ment of a re-united Church, such as that which De Dominis had lately advocated to unwelcome ears, why did he not say so, except because, though he objected to a downright falsehood, he had no objection to an equivocation? Of all men who have expressed an opinion on Charles's actions, surely no one was so likely to form a favourable judgment of them as Clarendon, and yet it was from that statesman, at a time when he was in exile for his devotion to his sovereign, that the bitterest condemnation of this letter proceeded. "The letter to the Pope," he wrote to Sir Edward Nicholas, "is, by your favour, more than compliment, and may be a warning that nothing is to be done and said in that nice argument but what will bear the light."

May 23.

Decision of

the Theo

year.

At last, on May 23, the Junta of Theologians pronounced its sentence. They held that if Philip was to take the oath . with a good conscience, the Infanta must remain in Spain for at least a year after the marriage ceremony logians to had been performed; within which time the suspenkeep the Infanta for a sion of the penal laws, and the concession to the Catholics of the free exercise of their religion in private houses, must be publicly proclaimed in England. The King, the Prince, and the Privy Council must swear that the favours thus accorded would never be withdrawn ; and, finally, they must manage either to obtain the assent of Parliament within the year to what they had done, or at least they must have proceeded so far that there could no longer be any doubt that it would not be refused.

Olivares had his way, without violence or menace. In the face of the opposition of the Council he had summoned to his aid the Junta of Theologians.

In the hands of the Spanish minister, these learned canonists and divines now occupied the place which had been previously assigned to the Pope. From them came the demands to which it might well be thought even Charles would find it impossible to agree. It was now the turn of Olivares to express his regret for the decision taken, at the same time that he announced the necessity of conforming to whatever it might be. In the presence of a bold and decided politician, with

■ definite scheme of action before him, and who shrank from no deception, however gross, in the attainment of the objects he had in view, a poor lovesick youth like Charles, with his petty reticences and dissimulations, had no chance whatever.

informed..

The very evening on which the Theologians had delivered their sentence, Olivares presented himself before the Prince The Prince with a smiling face, to inform him of their decision.1 Furious at the news, Buckingham lost his temper, and poured forth a torrent of abuse. There was nothing but trickery and deceit, he said, in the whole business. "It would have been better," replied Olivares, coldly, "if you had never meddled with it, but had left it in Bristol's hands.' The next day Cottington was sent once more to ask leave for the Prince to return to England. The request was politely received, but Charles was entreated not to forget his promise to remain at least till he had time to communicate with his father. As usual, Charles gave way, and Cottington was ordered to make every preparation to start for England as soon as the Spanish ministers could find time to furnish him with copies of the documents in which the late proceedings were recounted.

It was apparently about this time, that in defending the right of the King of Spain to make fresh demands, Olivares

Olivares urges the Prince to

resorted to the perilous course of referring to the words which had been spoken by Philip III. upon concessions. his deathbed, and proceeded to argue that as the match was not really intended by the late King, his son was perfectly at liberty to propose new conditions.2 As soon as this outrageous inference was reported to Bristol, he at once

Francisco de Jesus, 76.

2 The conversation is given by Hacket, 146, as taking place at a later date. But this writer is not to be trusted for details, and Valaresso, 20th writing on the of June, says that in a letter written to him by some 30th May 28 one about the Prince on he was told 'che Spagnoli portando June 7' l'affare come non più lor ma fatto del Pontefice, aggionti ai proprii moti anco gl'eccitamenti degli Inglesi Catolici, lasciassèro il vecchio tratatto con la stabilita conivenza, ed in suo luogo dimandassero aperta libertà de conscienza; che ad indolenza del Principe di questa innovatione fosse

appealed to Sir Walter Aston, who repeated the strong language in which the present King had, within eight days after his father's death, declared his intention of going on seriously with the marriage treaty. Olivares then changed his tone, and began talking of the Infanta's aversion to marry anyone who was not a Catholic. Upon this, Bristol produced the paper containing the opinion delivered by Olivares on November 28, in which he had recommended that the Prince of Wales should be married to an Archduchess, and showed that the opinion thus given was rejected by the Council of State, and that the articles which Olivares now wished to set aside, had been officially agreed to four days afterwards. As to the Infanta's alleged dislike of the marriage, he attributed it entirely to the influence of her confessor, who was now dead.'

Bristol's inference from all this was that Charles should withstand the temptations of Olivares, and summon the Spanish ministry to abide by the articles as they originally stood. If, indeed, he had been allowed to take the matter into his own hands, it is almost certain that nothing more would have been heard of the marriage treaty. Charles, however, was not so to be dealt with. Deaf to all questions of policy, he could neither think nor speak of anything but the Infanta. It was but a day or two since that he had startled the rigid propriety of the Spanish Court, by leaping into a garden in which the lady of his affections was walking. The poor girl shrieked and fled, and it was with some difficulty that the Prince was persuaded, by the supplications of her guardian, to leave the place.2

Charles attempts to speak to the Infanta.

