[174] In 1598 Henri IV had marched against the Duc de Mercoeur, who still held part of Brittany; and as the Duke found himself, immediately on the appearance of the King, deserted by the nobility of the duchy, he gave himself up for lost. Opposition was of course useless; and he was about to surrender to the royal troops upon the best terms which he could obtain, when he saved himself by a lucky expedient. He was aware of the violent passion still felt by Henry for Gabrielle d'Estrées, and in order to escape the penalty of his rebellion he offered the hand of his only daughter, with the duchies of Estampes, Penthièvre, and Mercoeur as her dowry, to the King's natural son César de Vendôme; a proposal which was at once accepted, as the monarch was aware that it would gratify the ambition of his mistress. Subsequently, however, after the death of her father, the family of Mademoiselle de Mercoeur had objected to the alliance, and it had required all the authority of Henry to compel its accomplishment.--Davila, _Hist. of Modern Europe_, London, 1794, book xv. vol. iii. p. 49. [175] Richelieu, _Hist. de la Mère et du Fils_, vol. i. pp. 260-277. Mézeray, vol. xi. pp. 55-67. Le Vassor, vol. i. pp. 253-261. Brienne, _Mém_. vol. i. pp. 296, 297, édition Petitot. [176] Louis de Bassompierre, who subsequently became Bishop of Saintes. [177] Petitot, _Avertissement sur M. de Bassompierre_. [178] Le Vassor, vol. i. p. 263. [179] Nicolas de Verdun, First President of the Parliament of Paris, a devoted adherent of M. de Villeroy. [180] Louis Servin, Councillor of State, Advocate-General of the Parliament of Paris, and one of the most able magistrates of his time, served with zeal and fidelity under Henri III, Henri IV, and Louis XIII. He died suddenly, at the feet of the latter monarch, on the 19th of March 1626, while remonstrating with him in the name of the Parliament, where he was holding his Bed of Justice, against certain financial edicts. He was the author of several legal writings, orations, and sundry other works.