The making of a king (41 page)

Four days later arrived Retz's principal, Vend6me. The meeting between the brothers is graphically described in Heroard's journal.

Upon the Duke's entrance the King bowed coldly in greeting, as to any indifferent guest, leaving Vendome to speak first, which he accordingly did.

u Sire,'' he began, " I could not fail to come and seek

your Majesty, as soon as your first summons reached me, that I might give you the assurance that I have no other desire than to be your very humble and very obedient servant ; desiring to testify it by the sacrifice of my life."

Louis's face was white with passion. It may be that the rancour of half-forgotten childish years, the old jealousy, supplemented and embittered the just indignation of the present moment.

" Serve me better in the future than you have done in the past," he said, his voice trembling, " and know that the greatest honour you have in the world is to be my brother."

" I believe it to be so," was the answer of Gabrielle's son. Yet he may have remembered, with not inexcusable bitterness, that there had been a time when it seemed possible that he should have occupied the place filled by Louis. However that might be, the game was for the present played out ; and when the Court turned its face towards Paris he accompanied it.

There was no further reason to prolong its absence. The object of the expedition had been accomplished. The King's authority was established throughout the disturbed districts. Conde* and his friends had been discredited and reduced to submission. The King might return to his capital a victor, and on September 17 he entered its gates.

The Queen had reached the city on the previous day, and Louis, as he rode in, dressed in white, was the central figure of the pageant. A brilliant reception had been prepared for him. The artillery had been brought from the Arsenal ; the citizens had been placed under

arms ; members of the Parlement and other Orders joined in the welcome. All the city went forth to meet its King, returning to declare himself of an age to administer the government in person. In ten days he would enter upon his fourteenth year, the date fixed for the legal majority of the Kings of France.

The question that every one was asking was, what would be the attitude of the Prince de Conde ? Would, or would he not, be present when the approaching ceremonial took place ? One excuse after another had served him as a pretext for refusing obedience to the reiterated summons of the Regent. Would he still remain aloof, and would the function be accomplished in the absence of the first Prince of the Blood ? No one could tell.

Paris was filling fast. Epernon had arrived; Longue-ville had followed ; the Prince de Joinville was there, with many others. On September 29 the doubts concerning Conde were set at rest. That evening he reached Paris.

The long-deferred meeting between the King and his cousin took place informally. As Conde entered the city Louis chanced to be returning from the hunt, and the Prince, received into the royal carriage, accompanied him tcr the Louvre. There he was given a friendly reception by the Queen. The past was to be, if not forgotten, ignored. Cond6 remarked upon the King's height, Louis replying somewhat defiantly that he had grown in body but more in courage. And thus peace was, temporarily, made.

The ceremony of the King's public declaration of

his majority had been fixed to take place on October 2. On September 27 the minority had come to an end. His little brother, not yet seven, watching the preparations for the event, wished to know when he too would be pronounced of age, and, hearing that this was only done in the case of kings, asked whether there were no other kingdoms save France. Being told that all were already provided with sovereigns, he made particular inquiries as to Turkey, with the intention of establishing his claim to that realm when he should be older. At a later date he would have liked to possess himself of a crown nearer home.

On October i Louis held his first Council as reigning monarch. To the morrow he seems to have looked forward with some nervous trepidation ; and, when put to bed in the evening, he made a vow to Notre Dame des Vertus, on condition that he should be able to pronounce the words he was to utter on his majority without mistake.

On the following day the ceremony putting a formal end to his childhood took place. Arrayed in gold tissue and covered with diamonds — including the magnificent collar his mother had had made for his future bride—he set forth from the Louvre, surrounded by the great nobles and officers of State ; and before the assembled Parlement presented himself as ready to take the government into his own hands. The speech which had caused him anxiety on the previous night was uttered firmly, loudly, and without hesitation.