Under these circumstances, Charles had recourse to Bristol, in the vain hope that he might be able to obtain what had been

risposto che le trattationi prima della sa andata si tenevano di sola mostra, et esser falso opinione che nella sua ultima volontà i fu Rè ordinasse questo matrimonio; mentre anzi lasciò l'Infanta al figliuolo del Imperator.' Valaresso to the Doge, Venice MSS. Desp. Ingh.

1 Bristol to the King, Aug. 18, S. P. Spain.

2 The story is told by Howell, in a letter said to have been written on the roth of July. It is, however, referred to by Corner in his despatch of June

Venice MSS. Desp. Spagna.

1623

Charles may

stay

sent to Eng

THE SPANIARDS STAND FIRM.

53

refused to Buckingham. The Ambassador, ever ready to carry out his orders, went to the Nuncio, and painted in glowing colours the great things that would be done in Spain for the Catholics as soon as the Infanta was safely in if he likes. London. If they had any doubt, he said, on this point, they might at once send the bishop who was to preside over the clergy of her household, whose admission to the country would be a sure proof of the King's sincerity. Finding no signs of yielding in De Massimi, Bristol next asked to plead his master's cause before the Junta of Theologians. It was all in vain. The Infanta, he was told, would certainly not be allowed to leave Spain for a year; though a hint was dropped that the Prince might be married at once, if he would be content to remain with his wife in Spain. Finding that nothing was to be done, Charles desisted from his efforts for the time, and Cottington on May 31 Cottington at last started for England. and Inojosa The Marquis of Inojosa left a day or two later on his land. special mission.2 Cottington had been hastened away before the Spaniards had furnished the promised documents. When they at last came they were forwarded by a special messenger, accompanied by a letter which bears in every line the impress alike of the vain hopes with which Charles was accustomed to solace himself, and of the petty trickery by which he fancied that he could deceive such a bold dissembler as Olivares. "We make no doubt," wrote the young man, "but to have the opinions of these busy divines reversed, so your Majesty will be pleased to begin to put in execution the favour towards your Roman Catholic subjects that ye will be bound to do by your oath, as soon as the Infanta comes over; which we hope you will do for the hastening of us home with this protestation, to reverse all, if there be any delay of the marriage. We send you here the articles as they are to go, the oaths private and public, that you and your Baby are to take, with the Council's, wherein, if you scare at the least clause of your private oath, where you promise that the Parliament shall revoke all the penal laws against the Papists within three years, we 2 See p. 29.

1 Ibid. Aston to Calvert, June

20°

sought good to tell your Majesty our opinions, which is, that if you think you may do it in that time,-which we think you may,—if you do your best, although it take not effect, you have not broken your word, for this promise is only as a security that will do you 1 best." your

March.

April. Rutland to command the fleet.

James was beginning at last to open his eyes to the difficulties with which his darling scheme was surrounded. When the news of his son's arrival at Madrid first reached Bonfires in him he ordered bells to be rung and bonfires to be London. lighted. For some time, no one who wished to be in favour at Court spoke otherwise than hopefully of the marriage. None but the envious, wrote Conway, or vile almanack-makers, who argue from the conjunction of the planets, talk of delay any longer.2 James's chief occupation during the month of April consisted in hastening on the equipment of the fleet which was to sail in May, under the command of the Earl of Rutland, who, as Buckingham's father-in-law, was preferred before all other competitors. To the complaints which were everywhere to be heard against his favourite, he resolutely turned a deaf ear. He amused himself with writing gossiping letters to Lady Buckingham, and in playing with her child.3 He raised Christopher Villiers to the earldom of Anglesea. To BuckMay 18. ingham himself he gave the proudest title which was Buckingham in the gift of an English sovereign. Since Norfolk's duke. execution, there had been no dukes in England. The high dignity was now revived in the person of the Duke of Buckingham. In order to save the feelings of Lennox, who had for some years borne the title of Earl of Richmond in

created a

The Prince and Buckingham to the King, June 6, Hardwicke S. P. i. 419.

2 Conway to Wentworth, April 4, S. P. Dom. cxlii. 34.

"This day his Majesty came to Hyde Park, at the entry whereof he found a fair lady, indeed the fairest Lady Mary in England, and he made a great deal of love to her, and gave her his watch, and kept her as long pleased with him as he could, not without expression to all the company that it was a miracle that such an ugly, deformed father should have so sweet a child."- Conway to Buckingham, May 3, Goodman's Court of King James, ii. 290.