ister to
reconcile the royal couple; while, in addition to all his other
anxieties, he found himself placed in a position at once so difficult
and so dangerous that he was at a loss how to proceed, until a
circumstance fortunately occurred of which he hastened to avail himself.
In exchanging the petty Court of Florence for that of France, Marie had
speedily emancipated herself from the compulsory economy to which she
had been accustomed from her childhood, and had become reckless in her
expenditure to an excess which constantly disturbed the equanimity of
the prudent minister of finance. The current expenses of her household
amounted annually to the sum of three hundred and forty-five thousand
livres, an enormous outlay for that period; while she was so lavish to
her favourites that she was constantly applying for further supplies;
and on one occasion, when these were withheld, had actually pawned the
crown jewels, which it was necessary to redeem by a disbursement from
the public treasury. In addition to these resources, her income was also
considerably increased by gratuities, bribes from contracting
parties,[238] and edicts created in her favour; the last of which were
peculiarly obnoxious to Sully, from the fact of their harassing the
people without any national benefit; and it was accordingly with great
reluctance, and frequently not without expostulation, that he was
induced to countersign these documents.

The circumstance to which we have alluded as affording to Sully an
opening for the delicate negotiation with which he was entrusted by the
King, was an offer made to Marie de Medicis of the sum of eighty
thousand livres in the event of her causing an edict to be issued in
favour of the officials of the salt-works of Languedoc, which she
forthwith despatched to the minister by M. d'Argouges,[239] with a
request that he would use his influence to obtain it.

Having made himself acquainted with the nature and tendency of the
edict, M. de Sully desired the messenger to inform her Majesty that he
was of opinion that the sovereign might safely authorize its operation
without any injury to the public interests; but added that he feared the
moment was an unpropitious one as regarded the Queen herself, the King
being still deeply offended by some of her recent proceedings; nor would
he advise her to venture upon such an application until she had
succeeded in disarming his anger; for which purpose he respectfully
sugge