chamber to the Prince: fo that his Majefty cheerfully approved the election they had made, and wished it might be prefently imparted to them; faying, that many things would occur to them, as neceffary to the journey, that they two would never think of; and took that occafion to fend for Sir Francis Cottington to come presently to him, (whilft the other two remained with him), who, being of custom waiting in the outward room, was quickly brought in; whilft the Duke whispered the Prince in the ear, that Cottington would be against the journey, and his Highness answered he durft not.

The King told him, that he had always been an honeft man, and therefore he was now to truft him in an affair of the highest importance, which he was not upon his life to disclose to any man alive; then faid to him, "Cottington, here is baby Charles and Stenny," (an appellation he always ufed of and towards the Duke,)" who have a great mind to go by poft into Spain, to fetch home the Infanta, and will have but "two more in their company, and have chofen you for 66 one. What think you of the journey?" He often protested fince, that when he heard the King, he fell into fuch a trembling, that he could hardly speak. But when the King commanded him to answer him, what he thought of the journey, he replied, that he could not think well of it, and that he believed it would render all that had been done towards the match fruitlefs: for that Spain would no longer think themselves obliged by thofe articles, but that, when they had the Prince in their hands, they would make new overtures, which they believed more advantageous to them; amongst which they must look for many that would concern religion, and the exercise of it in Eng,

land.

land. Upon which the King threw himself upon his bed, and faid, "I told you this before," and fell into new paffion and lamentation, that he was undone and should lose baby Charles.

There appeared difpleafure and anger enough in the countenances both of the Prince and Duke; the latter faying, that as foon as the King fent for him, he whispered the Prince in the ear, that he would be against it; that he knew his pride well enough; and that, because he had not been firft advised with, he was refolved to diflike it; and therefore he reproached Cottington with all poffible bitternefs of words; told him the King afked him only of the journey, and which would be the best way, of which he might be a competent counfellor, having made the way fo often by poft: but that he had the prefumption to give his advice upon matter of state, and against his Mafter, without being called to it, which he should repent as long as he lived; with a thousand new reproaches, which put the poor King into a new agony on the behalf of a fervant, who he forefaw would fuffer for anfwering him honeftly. Upon which he faid, with fome commotion," Nay, by God, "Stenny, you are very much to blame to ufe him fo. "He answered me directly to the question I asked him, "and very honestly and wifely: and yet you know he "faid no more than I told you, before he was called "in." However, after all this paffion on both parts, the King yielded, and the journey was at that conference agreed on, and all directions given according to Sir Francis Cottington; the King having now plainly discovered, that the whole intrigue was originally contrived by the Duke, and fo violently pursued by his fpirit and impetuofity.

The

The manner, circumftances, and conclufion of that voyage, with the extraordinary accidents that happened in it, will no doubt be at large remembered by whofoever shall have the courage to write the tranfactions of that time, with that integrity he ought to do in which it will manifeftly appear, how much of the prophet was in the wisdom of the King; and that that defigned marriage, which had been fo many years in treaty, even from the death of Prince Harry, and fo near concluded, was folely broken by that journey; which, with the paffages before mentioned, King James never forgave the Duke of Buckingham; but retained as sharp a memory of it as his nature could contain.

This indifpofition of the King towards the Duke was exceedingly increased and aggravated upon and after the Prince's return out of Spain. For though it brought infinite joy and delight to his Majefty, which he expreffed in all imaginable transport, and was the argument of the loudest and most univerfal rejoicing over the whole kingdom, that the nation had ever been acquainted with; in which the Duke had fo full a harveft, that the imprudence and prefumption (to say no more) of carrying the Prince into Spain was totally forgotten, or not remembered with any reference to him, and the high merit and ineftimable obligation, in bringing him home, was remembered, magnified, and celebrated by all men in åll places; yet the King was wonderfully disquieted, when he found (which he had not before their return fufpected) that the Prince was totally aliened from all thoughts of, or inclination to, the marriage; and that they were refolved to break it, with or without his approbation or confent. And in this the Duke re

fumed

fumed the fame impetuofity he had fo much indulged to himself in the debate of the journey into Spain.

ment is

the Prince's

1

The King had, upon the Prince's return, iffued A Parlia out writs to call a Parliament, which was in the twenty- called after firft year of his reign, thinking it neceffary, with rela- return. tion to the perplexities he was in, for the breach of this match with Spain, (which he forefaw muft enfue), and the fad condition of his only Daughter in Germany, with her numerous iffue, to receive their grave advice. By the time the Parliament could meet, the Prince's entire confidence being repofed ftill in the Duke, as the King's feemed to be, the Duke had wrought himself into the very great efteem and confidence of the principal members of both Houses of Parliament, who were moft like to be the leading men, and had all a defire to have as much reputation in the Court, as they had in the country. It was very reasonably thought neceffary, that as the King would, at the opening of the Parliament, make mention of the treaty with Spain, and more at large of his Daughter's being driven out of the Palatinate, which would require their affiftance and aid; fo that the Prince and Duke fhould afterwards, to one or both Houses, as occafion fhould be offered, make a relation of what had paffed in Spain, especially concerning the Palatinate that fo the Houfes being put into fome method and order of their future debate, they might be more easily regulated, than if they were in the beginning left to that liberty, which they naturally affected, and from which they would not be reftrained, but in fuch a manner as would be grateful to themselves.

:

Things being thus concerted, after the Houfes had

been

been three or four days together, (for in that time fome days were always fpent in the formality of naming committees, and providing for common occurrences, before they made an entrance upon more solemn debates,) the Prince began to fpeak of the Spanish affairs, and of his own journey thither; and forgot not to mention the Duke with more than ordinary affection. Whereupon it was thought fit, that the whole affair, which was likewise to be the principal fubject matter of all their confultations, fhould be stated and enlarged upon, in a conference between the two Houses, which his Highnefs and the Duke were defired to manage. How little notice foever any body elfe could take of the change, the Duke himself too well knew the hearty refentment the King had of what had paffed, and the affection he still had for the Spanish treaty; and therefore he had done, and refolved ftill to do, all he could, to make himself grateful to the Parliament, and popular amongst the people, who he knew had always detefted the match with Spain, or in truth any alliance with that nation. So when, at the conference, the Prince had made a and Duke's fhort introduction to the bufinefs, and faid fome very kind things of the Duke, of his wonderful care of at a con- him whilft he was in Spain, and the great dexterity tween both he ufed in getting him away, he referred the whole

The

Prince's

account of

the journey

ference be

Houfes.

relation to him; who faid, "That the true ground of "the Prince's journey into Spain, which he well "knew had begot fuch a terrible panting in the "hearts of all good Englishmen, had been only to "make a clear difcovery of the fincerity of the Spa"niard, and, if his intentions were real, to put a speedy "end to it by marrying of the lady upon the place : "if he found it otherwife, to put his father and him

"felf