FRA 
pel tlie ecclefiaftical forces from the Valteline. The mar¬ 
quis of Coeuvres obeyed with alacrity ; and Gregory XV". 
l'enfible of the inefficacy of the thunders of the Vatican, 
contented himfelf with remonftrances, which Richelieu 
received with impatience, and configned to negleCl. 
James I. of England, wrapped in the proud and con- 
ftant contemplation of royal dignity, confidered every al¬ 
liance below that of a king, as unworthy of the prince of 
Wales ; and determined never to beftow the hand of his 
Ion Charles, but on a daughter of France or Spain. See 
the article England, vol. vi. p. 665. With the latter 
court his ambalfador, the earl of Briftol, had opened a ne- 
gociation; but this unfortunately ending in warfare, no¬ 
thing remained but an alliance with France, and to that 
court king James immediately applied. The earls of 
Holland and Carlifie were fent ambaffadors on this occa- 
fion, and they completed the treaty. To Henrietta was 
allowed the privilege of educating her children till they 
attained the age of thirteen; and Buckingham, in 1625, 
was difpatched to Paris to conduct the bride to her royal 
contort Charles, who, by the death of his father James, 
had now afcended the throne of England. 
But this grand alliance of France with a proteftant 
king, did not deter the cardinal from exercifing the moft 
fatal defigns againft the followers of the reformed reli¬ 
gion. A new fubjeCt of difcontent prefented itfelf in a 
royal fleet ffationed at port l’Orient, to guard and block 
up the harbour of Rochelle. The duke of Soubife of¬ 
fered with a few fhips fuddenly to attack and deflroy the 
Hoffile fquadron ; and even permitted the hugonots, if 
he failed in the attempt, to difown him for ever. Though 
his meafures were betrayed, he accomplifhed the daring 
project : and, on the fir ft intelligence of his fuccefs, his 
brother the duke of Rohan refumed his arms, and again 
difplayed the banner of revolt. A defultory war was 
carried on with that animofity and rancour which con- 
ffantly attend religious commotions. The Rochellers 
were eventually defeated at fea by the united fquadrons 
of France and England ; but the lofs of the confederates 
in the aCtion prevented them from improving their ad¬ 
vantage. The clamours of the Englifh compelled their 
fovereign to interfere ; the mediation of the confort of 
Henrietta was anxioufly regarded ; and a peace was in 
confequence concluded, which once more confirmed the 
ediCf of Nantz. 
Philip of Spain had beheld with indignation the expul- 
fion of the ecclefiaftical troops from the Valteline; the 
French, as allies to the duke of Savoy, hill maintained 
the war; and the Spaniards, in attempting to raife the 
fiege of Verue, were defeated with confiderable lofs; but 
Urban VIII. who had fucceeded to the apoflolical chair, 
prevented the two crowns from coming to an open rup¬ 
ture. His zeal to reconcile the two moft pow erful princes 
of the catholic church, was attended with fuccefs; a 
treaty was concluded at M-oncon, by which the fove- 
reignty of the Valteline was confirmed to the Grifons, 
and the palfes of that country, by the gratitude of her 
allies, were fecured to France. 
The reputation of Richelieu, was not increafed by his 
firft effays in arms. To the hugonots he had granted tiie 
moft favourable conditions; and in the treaty of Moncon 
the duke of Savoy loudly complained that his interefts 
were defected. But if abroad his ability and integrity 
were impeached, at home, he was expofed to the envy 
and rage which attends fuccefsful ambition. Gafton duke 
of Orleans, and brother to the king, had completed his 
eighteenth year; and that irrelolution which lormed the 
predominent feature of his charaCler, began largely to dif- 
play itfelf. His father, Henry IV. had exprelfcd his wifh 
that lie’might be united to mademoifielle Montpenfier, 
one of the greateft heireffes of France ; but the favourites 
of the duke of Orleans endeavoured to divert his inclina¬ 
tions to a marriage with foirte foreign princefs, whofe 
connections might render him independent of the power 
of the minifter. Their intrigues could not elude the vi- 
N C E. 72,3 
gilance of the cardinal; in 1626, the marefchal Ornano, 
who had concerted the afTaflination of Richelieu, was com¬ 
mitted to the Baftile, and delivered by difeafe from an ig¬ 
nominious death ; the count of Chalais expired on a fcaf- 
fold ; the duke of Vendofme, and his brother the grand 
prior, were clofely guarded ; and the count of Soiffons, 
by a hafty flight, fought fhelter from the tempefi in the 
court of Rome. 'I he defigns of his enemies ferved only 
to eftablifh the authority and influence of the cardinal; 
and the partiality of Louis for his minifter was difplayed 
in the appointment of guards for the protection of his per¬ 
son. The duke ct Orleans, thus deprived of his affoci- 
ates, refumed his paftion for mademoifelle Montpenfier. 
