FRANCE. : 593 
_ History. sion, threw off the mask which had.so long concealed 
"his aspiring and. ambitious projects; and entered into 
an: with the Duke of Licenes, to bestow the 
of his niece on his nephew, on condition that the 
Duke should use his: influence to raise him to the rank 
Protestants were apprised of their danger ; and scarce- 
ly needed the exhortations of the Duke of Rohan, son- 
in-law to the Duke of Sully, and of his brother the 
Duke of Soubese, to induce them to resolve on de- 
ir religious liberties at the hazard of their 
by his ari 
pr a ra a i npr thas 
oppose his sov convic- 
.@ tion. he surrendered the Saumur, which com- 
place was gallantly, ineffectually, defended, for 
ee ts aa ; and, on its surren- 
der, Louis had the magnanimity, as well as the policy, to 
Siege of permit the garrison to unmolested. From this 
Montauban. place, in 1621, the army to Montauban, into 
A.D. 1621. which the Protestants had thrown a numerous garrison 
commanded by the Marquis de la Force. The royal 
army i of 25,000 men ; but the place was so 
rss This fj , only filled the breasts 
Protestants ae en ignation, and roused 
their to a higher enthusiasm. The 
Duke of in Montpellier, and pre- 
Nantes was again confirmed; the royal forces were with. History. 
drawn from the gates and harbour of Rochelle; and the 
inhabitants of Montpellier agreed to surrender to their 
soverei, : 
The inal of Retz dying about this time, Cardinal Projects of 
Richelieu, by the influence of the queen, was introdu- ee, 
ced into the royal councils: npeals badete ot a share 
in the administration; (which ina time he entirely 
governed, ) before he formed three mighty projects ; to. 
subdue the turbulent spirit of the French nobility; to. re- 
duce the rebellious Protestants ;,and to’ curb: the en- 
croachments of the House of Austria. But it was, in 
the first place, necessary to remove his rivals in the 
cabinet; the care of the finances, therefore, about which 
he was most anxious for the prosecution of his designs, 
was taken from the Duke of Vienville, and given to 
Morillac, a man upon whose subserviency be could 
completely depend: other changes. of a less important 
nature werealso made. His next project, before he 
entered on the execution of his grand designs, was the 
expulsion of the Pope from the Valteline, which he ac- 
complished, of the remonstrances of Gre- 
gory XV. These, however, were only preliminary 
or rather intended as indications of the extent of 
serve peace with England. James I. at this time sat 
on the throne of that ,,and had determined not 
to bestow the hand of his.son Charles, except on a 
Princess of France or in, Richelieu, aware of this, 
negociated, in spite of courts of Rome and Madrid, 
a treaty between the Prince of Wales and 
Henrietta of France, sister of Louis XII]. 
He now turned his abilities to the destruction of the 
pink einai Ae Sa ely eee reer 
veral respects the court, they were preparing for 
renewed oatilities, when a new subject of Tibcontent 
arose. A royal fleet was stationed at L’Orient, to block 
up the harbour of Rochelle. This the Duke of Sou- 
bese offered to attack ; and if he failed, the Protestants 
were to disown his conduct. He succeeded, and his 
brother the Duke of Rohan immediately displayed the 
standard of revolt. A sharp but desultory war was 
carried on, which was terminated for the ti by 
the mediation of the Queen of England; the edict of 
Nantes was again.confirmed ; the harbour, of Rochelle 
freed from blockade ; and the King of France agreed 
that the King of England should guarantee to the Pro« 
testants the articles of the peace. 
_ A powerful faction now rose at court against. Riche- 
Cabals 
lieu. Not one prince ,of the blood was sincerely his ®gainst him. 
friend. Gaston, the Duke of Orleans, the King’s bro- 
ther, was his declared enemy. |The Queen+mo her. 
self, was become jealous of him; and, even -the: King 
was attached to him rather through fear than affec- 
tion, But the intrigues'of the. courtiers, thus  sup- 
ported and encouraged, could not escape the vigilance 
of the Cardinal: he discovered and dissi all their 
iracies, and at last made himself absolute master 
of: the King and kingdom. 
During these cabals, the Protestants, complaining 
that the terms of the last treaty had not) been strictly 
with, displayed a di ition once more to 
themselves independent ; and in this were 
confirmed by the assurances of support which they re- 
ceived from England, where a fleet of 100 sail, and an 
army of 7000 men, were fitted out for the invasion of 
France. Thangeeea however, were entrusted 
’ Fr : 
Hi 
