594 FRANCE. 
Hisery. toa man by no means fit for the enterprise, the Duke 
of Bucki , whose measures were so ill concerted, 
that the inhabitants of Rochelle, when he appeared be- 
fore their harbour, refused to admit his troops. ‘They 
were but a part of the Protestant body, they observed, and 
they must consult their brethren before they gave admit- 
tance to an army, of whose coming they had not been 
jously informed. The Duke next directed his force 
against the isle of Rhe, which was well isoned and for- 
tified, instead of attacking Oleron, a fertile and defence- 
less island. He did jndeed succeed in effecting a land- 
ing in Rhe, but he left behind him the fort of 
Prie, which covered the landing place ; allowed Tho- 
rias the governor to amuse him with a deceitful'ne 
ciation, till St Martin, the principal fort, was provided 
for a siege ; and then attacked it before he had made 
any breach, and thus threw away the lives of his sol- 
diers. He likewise guarded the sea in such a negli- 
gent manner, that a French army got over in small di- 
visions, and obliged him to retreat to his ships. 
The Protestants were now at the mercy of Richelieu, 
who had already, by separate treaties, secured the al- 
liance of Spain, and of the United Provinces. ‘The 
army he assembled was commanded by the King in 
person, attended by all the principal nobility. The 
Cardinal himself, aspiring to the reputation of a gene- 
ral, planned the lines of circumvallation, designed the 
forts, and directed the attack. The citizens of Ro- 
chelle, animated by civil and religious zeal, and abun- 
dantly provided with military stores, resolved to defend 
thinstlites to the last extremity ; and their Mayor, 
Guyton, a man of experience and fortitude, took the 
command, as neither the Duke of Rohan, nor his bro- 
ther Soubese, were in the place. The Cardinal, find- 
ing it impossible to reduce it so long as the communi- 
cation by sea remained open, attempted first to shut up 
the harbour by stakes and by a boom; but these me- 
thods being ineffectual, he recollected what Alexander 
had erie at the siege of Tyre, and erected a mole 
a mile in length across a gulf, into which the sea 
rushed with great impetuosity. ‘The inhabitants, be- 
fore it was completed, saw an English fleet approach ; 
they crowded the ramparts in the expectation of relief; 
but the English Admiral, after throwing in’a small 
supply of corn, either through cowardice or treachery, 
ined an engagement with the fleet of France, and 
returned to Portsmouth. The Duke of Buckingham 
then resolved to resume the command; bot while he 
was hastening the preparations, he was stabbed b 
Felton. Inthe mean time the mole was completed, 
and so strong as to resist all the attacks of the Bark of 
Lindsay, who succeeded to the command of the Eng- 
lish fleet. He was obliged to abandon the enterprize ; 
and as the sails of his squadron vanished from the view 
of the abandoned and deepaiting inhabitants, they con- 
sented to surrender, after a siege of 12 months. They 
were deprived of their privileges, and their fortifica- 
tions were destroyed ; but they were permitted to retain 
possession of their property, and allowed the free exercise 
of their religion, A. D. 1629. Searcely had the inha- 
bitants opened their gates, when a tempest arose so 
violent as to bury in the ocean that mole which had 
been the cause of their ruin; so that, if they had held out 
only a few hours longer, the pride of the Cardinal would 
have been humbled, and their freedom 
Richelieu, sd rt rR with the advantages that 
result from quickly fo owing up success,’ immediately 
after the fall of Rochelle marched into the other parts 
of France, where the Protestant party were powerful, 
‘that he abandoned the sense of his own injuries, refused — 
land had concluded a peace with France, - 
abandoned the Protestants to their fate, had recourse 
to negociation, and obtained very favourable conditions 
both for himself and his party. The Protestants were ‘Pye Pro. 
permitted to retain their estates, and allowed the free testants 
exercise of their religion; all the privileges of the edict pas hg 
of Nantes were also confirmed to them; butthey were 
deprived of their cautionary towns, as dangerous to the 
state. From this period is justly dated Me ae ww 
ment of the French monarchy, which suffered 
considerable diminution by the power.that'the Protes- ” 
tants had acquired during the civil wars. Indeed; it 7 
seems to have been Richelieu’s object, not. so much to 
subdue the Protestants, because they were of a diffe- 
rent religion from that established in France, as be- 
cause they had erected themselves into an i 
community, and aimed at an entire separation frc : 
monarchy, It was in their political, not in their reli. 
gious character, that he chiefly regarded them as ene- | 
mies to his plans of aggrandizing the power of the sove- | 
reign; and that this was his view of them, will fur. 
ther appear in the sequel, when we advert to the'as. 
sistance which he gave to the Protestants in Ger. 
ee ee a 
he 
many, : : ‘ aes | mu 
As Richelieu had displayed an extent and variety'of 
talent, during the siege of Rochelle, which he-was hot 
previously pa! Hye to possess, the King determined 
to commit to his superintendence the care of the ma- 
rine ; and for this purpose he’ persuaded the Duke of: 
Montmorency to resign that situation. This | depart. 
ment soon experienced the beneficial effects of the com- 
prehension of the Cardinal’s mind, and the activity and 
vigilance of his management. But he did not con- 
fine himself to this: or any other particular branch of 
public business. Indeed, the care of these: were amly 
subordinate to his grand and daring designs’; for, hav- 
ing subdued the Protestants, he now’ directed his 
thoughts to the humbling of the house of Austria. } 
This he perceived could be done most effectually, and Richelieu’s 
at the same time with the least risk to France, by sup- plans to 
porting the Protestants in Germany. There were, how. humble 
ever, other means, of a less extensive: natutep which 4° 
he did not neglect. ube. acs PAB 49 aes. 10 
On the death of the Duke of ‘Mantua;: the Duke‘of 
ie to the dependent marquisate of Montserra 
oth -were supported by 'Philipj:Kingiof Spains"The 
Duke of Note, in his distress; knew not where to : 
turn for assistance. He hadi dl the suspicion of 
the Cardinal, by uniting with his secret enemies in . 
France. He was the object of ‘dislike to the Queen-~ 
mother ; but Richelieu possessed so much patrioti 
2 
to listen to the complaints of Mary de Medicis, and ~ 
‘strongly advised the King to support the Duke'agai 
the House of Austria. An army was lingly - 
formed: Louis placed himself at their head. The The French: 
were passed ; the narrow pass of Suza penetrated ; and invadeltaly. 
the Duke of Savoy, alarmed, and unequal to the com- 
bat, was under the necessity of deserting his allies, and 
of uniting his troops with those of France. Casal was 4 
at that time besieged by the Spaniards ; and when Louis a 
first entered Italy, he meant to have advanced with his. 4 
whole army to its relief; but, 7, learning that the 
“i 