The nuptial ceremony was performed by the cardinal ; 
but, though the duke himfelf obtained, from the liberal¬ 
ity of his brother, the duchies of Orleans and Chartres, 
with the county of Blois, his folicitations for his friends 
were ineffectual; and the cardinal having crufhed tlie 
enemies of his perfon, prepared to extinguifh thofe of 
his faith. 
Though ardent in his defigns of humbling the houfe of 
Auftria, he was convinced, that to exert the power of 
France, it was firft neceffary to extirpate the feeds of civil 
commotion; the Proteftants, impatient of delay, had urged 
by arms the demolition of Fort St. Louis; but their te¬ 
merity was checked by the vigorous meafures of Riche¬ 
lieu ; and the duke of Soubife, anxious for the fafety of 
Rochelle, implored and obtained tlie afliftance of Eng¬ 
land. Before the mighty preparations of Richelieu could 
be completed, a fleet of an hundred fail, and an army of 
feven thoufand men, were fitted out for the invafion of 
France ; both of thefe were entrufted to the command of 
the duke of Buckingham, who prefented himfelf with his 
armament before tlie harbour of Rochelle; but fo ill- 
concerted were his meafures, that the inhabitants refufed 
to admit thefe formidable allies whom they had not in¬ 
vited and of whofe coming they had not been previoufly 
informed. Difappointed at Rochelle, the duke directed 
his operations againft the ifland of Rhe ; but the Englifh 
were repulfed in repeated attacks ; and Buckingham him¬ 
felf, after the lofs of two thirds of his forces, found it ne¬ 
ceftary to confult his fafety by a precipitate retreat. He 
conducted the rear in perfon, with a gallantry which, in 
fome meafure, effaced the difgrace of defeat; but while 
the teftimony of his companions eftublifhed the reputation 
of his courage, the voice of the public loudly impeached 
his judgment. 
The retreat of Buckingham was the fignal for aCtion to 
Richelieu. The army that he had affembled was command¬ 
ed by the king in perfon, and animated by the prefence of 
the principal nobility. The cardinal, who accompanied 
the army, afpired to the reputation of a general as well 
as a ftatefman ; he planned the lines of circumvallation ; 
defigned the different forts, and directed the attacks. To 
deprive the befieged of all fuccour, his boundlefs genius 
formed the project of throwing acrofs the harbour a mole, 
of at lead a mile in extent. He daily urged and infpeCt- 
ed the work ; but before it could be completed,.the fleet 
of England, commanded by the earl of Denbigh, once 
more appeared in view. The Rochellers crowded to 
their ramparts with joy, and Richelieu trembled for the 
rifing ftruCture which his ambition had fuggefted ; but 
he was preferved from difgrace by the treachery or cow. 
ardice of the Englifh admiral ; the earl ofDenbigh, after 
throwing into the city a fcanty fupply of corn, declined 
an engagement with the French fleet, and returned to 
Portfmouth. To efface the dishonour of the Englifh 
arms, the duke of Buckingham again determined to re¬ 
fume the command ; but, while iiis prefence battened the 
preparations, he tell a victim to the a (Ta (limiting hand of 
Felton. See the article England, vol. vi. p. 668. 
The fate of Buckingham fufpended for a time the ar¬ 
maments of England ; and the interval was aftkmoufly 
employed by the cardinal in completing his ftupendous 
work. In vain did the earl of Lindfay, who fueceedeci 
io 
