ion was
made of a supposititious work called, "The Art of not Believing in God,"
by M. de Bourges, in which an attempt was made to convict the prelate of
atheism. This book was attributed to the reformed party; while the libel
was strengthened by the indignation felt by the Court of Rome at the
circumstance of M. de Bourges having taken upon himself to absolve Henri
IV without the Papal authority, on his conversion to the Roman Catholic
faith. The manner of his death, however, gainsayed the calumny; although
so slight had been the respect felt for his sacred office, that the
ex-Queen Marguerite had no sooner taken possession of his hotel, than
the following placard was found affixed to the entrance-gate:

"Comme Reine, tu devais etre
En ta royale maison;
Comme ----, c'est bien raison
Que tu loge an logis d'un pretre."

[307] Bassompierre calls him Saint-Sulliendat, _Mem_. p. 46.

[308] L'Etoile, vol. iii. pp. 353, 354. Bassompierre, _Mem_. p. 46.

[309] Richelieu, _La Mere et le Fils_, vol. i. p. 326.

[310] Louis de Lagon de Merargues was a nobleman of Provence, who
claimed to descend from the Princes of Catalonia or Aragon. His position
of procureur-syndic of the province, and the importance of the relatives
of his wife, who was closely connected with the Duc de Montpensier,
together with the command of two galleys which he held from the King,
enabled him at any moment to possess himself of the port; while his
office of _Viguier_, or royal provost, gave him great authority over
the citizens.

[311] Richelieu, _La Mere et le Fils_, vol. i. pp. 19, 20.

CHAPTER VI

1606

New Year's Day at Court--The royal tokens--A singular audience--A
proposition--Birth of the Princess Christine--Public festivities--A
ballet on horseback--The King resolves to humble the Duc de
Bouillon--Arguments of the Queen--Policy of Henry--The Court proceeds to
Torcy--Surrender of Bouillon--The sovereigns enter Sedan--Rejoicings of
the citizens--State entry into Paris--The High Court of Justice assigns
to the ex-Queen Marguerite the county of Auvergne--The "Te
Deum"--Marguerite makes a donation of her recovered estates to the
Dauphin--Inconsistencies of Marguerite--Jealousy of the Queen of Madame
de Moret--Increasing coldness of the King towards that lady--The frail
rivals--Princely beacons---Indignation of the Queen--Narrow escape of
the King and Queen--Gratitude of the Queen to her preserver--Insolent
pleas