The States’ ambassador resident thought that it would have been better not to take such public offence at the retreat of the Prince of Conde.  The King had enough of life and vigour in him; he could afford to leave the Dauphin to grow up, and when he should one day be established on the throne, he would be able to maintain his heritage.  “But,” said Aerssens, “I fear that our trouble is not where we say it is, and we don’t dare to say where it is.”  Writing to Carew, former English ambassador in Paris, whom we have just seen in attendance on the States’ commissioners in London, he said:  “People think that the Princess is wearying herself much under the protection of the Infanta, and very impatient at not obtaining the dissolution of her marriage, which the Duchess of Angouleme is to go to Brussels to facilitate.  This is not our business, but I mention it only as the continuation of the Tragedy which you saw begin.  Nevertheless I don’t know if the greater part of our deliberations is not founded on this matter.”

It had been decided to cause the Queen to be solemnly crowned after Easter.  She had set her heart with singular persistency upon the ceremony, and it was thought that so public a sacrament would annihilate all the wild projects attributed to Spain through the instrumentality of Conde to cast doubts on the validity of her marriage and the legitimacy of the Dauphin.  The King from the first felt and expressed a singular repugnance, a boding apprehension in regard to the coronation, but had almost yielded to the Queen’s importunity.  He told her he would give his consent provided she sent Concini to Brussels to invite in her own name the Princess of Conde to be present on the occasion.  Otherwise he declared that at least the festival should be postponed till September.

The Marquis de Coeuvres remained in disgrace after the failure of his mission, Henry believing that like all the world he had fallen in love with the Princess, and had only sought to recommend himself, not to further the suit of his sovereign.

Meanwhile Henry had instructed his ambassador in Spain, M. de Vaucelas, to tell the King that his reception of Conde within his dominions would be considered an infraction of the treaty of Vervins and a direct act of hostility.  The Duke of Lerma answered with a sneer that the Most Christian King had too greatly obliged his Most Catholic Majesty by sustaining his subjects in their rebellion and by aiding them to make their truce to hope now that Conde would be sent back.  France had ever been the receptacle of Spanish traitors and rebels from Antonio Perez down, and the King of Spain would always protect wronged and oppressed princes like Conde.  France had just been breaking up the friendly relations between Savoy and Spain and goading the Duke into hostilities.