" Messieurs," he said, " having attained my majority,

I have come hither to let you know that, being of age, I intend to govern my kingdom by means of good counsel, with piety and justice. From all my subjects I expect the respect and obedience due to the sovereign power and the royal authority placed by God in my hands. They may likewise anticipate from me the protection and favour to be looked for from a good King, who desires above all things their peace and welfare. You will hear my intentions more fully from the Chancellor."

Turning to the Queen, he made her his acknowledgments.

c< Madame, I thank you for the trouble you have taken for me. I beg you will continue to do so, and to govern and command as hitherto. It is my will and intention that you should be obeyed in all things and in all places, and that, after myself, and in my absence, you should be head of my Council.'*

Certain formalities followed — a speech from the Chancellor, one from the Queen ; the registering of decrees directed against duelling and blasphemy. The edict of Henri-Quatre in favour of the Protestants was renewed ; and, with the endorsement of what had passed y the voice of the assembly and the thanks of the Queen for the position conferred upon her, the proceedings were brought to a close.

It had been a bad day's work. The government of Marie de Medicis was to continue, established upon its new footing, to her own ruin, as well as to the detriment of the kingdom. Whatever might be the wishes of those in power, Louis would not always emain a child.

The momentous transaction concluded, he returned to the palace, very gay, but no doubt tired out by the function, which had lasted no less than four hours. Put to bed, he had his toys brought to him there, amusing himself by painting upon little wooden boxes, until, the long day over, he fell asleep to the sound of music.

And thus the personal government of Louis XIII. was inaugurated.

PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES

" Henri-Quatre et Marie de Medicis." B. Zeller.

"Marie de Medicis et Sully." B. Zeller.

"Marie de Medicis et Villeroy." B. Zeller.

"(Economies Royales." Sully.

" Lettres Intimes de Henri-Quatre." Dussieux.

"Journal de Jean Heroard."

" Memoires de Richelieu."

" Negotiations Diplomatiques de la France avec la Toscane."

A. Desjardins.

" Histoire de France." Michelet. "Lettres de Malherbe." " Ecrits Inedites de Saint-Simon." Faugere. " Memoires de Bassompierre." ''Memoires de Fontenay Mareuil." " Memoires de Lestoile." " Memoires de Pontchartrain." "Galerie de FAncienne Cour." " Memoires du Marechal d'Estre'es." " Decade commengant 1'Histoire du Roi Louis XIII." J. B.

Legrain.

" Louis XIII. avant Richelieu." Rossignol. " Histoire de la Mere et du Fils." Eudes de Mezeray. "Vie Intime d'une Reine." L. Batifol. " Memoires de Louise Boursier."

Albret, Jeanne d', 25

Amboise, made over to Conde, 306

Ammirato, Scipione, Tuscan Secretary, 233, 263, 276

Ancre, Concino Concini, Marquis d', created Marquis, 241 ; his influence and advancement, ibid.; 292 ; 243, 251, 254, 271, 275 ; his cupidity, 278 ; 286, 287, 291 ; made Marshal, 292 ; 293, 298, 307. See Concini

Ancre, Leonora Galigai, Marquise d', 279, 289, 306. See Concini

Anne of Austria, Infanta of Spain, 51, 82, 94, 95, 145, 146, 182, 265, 272, 273, 274

Aubigny, d', 19

Auvergne, Comte d', his treason, 27 seq. ; visits Louis, 39 ; 40 ; arrested, 45 ; Henri's clemency to, 46, 47 ; 49 ; 56 ; conspires afresh, 73 ; in the Bastille, 85, 88 ; 109, no

Auvergne, Comtesse d', 86

Balzac, quoted, 230

Bar, Catherine, Duchesse de, 2 ; her Protestantism, 24, 25 ; her death, 59

Bassompierre, 115, 176, 180, 194, 199, 200, 206, 207, 284, 287, 288, 290, 291

Batifol, M., quoted, 230

Bellegarde.Ducde, Grand Equerry, commonly called M. le Grand, 204, 206, 228, 254; Louis's affection for, 275 ; charges against him, 275-277 ; 284, 303

Beringhen, M. de, Louis's first valet, 280

Birat, usher at Saint-Germain, 280

Biron, Due de, his treason, 16, 27 seq. ; envoy to England, 32 ; his letter, 38 ; at Fontainebleau, 42, 43 ; arrested, 44 ; executed, 48 seq.

