The first difficulty of the negotiation, however, turned upon the marriage treaty. Both James and Charles had assured Parliament that there would be no article in favour of the English Catholics, and for the present they both intended to keep the promise which they had given. The mar riage treaty "The constitution of our estate," wrote James in the instructions which he gave to Carlisle, "cannot bear any general change or alteration in our ecclesiastical or temporal laws touching religion for so much as concerns our own subjects." Even for the Catholics themselves it would be better that they should rely on his own clemency than on a treaty with any foreign power. "For when," he added, "they shall have the reins loosed to them, they may, by abuse of favour and liberty, constrain us, contrary to our natural affections, to deal with them with more rigour than we are inclined to; so as we may not article for dispensation and liberty to our Roman Catholic subjects, but hold the reins of those laws in our own gracious hands. And you may assure that King and his ministers that, in contemplation of that marriage, we shall be the rather inclined to use our subjects Roman Catholics with all favour, so long as they shall behave themselves moderately; and, keeping their consciences to themselves, shall use their conversation without scandal." 1 The first meeting between the ambassadors and the commissioners named by Louis took place on May 31. As was May 31. often the case in those days the progress of business was stopped by a question of precedence. Richelieu. was one of the commissioners, and claimed honours as a cardinal, which the representatives of Protestant England were unwilling to concede. At last the difficulty was got rid of by Richelieu's taking to his bed under pretence of illness. He would thus cease to enter into competition with those who were seated in a sick man's chamber. tioning the The next dispute was more serious. The English ambassadors offered to take up the treaty which had been sketched 1 Instructions to Carlisle and Kensington, Harl. MSS. 1584, fol. 10. 1624 LOUIS DEMANDS TOLERATION. 251 out in 1613, when a marriage had been contemplated between Charles and the Princess's elder sister Christina, and in which there was no mention of toleration except for the bride and her household. The French commissioners at once refused to accept this proposal as sufficient. On their side they had drawn up articles framed upon the model of the Spanish treaty, one of which contained an express engagement on the part of the v King of England that no Catholic in his dominions should be molested on account of his religion. Further discussion did not tend to remove the difficulty. "No man," said the ambassadors, "shall be persecuted for being a Catholic. But if he goes to mass he will be punished for disobeying the law." After this it is not strange that an assurance that James would give a verbal promise of his intention to show favour to the Catholics made but little impression on Louis. Nothing less than a written engagement, he informed Carlisle, would be satisfactory. James might keep this engagement secret if he pleased; but it was indispensable that it should be in writing.1 June. Charles draws back. Whatever might be the value of the French alliance, it ought to have been evident that it was not worth purchasing on these terms. It was better to go to war without the help of France than to go to war without the help of the English Parliament. There could be no doubt that if the promises solemnly given by King and Prince were heedlessly flung aside, it would be hopeless to expect the support of the House of Commons. Not indeed, that, at first, it seemed likely that these promises would be broken. Tillières, as soon as he was apprised of the difficulties raised in Paris, reported that, though James's scruples might perhaps be overcome, nothing was to be expected from Charles. The Prince was 'very hard,' having 'little inclination to satisfy France in these essential points.' He was surrounded by Puritans, and would soon be a Puritan himself.2 1 Viile-aux-Clercs to Tillières, June June 2, Harl. MSS. 4594, fʊl. 41, 64 b. 2 Tillières to Ville-aux-Clercs, June 6 II Louis XIII. to Tillières, ibid. fol. 59. If Louis's demand had been pressed in the harsh terms in which it was originally couched, the negotiation would pro La Vieuville hints that the demand was only made to please the Pope. bably have been strangled at its commencement. La Vieuville, however, with wisdom beyond that of his master, was little solicitous for an engagement which it was as impolitic for Louis to exact as it would be for James to give, and he was very anxious to secure the practical co-operation of England in his resistance to Spain. La Vieuville's wisdom unfortunately was for others rather than for himself, and in pursuance of his own objects he allowed himself to use words which Louis was certain to disavow as soon as they came to his ears. "Give us," he said to the English ambassador, “some stuff with which we may satisfy the Pope, and we will throw ourselves heart and soul into your interests." "They do here," wrote Carlisle, "let fall unto us that though they are bound to make these high deJune 14. mands for their own honour, the satisfaction of those of the Catholic party, and particularly for the facilitating of the dispensation at Rome, yet it will be always in your Majesty's power to put the same in execution according to your own pleasure; and they do also with strong protestations labour to persuade us that when the articles of