d
the time for legal forms had gone by. The Paris Parliament would not see
this, and Richelieu crushed the Parliament. Then the court of aids
refused to grant supplies, and he crushed that court. In all this the
nation upheld him. Woe to the courts of a nation when they have forced
the great body of plain men to regard legality as injustice! Woe to the
councils of a nation when they have forced the great body of plain men
to regard legislation as traffic! Woe thrice repeated to gentlemen of
small pettifogging sort when they have brought such times, and God has
brought a man to fit them!

There was now in France no man who could stand against the statesman's
purpose. And so, having hewn through all that anarchy and bigotry and
selfishness a way for the people, he called them to the work. In 1626 he
summoned an assembly to carry out reforms. It was essentially a people's
assembly. That anarchical States-General, domineered by great nobles, he
would not call; but he called an "Assembly of Notables." In this was not
one prince or duke, and two-thirds of the members came directly from the
people. Into this body he thrust some of his own energy. Measures were
taken for the creation of a navy. An idea was now carried into effect
which many suppose to have sprung from the French Revolution; for the
army was made more effective by opening its high grades to the commons.

A reform was also made in taxation, and shrewd measures were taken to
spread commerce and industry by calling the nobility into them.

Thus did France, under his guidance, secure order and progress. Calmly
he destroyed all the useless feudal castles which had so long overawed
the people and defied the monarchy. He abolished also the military
titles of grand admiral and high constable, which had hitherto given the
army and navy into the hands of leading noble families. He destroyed
some troublesome remnants of feudal courts, and created royal courts; in
one year, that of Poitiers alone, punished for exactions and violence
against the people, more than two hundred nobles. Greatest step of all,
he deposed the hereditary noble governors, and placed in their stead
governors taken from the people--"Intendants"--responsible to the
central authority alone.

We are brought now to the third great object of Richelieu's policy. He
saw from the beginning that Austria and her satellite Spain must be
humbled if France was to take her rightful place in Europe.

Hardly, the