Blois, Henri at, 41 ; Louis at, 312

Bouillon, Due de, conspires against Henri, 27 ; visits the Dauphin, 37, 38 ; 41, 49, 50, 96, 100; Henri's expedition against, 108 seq. ; reduced to submission, no ; at Saint-Germain, in ; 240, 247, 254, 281, 296, 301

Boulogne, Henri at, 22

Boursier, Madame Louise, the Queen's nurse, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

Bracciano, Virgilio Orsini, Duke of, 291

Calais, Henri at, 22, 31 Campiglio, Tuscan envoy, 260,

261 Cardenas, Don Innigo de, Spanish

ambassador, 269, 270 Chatel, Jean, his attempt to

murder Henri IV., 66 Chatre, Marechal de la, 245 Christine de France, birth of, 108 ;

baptism, 116 ; 260, 292 Cicogne, M. de, 177 Cioli, Florentine envoy, 235 Cleves, Duke of, his death, 185 Concini, Concino, 18, 20-22, 33,

53, 54, 57, 125, 148, 149, 163,

164, 177, 215, 217, 227, 231.

See Ancre

323

Index

Concini, Leonora Galigai, married to Concini, 18, 20, 21, 33, 53, 54. 57. 177. 217. See Ancre

Conde, Prince de, 55, 108, 176 ; marriage of, 183 ; 184, 195, 214, 223, 227 ; returns to Paris, 228, 229 ; popularity of, 240 ; 246, 247, 248, 251, 253, 254, 257, 265, 266, 279, 287 ; leader of confederated nobles, 295 seq. ; leaves Paris, 296 ; his demands, 301, 302 ; letter to Louis, 303 ; complaints, 306; at Orleans, 310, 311 ; loses strength, 313 seq. ; returns to Paris, 317

Conde, Charlotte de Montmorency, Princesse de, 148; marriage, 183, 195 ; 231

Conti, Prince de, 2, 55, 214, 223, 254. 279

Conti, Mademoiselle de Guise, Princesse de, 112, 113, 227

Cotton, P£re, Confessor to Henri IV., 67, 155, 174, 175, 211, 244,

257 Crequy, Mademoiselle de, 172

Descluseaux, soldier of the Guard,

280 Des Yveteaux, Louis's tutor, 168,

169, 232 ; dismissed, 255 Doundoun, Maman, Louis's nurse,

83, 112, 167, 220 Dussieux, M., quoted, 164, 165

ElbSne, the Regent's maitve d'hotel, 250

Elbeuf, Due d', 245

Elizabeth, Queen, 32

Elizabeth of France, daughter of Henri IV., her birth, 50 ; 80 ; baptism, 116; rebukes Louis, 141 ; marriage projects for, 144 ; recognized as Princess of Spain, 269 seq. ; 273, 274

Entragues, the Sieur d', his conspiracy, 73, 74, 76 ; 86, 88

Entragues, Henriette d'. See Ver-

, neuil

Epernon, Due d', 27 ; visits the

Dauphin, 37 ; 202, 203, 207, 208, 214, 217, 227, 228, 245, 254, 285, 287, 292, 298, 317 Estrees, Gabrielle d', Duchesse de Beaufort, 2 ; Henri wishes to marry her, 13, 14 ; her death, J 4» 15

Feria, Duke de, Spanish envoy,

242, 243

Fevre, M. le, Louis's tutor, 255, 256 | Fleurence, M. de, Louis's sous-

precepteur, 256 | Fontainebleau, i, 2, 78, 79 Fontenay, 267 Force, Due de la, Henri IV.'s

letter to, 49, 50 ; 67 Force, M. de la, Captain of the

Guard, 236 Francis I., King of France, 2