[44] Le Vassor, vol. ii. pp. 153, 154.

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 Ponts 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.

As no Chevaliers of the Order of the Holy Ghost had been created since the death of Henri IV, their number had so much decreased that only twenty-eight remained; and De Luynes, aware that himself and his brothers would necessarily be included in the next promotion, urged Louis XIII to commence the year (1620) by conferring so coveted an honour upon the principal nobles of the kingdom.  The suggestion was favourably received; and so profusely adopted, that no less than fifty-five individuals were placed upon the list, at the head of which stood the name of the Duc d’Anjou.  But although some of the proudest titles in France figured in this creation, it included several of minor rank who would have been considered ineligible during the preceding reigns; a fact which was attributed to the policy of the favourite, who was anxious to render so signal a distinction less obnoxious in his own case and that of his relatives; while others were omitted whose indignation at this slight increased the ranks of the malcontents.[45]