Chapter 15

1639-42

Charles I. despatches an envoy to Louis XIII to negotiate the recall of the Queen-mother--Richelieu aspires to the regency--The embassy fails-Queen Henrietta resolves to proceed in person to Paris--Her visit is declined by the French King--Charles I. recalls his ambassador from the Court of France--The increasing animosity of the English people against the Queen-mother compels her to seek another retreat--She is requested by Parliament to leave the country--Philip of Spain refuses to afford her an asylum--She proceeds to Holland, and thence to Antwerp--The painter-prince--A voluntary envoy--The last letter--Marie de Medicis is commanded to quit the Low Countries--She takes refuge at Cologne-The last home of fallen royalty--Waning health of Richelieu--His intellectual energy--Trial of the Duc de la Valette--Trial of the Duc de Vendôme--Affected magnanimity of the Cardinal--Senatorial sycophancy--Exile of the Duc and Duchesse de Vendôme--Execution of M. de Saint-Preuil--Conspiracy against Richelieu--The stolen meetings--The titled beggar--Secret service--Complicity of Cinq-Mars discovered--Execution of Cinq-Mars and De Thou--Cowardice of the Duc d'Orléans--Lingering hopes of Marie de Medicis--Rubens and Richelieu--The abortive mission--Rubens proceeds to Madrid--The Kings of England and Spain withhold all pecuniary aid from the Queen-mother--Despair of Marie de Medicis--Her utter destitution--Death-bed of a crowned head--Tardy honours--Filial affection and priestly piety--The vaults of St. Denis.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

OF

THE THIRD VOLUME

M. de Roissy. Cardinal de Bérulle. Père Joseph. Cardinal de Retz. Marquise de Sablé. Marquis de Caumartin. M. de la Vieuville. M. d'Aligre. M. de Marillac. Prince de Chalais. Maréchal de Marillac. Duc de Nevers. Marquise de Seneçay. Madame de Comballet. M. de Thoiras. Marquis de Spinola. Cardinal Mazarin. Père Chanteloupe. M. de Puylaurens. Henri II, Duc de Montmorency. Marquis de Brézé. Abbé de St. Germain. M. Séguier. Marquis d'Ayetona. M. de Bouthillier. Vicomte de Fabbroni. Don Francisco de Mello. Duc de Saint-Simon. Marquis de Cinq-Mars.

ILLUSTRATIONS

VOL. III

1. LOUIS XIII........._Frontispiece_

2. FACSIMILE OF A LETTER TO M. DE BASSOMPIERRE, DICTATED AND SIGNED BY MARIE DE MEDICIS ON HER ESCAPE FROM BLOIS

3. THE CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU

Engraved by Geoffroy from the Original by Philippe de Champagne.

4. FACSIMILE OF AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF THE CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU TO M. DE BASSOMPIERRE DURING HIS EMBASSY IN ENGLAND

5. FACSIMILE OF A LETTER TO THE MARECHAL DE BASSOMPIERRE, SIGNED BY LOUIS XIII

6. CARDINAL MAZARIN

Engraved by Hopwood.

7. GEORGE VILLIERS, FIRST DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Engraved by W. Greatbach. Painted by G. P. Harding from the Original by C. Jansens, in the Collection of the Earl of Clarendon.

8. MARQUIS DE CINQ-MARS

Engraved by Langlois.