L. CHA P. intimate alliance betwixt the nations. Not to mention, that, as a new fpirit began about this time to animate the councils of France, the friendship of England became every day more necessary to the greatness and security of the Spanish monarchy. 1622. 1623. ALL measures being, therefore, agreed on between the parties, nought was wanting but the dispensation from Rome, which might be confidered as a mere formality K. The king, justified by success, now exulted in his pacific counsels, and boasted of his superior sagacity and penetration; when all these flattering prospects were blasted by the temerity of a man, whom he had fondly exalted from a private condition, to be the bane of himself, of his family, and of his people. EVER since the fall of Somerset, Buckingham had Charader governed, with an uncontrolled sway, both the court of Buck- and nation; and could James's eyes have been opened, ingham. he had now fuil opportunity of observing how unfit his favourite was for the high station, to which he was raised. Some accomplishments of a courtier he possessed : Of every talent of a minister he was utterly devoid. Headstrong in his passions, and incapable equally of prudence and diffimulation: Sincere from violence rather than candour; expensive from profusion more than generosity: A warm friend, a furious enemy; but without any choice or difcernment in either: With these qualities he had early and quickly mounted to the highest rank; and partook at once of the insolence which attends a fortune newly acquired, and the impetuosity which belongs to persons born in high ftations, and unacquainted with opposition. AMONG those who had experienced the arrogance of this overgrown favourite, the prince of Wales himself had not been entirely spared; and a great coldness, if not an enmity, had, for that reason, taken place between them. Buckingham, defirous of an opportunity, which might connect him with the prince, and overcome his aversion, and at the same time envious of the great credit acquired by Bristol in the Spanish negotiation, bethought himself of an expedient, by which he might at once gratify both these inclinations. He represented to Charles, that persons of his exalted station were peculiarly unfor * Rushworth, vol. i. p. 66. tunate 2 L. tunate in their marriage, the chief circumstance in life; CHA P. and commonly received into theirarms a bride, unknown to them, to whom they were unknown; not endeared by sympathy, not obliged by services; wooed by treaties 1623. alone, by negociations, by political interests: That however accomplished the Infanta, she must still confider herself as a melancholy victim of state, and could not but think with aversion of that day, when she was to enter the bed of a stranger; and passing into a foreign country and a new family, bid adieu for ever to her father's house and to her native land: That it was in the prince's power to foften all these rigours, and lay such an obligation on her, as would attach the most indifferent temper, as would warm the coldest affections: That his journey to Madrid would be an unexpected gallantry, which would equal all the fictions of Spanish romance, and fuiting the amorous and enterprising character of that nation, must immediately introduce him to the princess under the agreeable character of a devoted lover and daring adventurer: That the negociations with regard to the Palatinate, which had hitherto languished in the hands of ministers, would quickly be terminated by so illustrious an agent, seconded by the mediation and intreaties of the grateful Infanta: That the Spanish generosity, moved by that unexampled trust and confidence, would make concessions beyond what could be expected from political views and confiderations: And that he would quickly return to the king with the glory of having re-established the unhappy Palatine, by the same enterprize, which procured him the affections and the perfon of the Spanish princess The mind of the young prince, replete with candor, was inflamed by these generous and romantic ideas. He agreed to make application to the king for his approbation. They chose the moment of his kindest and most jovial humour; and more by the earnestness which they expreffed, than by the force of their reasons, they obtained a hasty and unguarded consent to their undertaking. And having erigaged his promise to keep their purpose secret, they left him, in order to make preparations for the journey. No Clarendon, vol. i. p. 11, 12. L. 1623. CHAP. No sooner was the king alone, than his temper, more cautious than sanguine, suggested very different views of the matter, and represented every difficulty and danger, which could occur. He reflected, that, however the world might pardon this fally of youth in the prince, they would never forgive himself, who, at his years, and after his experience, could entrust his only fon, the heir of his crown, the prop of his age, to the difcretion of foreigners, without so much as providing the frail fecurity of a safe conduct in his favour: That, if the Spanish monarch was fincere in his professions, a few months must finish the treaty of marriage, and bring the Infanta into England; if he was not fincere, the folly was still more egregious of committing the prince into his hands: That Philip, when possessed of so invaluable a pledge, might well rise in his demands, and impose harder conditions of treaty: And that the temerity of this enterprize was so apparent, that the event, however profperous, could never justify it; and if disastrous, it would render himself infamous to his people, and ridiculous to all pofterity L. TORMENTED with these reflections, as soon as