60 in france the first fear of the queen of england , charles i , on learning of the death of the duchess , was that such terrible news might discourage the rochellais ; she tried , says richelieu in her memoirs , to conceal it from them as long as possible , closing all the ports of her kingdom , and carefully keeping watch that no vessel should sail until the army which buckingham was getting together had gone , taking upon herself , in default of buckingham , to superintend the departure .