Fall of Schomberg--La Vieuville becomes _Surintendent des Finances_--His bitter jealousy of Bassompierre--He informs Louis XIII that the marshal “deserves the Bastille or worse”--Semi-disgrace of Bassompierre, who, however, succeeds in making his peace with the King--Mismanagement of public affairs by Puisieux and his father, the Chancellor Brulart de Sillery--La Vieuville and Richelieu intrigue against them and procure their dismissal from office--The Earl of Holland arrives in Paris to sound the French Court on the question of a marriage between the Prince of Wales and Henrietta Maria--Bassompierre takes part in a grand ballet at the Louvre--La Vieuville accuses the marshal of drawing more money for the Swiss than he is entitled to--Foreign policy of La Vieuville--Richelieu re-enters the Council--Bassompierre accused by La Vieuville of being a pensioner of Spain--Serious situation of the marshal--The Connétable Lesdiguières advises Bassompierre to leave France, but the latter decides to remain--Differences between La Vieuville and Richelieu over the negotiations for the English marriage--Arrogance and presumption of La Vieuville--Intrigues of Richelieu against him--The King informs Bassompierre that he has decided to disgrace La Vieuville--Indiscretion of the marshal--Duplicity of Louis XIII towards his Minister--Fall of La Vieuville--Richelieu becomes the virtual head of the Council.....pp. 394-410 CHAPTER XXXI Vigorous foreign policy of Richelieu--The recovery of the Valtellina--His projected blow at the Spanish power in Northern Italy frustrated by a fresh Huguenot insurrection--Bassompierre sent to Brittany--Marriage of Charles I and Henrietta Maria--Bassompierre offered the command of a new army which is to be despatched to Italy--He demands 7,000 men from the Army of Champagne--The Duc d’Angoulême and Louis de Marillac, the generals commanding that army, have recourse to the bogey of a German invasion in order to retain these troops--Bassompierre declines the appointment--Conversation between Bassompierre and the Spanish Ambassador Mirabello on the subject of peace between France and Spain--The marshal is empowered to treat for peace with Mirabello--Singular conduct of the Ambassador--News arrives from Madrid that Philip IV has revoked the powers given to Mirabello--Bassompierre is sent as Ambassador Extraordinary to the Swiss Cantons to counteract the intrigues of the house of Austria and the Papacy--His reception in Switzerland--Lavish hospitality which he dispenses--Complete success of his negotiations.....pp. 411-425 CHAPTER XXXII