is encouraged in her refusal by Richelieu—­The rival Queens—­Marie leave Angouleme—­Her parting with the Duc d’Epernon—­She is received at Poitiers by the Cardinal de Retz and the Duc de Luynes—­The Prince de Conde offers the hand of his sister Eleonore de Bourbon to the brother of De Luynes as the price of his liberation—­The sword of the Prince is restored to him—­Duplicity of the favourite—­Marie resolves to return to Angouleme, but is dissuaded by her friends—­The Duc de Mayenne espouses the cause of the Queen-mother—­A royal meeting—­Return of the Court to Tours—­Marie proceeds to Chinon, and thence to Angers—­The Protestants welcome the Queen-mother to Anjou—­Alarm of De Luynes—­Liberation of the Prince de Conde—­Indignation of Marie de Medicis—­Policy of Richelieu—­De Luynes solicits the return of the Queen-mother to the capital—­She refuses to comply—­De Luynes is made Governor of Picardy—­His brothers are ennobled.

CHAPTER III

1620

Louis XIII creates numerous Knights of the Holy Ghost without reference to the wishes of his mother—­Indignation of Marie de Medicis—­Policy of De Luynes—­Richelieu aspires to the cardinalate—­A Court quarrel—­The Comtesse de Soissons conspires to strengthen the party of the Queen-mother—­Several of the great Princes proceed to Angers to urge Marie to take up arms—­Alarm of the favourite—­He seeks to propitiate the Duc de Guise—­The double marriage—­Caustic reply of the Duc de Guise—­Royal alliances—­An ex-Regent and a new-made Duke—­The Queen-mother is threatened with hostilities should she refuse to return immediately to the capital—­She remains inflexible—­Conde advises the King to compel her obedience—­De Luynes enters into a negotiation with Marie—­An unskilful envoy—­Louis XIII heads his army in Normandy—­Alarm of the rebel Princes—­They lay down their arms, and the King marches upon the Loire—­The Queen-mother prepares to oppose him—­She garrisons Angers—­The Duc de Mayenne urges her to retire to Guienne—­She refuses—­Treachery of Richelieu—­League between Richelieu and De Luynes—­Marie de Medicis negotiates with the King—­Louis declines her conditions—­The defeat at the Fonts de Ce—­Submission of the Queen-mother—­A royal interview—­Courtly duplicity—­Marie retires to Chinon—­The Ducs de Mayenne and d’Epernon lay down their arms—­The Court assemble at Poitiers to meet the Queen-mother—­Louis proceeds to Guienne, and Marie de Medicis to Fontainebleau—­The King compels the resumption of the Romish faith in Bearn—­The Court return to Paris.

CHAPTER IV

1621-24