n to the throne of
France, appointed him ambassador to Switzerland; and on his return from
that country, made him sixth president, that dignity having become
vacant by the death of Jean Le Maitre. In 1598 he was one of the
deputies by whom the peace of Vervins was concluded; and from thence he
proceeded to Brussels with the Duc de Biron, to be present when the
Archduke swore to the observance of the treaty. He next visited Italy as
ambassador extraordinary to the Pope, where he negotiated the marriage
of the King with Marie de Medicis. In 1604 Henri IV created in his
favour the office of keeper of the seals of France; and finally, on the
death of the Chancelier de Bellievre, he became his successor.

[50] Sully, _Mem_. vol. iii. pp. 189, 190.

[51] "Comme s'il fut revenu d'extase," says Perefixe, vol. ii. p. 300.

[52] In April 1599.

[53] Bernard de Montfaucon. _Les Monumens de la Monarchie Francaise_,
Paris, 1733, in folio, vol. v. p. 396.

[54] Horace del-Monte.

[55] Mezeray, vol. x. p. 123.

[56] Maintenon, _Mem_., Amsterdam, 1756, vol. ii. p. 115.

[57] Roger de St. Larry, Duc de Bellegarde, was the favourite of three
successive sovereigns. Henri III appointed him master of his wardrobe,
and subsequently first gentleman of the chamber, and grand equerry.
Henri IV made him a knight of his Orders in 1595; and ultimately Louis
XIII continued to him an equal amount of favour. The preservation of
Quilleboeuf, which he defended with great gallantry during the space of
three weeks, with only forty-five soldiers and ten nobles, against the
army of the Duc de Mayenne, acquired for him a renown which he never
afterwards forfeited.

[58] Henri, Comte, and subsequently Duc, de Lude, was the last male
representative of his family. He was appointed grand-master of the
artillery in 1669, and died without issue in 1685.

[59] Jean de St. Larry de Thermes, brother of the Duc d'Aiguillon.

[60] Jacques, Marquis de Castelnau, subsequently Marshal of France, who,
in 1658, commanded the left wing of the army at the battle of the Dunes,
and died the same year, at the early age of thirty-eight.

[61] Francois de Paule de Clermont, Marquis de Montglat, first maitre
d'hotel to the King.

[62] M. de Frontenac was one of the officers of Henry IV who, before his
accession to the throne of France (in 1576), had a quarrel with M. de
Rosny, during which he told him that if he were to pull his nose, he
could only draw out milk; a