forth the crimes and follies
of the nobles in a manifesto which stung their cause to death in a
moment; he published his policy in a proclamation which ran through
France like fire, warming all hearts of patriots, withering all hearts
of rebels; he sent out three great armies: one northward to grasp
Picardy, one eastward to grasp Champagne, one southward to grasp Berri.
There is a man who can do something! The nobles yield in a moment; they
_must_ yield.

But just at this moment, when a better day seemed to dawn, came an event
which threw France back into anarchy and Richelieu into the world again.

The young King, Louis XIII, was now sixteen years old. His mother the
Regent and her favorite Concini had carefully kept him down. Under their
treatment he had grown morose and seemingly stupid; but he had wit
enough to understand the policy of his mother and Concini, and strength
enough to hate them for it.

The only human being to whom Louis showed any love was a young falconer,
Albert de Luynes, and with De Luynes he conspired against his mother's
power and her favorite's life. On an April morning, 1617, the King and
De Luynes sent a party of chosen men to seize Concini. They met him at
the gate of the Louvre. As usual he is bird-like in his utterance,
snake-like in his bearing. They order him to surrender; he chirps forth
his surprise, and they blow out his brains. Louis, understanding the
noise, puts on his sword, appears on the balcony of the palace, is
saluted with hurrahs, and becomes master of his kingdom.

Straightway measures are taken against all supposed to be attached to
the regency. Concini's wife, the favorite Leonora, is burned as a witch;
Regent Mary is sent to Blois, and Richelieu is banished to his
bishopric.

And now matters went from bad to worse. King Louis was no stronger than
Regent Mary had been; King's favorite, De Luynes, was no better than
Regent's favorite, Concini, had been. The nobles rebelled against the
new rule as they had rebelled against the old. The King went through
the same old extortions and humiliations.

Then came also to full development yet another vast evil. As far back as
the year after Henry's assassination, the Protestants, in terror of
their enemies, now that Henry was gone and the Spaniards seemed to grow
in favor, formed themselves into a great republican league--a state
within the state--regularly organized; in peace, for political effort,
and in war, for military