favourites--Subtle policy of Richelieu--Threatening attitude assumed by the Princes. CHAPTER IX 1617 The royal forces march against the insurgent Princes--Indignities offered to the young sovereign--Louis XIII and his favourite--Arrogance of the Maréchal d'Ancre--Indignation of the King--Confiscation of the property of the rebel Princes--Household of Louis XIII--Cabal of De Luynes---Infatuation of the Maréchal d'Ancre--An evil counsellor--Marie de Medicis resolves to withdraw from the Government, but is dissuaded from her purpose--Popular discontent--Precautions of Concini--Alarm of Louis XIII--The Duc de Nevers is declared guilty of _lèse-majesté_--Firmness of the Queen-mother--Insolence of Concini and Richelieu--Condé is refused permission to justify himself--Success of the royal forces--Louis XIII consents to the arrest of the Maréchal d'Ancre--Bassompierre warns Marie de Medicis of her danger--She disregards the warning--Concini and Leonora prepare to leave France--Old grievances renewed--A diplomatic Janus--Blindness of Marie and her ministers--A new conspirator--How to be made a marshal--Incaution of De Luynes--Treachery of Richelieu--A narrow escape--A morning mass--Singular position of the Court--Assassination of Concini--Public rejoicings--Imprisonment of the Queen-mother--Barbin is sent to the Bastille--The seals are restored to Du Vair--A royal reception--Anguish of Marie de Medicis--She demands to see the King, and is refused--Her isolation--A Queen and her favourite--A mother and her son--Arrest of Madame d'Ancre--The Crown jewels--Political pillage--The Maréchale in the Bastille. CHAPTER X 1617 The Comte de la Péna--Anne of Austria and the orphan--Popular atrocities--The wages of crime--Submission of the Duc de Mayenne--Suspension of hostilities--The great nobles return to the capital--Louis refuses to be reconciled with his mother--Insolence of De Vitry--Generosity of the Duc de Rohan--Marie de Medicis resolves to retire from the Court--Richelieu offers to share her exile--He becomes the secret emissary of De Luynes--Gratitude of the deluded Queen--A parting interview--Marie de Medicis proceeds to Blois--Destitution of the Maréchale d'Ancre--Her despair--Royal recreations--A fatal parallel--Madame de Condé requests permission to share the captivity of her husband--Trial of Madame d'Ancre--Her execution--Cupidity of De Luynes--Justice of the Grand Duke of Tuscany--Death of the President de Thou--Marriage of De Luynes with Mademoiselle de Montbazon--De Luynes is created duke and peer--Death of M. de Villeroy--Recall of the old ministers--Policy of De Luynes--His suspiciousness--His ambition--De Luynes lodges his brothers in the Louvre--The sign of "the Three Kings"--Louis resolves to re-establish the Roman Catholic religion in Béarn, and to annex that principality to the Crown of France--Meeting of the _Notables_ at Rouen--The French march to the support of the Duke of Savoy. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES OF THE SECOND VOLUME