marriage shall be signed, they will enter into treaty for the making of a strict conjunction with your Majesty for the redress of the general affairs of Christendom, and will declare themselves to espouse your Majesty's interests, so as both the treaties shall be ratified together."' ' Carlisle to the King, June 14, S. P. France. The person from whom the idea about the Pope came is not mentioned in this letter. But in a later despatch (Carlisle and Holland to Conway, Oct. 9, S. P. France), the words given above are quoted as La Vieuville's-" Donnez nous de faste pour contenter le Pape, et nous nous jetterons dans vos intérêts à corps perdus." At a time when Charles had the greatest interest in showing that Louis or Richelieu had encouraged the idea that the engagement was only offered to satisfy the Pope, with the express understanding that it might be disregarded in England, no one ever ventured to state that they personally had done so. The charge was always made impersonally, and had its foundation, I believe, upon these overtures of La Vieuville. Richelieu, indeed, when pushed hard, may have said, that without the engagement the Pope would not consent, and may have made civil 1624 French pre war. JAMES DRAWS BACK. 253 To give weight to these words the French preparations for war were hurried on. Already on May 31 a treaty had been drawn up by which France engaged to assist the parations for Dutch with large sums of money, and immediately afterwards Venice and Savoy were asked to join in the support of Mansfeld. On June 19 three French armies were ordered to prepare themselves for active service. Two of these were posted respectively in Picardy and at Metz, whilst the third, being stationed on the frontier towards Franche Comté and Savoy, would be equally available for an attack upon the Palatinate or for an attack upon the Valtelline.' Dissatisfac As far as it is now possible to ascertain the truth, these measures made little impression on James. He ordered the judges to see to the execution of the penal laws.* tion in Eng- The French alliance suddenly ceased to form the staple of conversation at Court, and those who were behind the scenes began to make inquiries about the good looks of marriageable princesses in Germany.3 land. La Vieuville saw that something more must be done if the negotiation was to be saved. He begged Kensington to return to England to propound a middle course. If James ville's middle objected to sign an engagement, he would perhaps not object to write a letter containing the promise La Vieu course. required. To give greater effect to this proposal, Tillières, who had never given more than a half-hearted support to the marriage, was recalled. His successor was the Marquis of Effiat, a man endowed with much of the tact and ability of Gondomar. He had not been in England many days before he found his way to the heart of James by eagerly Effiat sent as ambassador to England. speeches about his readiness to oblige the King of England if it were not for the Pope; or even said that the King would not be bound in case of actual danger to the State from the Catholics. But I do not believe that he ever used words to imply that the whole engagement was a sham one, got up for the purpose of deceiving the Pope. 1 Siri, Mem. Rec. v. 603; Kensington to Conway, June 15, S. P. France. Nethersole to Carleton, June 25, S. P. Dom. clxviii. 40. listening to his long stories about his triumphs in the hunting field; but he was too clear-sighted not to perceive that his chief effort must be made in another direction. Buckingham, now recovered from his illness, was again at Court, and whoever could gain the ear of Buckingham had gone far to secure the approbation of his master. gained by The French demands which had startled James and his son, had not startled Buckingham. To embark with all his July. heart upon some darling scheme, and to treat all Buckingham obstacles as not existing, was the course dictated to Effiat. Buckingham by his sanguine and energetic nature. He was now bent on chastising Spain and reconquering the Palatinate. These objects he believed could only be attained with French aid; if so, we may imagine him arguing, the terms laid down by France must be complied with. When Europe was at his feet, who would think of reminding him of the Royal promise that those terms should not be granted? He assured Effiat that he would stake his personal reputation on the success of the marriage negotiations. He was ready to row in the same boat with him. If the marriage did not take place it would be his ruin.1 It was a momentous resolution-how momentous for himself and for England, Buckingham little knew. Before Effiat's La Vieuville's proposal accepted by James. courteous flattery all difficulties faded away, and though the ambassador had not himself been entrusted with the secret of La Vieuville's suggestion, his presence was none the less favourable to its reception. After all, it might be argued, to write a letter could hardly be a breach of the Royal promise. When Kensington returned to Paris he carried with him the news that James was ready to embody in a letter his already declared resolution to show favour to his Catholic subjects. James had taken but a little step in advance; he doubtless intended that the letter should not contain any bindAug. 2. Disgrace of ing engagement, but he had left the firm ground on La Vieuville. which he had hitherto stood, and if he once began to discuss with a foreign sovereign the administration of the 1 Effiat to Louis XIII., July Harl. MSS. 4594, fol. 115. 8 18' |