the prince and Buckingham returned for their dispatches, he informed them of all the reasons, which had determined him to change his resolution; and he begged them to defift from fo foolish an adventure. The prince received the disappointment with forrowful fubmission and filent tears: Buckingham prefumed to speak in an imperious tone, which he had ever experienced to be prevalent over his too easy master. He told the king, that nobody for the future would believe any thing he said, when he retracted so soon the promise so solemnly given; that he plainly difcerned this change of refolution to proceed from another breach of his word, in communicating the matter to some rascal, who had furnished him with those pitiful reasons which he had alledged, and he doubted not but he should hereafter know who his counsellor had been; and that if he receded from what he had promised, it would be such a disobligation to the prince, who had set his heart upon the journey, after his majefty's approbation, that he could never forget it, nor forgive any man who had been the cause of it M. L Clarendon, vol. i. p. 14. M Id. p. 16. THE L. The king, with great earnestness, fortified by many CHAP. oaths, made his apology, by denying that he had communicated the matter to any man; and finding himself affailed, as well by the boisterous importunities of Buck- 1623. ingham, as by the warm entreaties of his son, whose applications had hitherto, on other occasions, been always dutiful, never earnest; he had again the weakness to assent to their purposed journey. It was agreed that Sir Francis Cottington alone, the prince's secretary, and Endymion Porter, gentleman of his bed-chamber, should accompany them; and the former being at that time in the anti-chamber, he was immediately called in by the king's orders. "Cot JAMES told Cottington, that he had always been an honest man, and therefore he was now to trust him in an affair of the highest importance, which he was not, upon his life, to disclose to any man whatever. tington," added he, " here is baby Charles and Stenny," (these ridiculous appellations he usually gave the prince and Buckingham) " who have a great mind to 66 go post into Spain, and fetch home the Infanta : They will have but two more in their company, and "have chosen you for one. What think you of the Journey?" Sir Francis, who was a prudent man, and had resided some years in Spain as the king's agent, was struck with all the obvious objections to such an enterprize, and scrupled not to declare them. The king threw himself upon his bed, and cried, I told you this before; and fell into a new passion and new lamentations, complaining that he was undone, and should lose baby Charles. THE prince shewed, by his countenance, that he was extremely dissatisfied with Cottington's discourse; but Buckingham broke into an open passion against him. The king, he told him, asked him only of the Journey and of the manner of travelling; particulars, of which he might be a competent judge, having gone the road so often by post; but that he, without being called to it, had the presumption to give his advice upon matters of state against his master, which he should repent as long as he lived. A thousand other reproaches he added, which put the poor king into a new agony in behalf of a servant, who he foresaw, would suffer for answering him honestly. Upon which he said, with some emotion, L. 1623. CHAP. tion, Nay, by God, Stenny, you are much to blame for using him fo: He answered me directly to the question ✔ which I asked him, and very honestly and wisely; and yet, you know, he said no more than I told you before he was called in. However, after all this passion on both sides, James renewed his consent; and proper directions were given for the journey. Nor was he now at any loss to discover, that the whole intrigue was originally contrived by Buckingham, as well as pursued violently by his spirit and impetuosity. THESE circumstances, which so well characterise the perfons, seems to have been related by Cottington to lord Clarendon, from whom they are here transcribed; and though minute, are not undeserving of a place in history. THE prince and Buckingham, with their two attendants, and Sir Richard Graham, master of the horse to Buckingham, passed disguised and undiscovered through France; and they even ventured into a court-ball at Paris, where Charles saw the princess Henrietta, whom he afterwards espoused, and who was at that time in the 7th March. bloom of youth and beauty. In eleven days after their departure from London they arrived at Madrid; and furprince's prized every body by a step so little usual among great journey princes. The Spanish monarch immediately paid Charles to Spain. The a visit, expressed the utmost gratitude for the confidence reposed in him, and made warm protestations of a correfpondent confidence and friendship. By the most studied civilities, he shewed the respect which he bore his royal guest. He gave him a golden key, which opened all his apartments, that the prince might, without any introduction, have access to him at all hours: He took the left hand of him on every occasion, except in the apartments assigned to Charles; for there, he said, the prince was at home: Charles was introduced into the palace with the same pomp and ceremony which attends the kings of Spain on their coronation: The council received public orders to obey him as the king himself: Olivarez too, though a grandee of Spain, who has the right of being covered before his own king, would not put on his hat in the prince's prefence M: All the prisons of Spain were thrown open, and all the prisoners received M Franklyn, p 73. |