he delivered up his fortress of Marsal.  Such was the result of his trust in the clemency of the French King and his minister; but, far from having been gained over to their cause, the Duc de Lorraine returned to Nancy with a deep and abiding wrath at the indignity which had been forced upon him; and an equally firm resolve to break through the compulsory treaty on the first favourable opportunity.[168]

FOOTNOTES: 

[144] Capefigue, vol. v. pp. 23-25.  Sismondi, vol. xxiii. pp. 159, 160.  Bassompierre, Mem. vol. iii. p. 281.  Brienne, Mem. vol. ii. pp. 23, 24.

[145] Capefigue, vol. v. pp. 31, 32.  Bassompierre, Mem. vol. iii. p. 282.

[146] Le Vassor, vol. vi. pp. 628-632.  Brienne, Mem. vol. ii. p. 24.  Mezeray, vol. xi. p. 384.

[147] Capefigue, vol. v. pp. 34, 35.

[148] Mezeray, vol. xi. pp. 384-388.  Capefigue, vol. v. pp. 32-34.

[149] Motteville, Mem. vol. i. pp. 375-377.

[150] Capefigue, vol. v. pp. 35-37.  Brienne, Mem. vol. ii. pp. 25, 26.

[151] Capefigue, vol. v. pp. 37, 38.

[152] Mezeray, vol. xi. pp. 388, 389.

[153] Brienne, Mem. vol. ii. pp. 26-28

[154] Capefigue, vol. v. p. 40

[155] Decrees of the Parliament.

[156] Jean Le Clerc, Vie du Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu, Cologne, 1695, vol ii. pp. 7, 8.

[157] Le Vassor, vol. vi. pp. 735-741. Mercure Francais, 1631.  Siri, Mem.  Rec. vol. vii. pp. 332-336.  Mezeray, vol. xi. p. 392.  Sismondi, vol. xxv. pp. 165, 166.

[158] Le Vassor, vol. vi. pp. 735, 736.

[159] Le Vassor, vol. vi. pp. 759-764.

[160] Le Clerc, vol. ii. p. 11.

[161] Mezeray, vol. xi. pp. 392-395.  Le Clerc, vol. ii. pp. 9-12

[162] Chanteloupe was the confessor, adviser, and secret agent of Marie de Medicis.

[163] Antoine de l’Age, Seigneur de Puylaurens, had possessed himself of the entire confidence of Gaston d’Orleans, who, like his royal mother and brother, was always the tool of his favourites; and his influence over the weak and vacillating Prince at length became all-powerful, although it was exercised more than once to the prejudice of his confiding master.  Puylaurens was elevated to the peerage after having in some degree sold his patron to Richelieu, who in 1634 bestowed upon him, from policy, the hand of his cousin Mademoiselle de Pont-Chateau; but by whom he was immediately imprisoned, the Cardinal having long indulged a hatred toward his person which he had determined to gratify.  Puylaurens died in captivity in the following year.