CHAPTER XIII

Incidents at the Court and in Paris after the assassination of Henri IV--Meeting between Bassompierre and Sully--Marie de’ Medici declared Regent--Her difficult position--Return of Condé--Greed and arrogance of the grandees--Quarrel between the Comte de Soissons and the Duc de Guise--Grievance of _Monsieur le Comte_ against Bassompierre--He persuades Madame d’Entragues to endeavour to compel Bassompierre to marry her daughter Marie--Proceedings instituted against that gentleman--Announcement of the “Spanish marriages”--Magnificent fêtes in the Place-Royale--Intrigues at the Court--The Princes and Concini in power--Assassination of the Baron de Luz by the Chevalier de Guise--Marie de’ Medici and the Princes--Conversation of the Regent with Bassompierre--Bassompierre reconciles the Guises with the Queen-Mother--The Chevalier de Guise kills the son of the Baron de Luz in a duel--The Princes, on the advice of Concini, retire from Court.....pp. 146-164