130 Oct. 6. Charles at Royston. CHAPTER XLVI. THE BREACH WITH SPAIN. WITH the shouts of welcome ringing in his ears, Charles hastened to meet his father. After the first warm greetings were over, the King took his son and his favourite into an inner room, and closed the doors. Charles spoke with angry dissatisfaction of the refusal of the Spaniards to allow him to bring his bride to England, and of their ill-treat ́ment of him during his stay at Madrid. "I am ready," he said, as soon as his tale was ended, "to conquer Spain, if you will allow me to do it." 1 What else passed between the father and son after this boyish outburst, we do not know. The courtiers without listened long to the outbursts of merriment or of indignation which expressed the varying feelings of the speakers, in the vain hope of catching some indication of the turn which the conversation was taking. At last the doors were thrown open, and the King came forth to supper. Once more all ears were on the alert, and it was not long before the listeners were rejoiced by the sound of words to which they had been long unused from Royal lips. James, it seemed, after all, was not displeased at the delay of the marriage, as long as he had no 19 In his despatch of March, 1624, in the Madrid Palace Library, Carondelet stated that James told him that the first thing the Prince had said to him after his return from Spain was, 'Despues de mostrarle el sentimiento que tenia de que le huviesen dejado volver sin la Infanta y quejadose de otras muchas cosas, fueron estas palabras; que avia de conquistar á España si lo permitia; y que esto se le avia confirmado el Principe muchas veces por cosa muy posible, aunque el le havia respondido haciendo burla dello.' 1623 ANOTHER SPANISH PLAN. 131 better satisfaction about the Palatinate. "I like not," he said, "to marry my son with a portion of my daughter's tears." 1 Yet, if Buckingham's vehement denunciations of Spanish perfidy had shaken James from the calm and self-satisfied repose in which he had long been slumbering, they were not of a nature to open his eyes to the true position of affairs. Still, as before, the restitution of the Palatinate was a mere trifle, which the King of Spain could not courteously refuse to a friendly sovereign. For James, all the physical and moral difficulties which stood in the way had no existence whatever. If Philip did not comply with his wishes at once, it was simply because he had made up his mind to insult him. The doubts of Spanish sincerity, to which James was now compelled to listen, must have been the more distressing to him, as he had just given his sanction to a plan for the settlement of Germany, which was, as he fondly hoped, to free Europe from war, and himself from all further trouble. Oct. 2. On October 2, three days before the Prince's return to Spanish plan England, the Spanish Ambassadors had a long infor pacifying Germany. terview with Calvert in London. The scheme which they proposed was couched very much in the form which had been suggested by Bristol in Spain. It would be well, they said, if the King would write to his sor. in-law to recommend the marriage of the young Prince with the Emperor's daughter. If, as was probable, the Emperor wished to have the education of the boy, he might be gratified on condition that his governor was appointed by his father, and that neither he nor any of his household were to be 'forced in point of their conscience.' To an inquiry from Calvert whether the King of Spain would. under these circumstances, give assurance of the 'full restitution of the inheritances and dignities,' the Ambassadors replied evasively that 'it was a needless thing to take it into thought.' If the marriage took place, there could be no doubt that the Emperor 'would restore all.' 2 It is difficult to regard this concession of a guarantee for the religion of the Electoral Prince as seriously made. It is just 1 Hacket. 165. 2 Calvert to the King, Oct. 2, S. P. Spain. し intention. possible that Olivares may have been frightened by the feelings Its probable which Charles had manifested at his departure from Madrid; but it is more likely that he calculated upon Frederick's resistance, and that he hoped, by moderating his own terms, once more to draw James over to his side. Oct. 3. It is accepted by James. The next day Conway replied, in his master's name, to Calvert's report of the conversation. James seems to have taken it for granted that the Spaniards intended, if their terms were accepted, to procure the restitution of the Palatinate to Frederick himself, and not merely to the Electoral Prince. "His Majesty's judgment," wrote the Secretary, "is that it is an honourable and fair way to the ends of restoration; and that his Majesty will have clear and full assurance of an honourable, total, and punctual restitution in all points before he deliver his grandchild into their hands; and also take as punctual provision for the demands and limitations in point of freedom of conscience which shall be agreed on for his grandchild, as is here done for those that are accorded for the Infanta." 1 Thus it was that Buckingham found his master still busy, as of old, in the vain attempt to strike out a middle path between irreconcilably opposite pretensions. The day after his return was spent in anxious deliberation. If he had had his way, no doubt all further negotiation would have been broken off at once; but James's mind was not yet ripe for this step, and he was obliged to wait a little longer till events forced on the inevitable decision. On one point at least there was Liberation of no hesitation. Williams was ordered to open the the priests. prison doors, and to set the priests at liberty, that they might join in the general rejoicing.2 Oct. 7. Oct. 8. On the following day couriers were despatched in every direction. A letter to Frederick, laying before him plainly and distinctly the Spanish proposal for his son's marriage, was easy enough to write.3 It was Frederick. far more difficult to know in what terms the Court of Spain was to be addressed. Proposal made by James to 1623 Sept. 24. going into a nunnery. BRISTOL DEPRECATES A BREACH. 133 In considering this all-important question, James had be fore him a bundle of despatches, written on September 24, which had recently arrived from Bristol. A difference The had arisen about the Infanta's portion, which Bristol Infanta's portion. had proposed to receive, at stated terms, in ready money, whilst Olivares, who knew well how empty his master': treasury was, would only agree to pay a small part of the sum in money, whilst the rest was to be commuted partly for its worth in jewels, partly for a yearly rent, calculated at five per cent. upon the capital, and secured upon landed property in Question of Spain. In writing both to the King and to the Prince, the Infanta's Bristol reverted to the question which had been raised about the possibility of the Infanta's betaking herself to a nunnery. On this point, he said, the King would give any security that might be desired. "I must now crave leave," he continued in his letter to the Prince, "to speak unto your Highness like a faithful, plain servant, which is, if your Highness's pleasure be to have use made of the powers you have left in my hands, I no way doubt but, in this particular, such satisfaction will be given as will appear reasonable to all the world. But, if your Highness desire that these powers should not be used, they may be detained upon other just reasons which will arise in the treaty of the temporal articles; and I doubt not but the marriage may be deferred for some few days upon other fair pretexts. But these inconveniences I conceive will follow :-- First, it will be of great discomfort to the Infanta, who, until the marriage is past, is not her own woman, but must be governed by the pleasure of the junta, which, I think, she is very weary of; neither till then may she declare herself to be yours, nor comply with your Highness in answering of your letters and messages, and giving you those respects and comforts which I know she would be glad to do ; but if she would any way judge that the delay of the marriage should arise from. your Highness's part, I conceive she would take it most heavily. Secondly, it will certainly raise great jealousies in this King and his ministers, and retard the resolutions that are fit to be 1 Bristol to the Prince, Sept. 24, Cabala, 94. Bristol to Calvert, Sept. 24, S. P. Spain. taken with speed, for the putting in execution that which is capitulated. I therefore offer it unto your Highness's wisdom whether, upon the satisfaction which they will give in this particular, which will be whatsoever you can desire, and upon the agreement of the temporal articles your Highness would, upon the coming of the Pope's approbation, make any further scruple in the delivering of your Highness's powers." 1 To the King, Bristol spoke of his own difficult position even more explicitly. "I must further," he wrote, "let your Majesty understand that the first of the temporal articles is that the marriage shall be within ten days after the arrival of the Pope's approbation, which is hourly expected; so that I must deal like a faithful servant with your Majesty. If, upon the coming of the Pope's approbation, I should withhold the powers, and they understand that it is by a secret order of the Prince's, there being a clause in the said powers that the Prince shall no ways, either in part or whole, revoke the said powers, or detract from them, but that they shall be in force till Christmas, I fear your Majesty will find your business much disturbed and retarded by it." 2 Oct. 8. The marriage to be postponed To Bristol's assurances about the Infanta there was nothing more to be said. "We have resolved," wrote James, "with the great liking of our son, to rest upon that security in point of doubt of the Infanta's taking a religious house, which you, in your judgment, shall think meet." The ambassador's statement that any postponement of the marriage would be attended with grave difficulties was thrown away upon James. He went on to say that it was his special pleasure that it should take place shortly after Christmas, that holy and joyful time best fitting so notable and blessed an action.' till assurance is given about the Palatinate. "But first," he continued, "we will that you repair presently to that King and give him knowledge of the safe arrival of our dear son to our Court, so satisfied and taken with the great entertainments, personal kindness, favour, and respect he hath received from that King and Court. as he seems not able to Bristol to the Prince, Sept. 24, Clarendon State Papers, i. App. xx. 2 Bristol to the King, Sept. 24, Hardwicke State Papers, i. 481. |