his name and Surname and his person so well as no change of his apparrel nor disguising of his body can cause him to mistake or be deceived By his report that party is no. Clergie man though he be a good Schollar and reputed to have an excellent Latin pen. But those commendable quallities are drowned by his greater vices he being much addicted to lewde women and unsatiable drinking He is now by this mans information resident in a town upon the Frontiers of Germany And as for Flavius he can if he truly declare where he lurketh and assureth me that his wife is at a place within ten leagues of this town The Cannon that did oversee the presse and withdrew the leaves of this booke as they were printed is called as he heard Mr. Claud. and dwelleth at Nostre Dame de Halles whither I purpose to send him this Easter holidaies to make farther inquirie More then these and some other particulars which are so transcendent as I dare neither believe nor set them down in writing he will not impart unto me until he be assured of his Majesties protection by a Letter under his hand and a competent reward for his labours And the reason he alledgeth therefore is that if once it be known he did meddle in this matter there can be no more safety for him to continue in these provinces He doth further undertake that in case his Majestie will be pleased to grant him his demands allow mony for the expences of the journy and give him two persons of courage and fidelity to accompanie him he will either lose his life or put the sayd author into their hands who may carry him as he thinketh with little danger either into the Pallatinate or the united Provinces Hereupon I guesse that if this report be well grownded that wicked fellow must be in or near about the town of Cullen I cannot amongst all those of my acquaintance and his Majesties subjects here call to mind any one so fit for this interprize as the Gentleman whose name is written in Cipher in my letter to his Majestie For he is universally well spoken of for his honestie and other good Parts and in sundry occasions hath given good testimony of his ardent desire to do his Majestie some remarkeable and meritorious service And his sufficiencie being better known to his Majestie then to my self I will not commend it any further The want of imployment and some disgustes he received in Holland while he served there compelled him by necessity to looke for preferment under the King of Spain But hitherto his religion the respect he beareth to his Majestie and my perswasions have detained him from those Courses By him I am told that he hath heard out of the mouths of one Captain Carpentine and his son in law Captain Hamilton pencioners to the King of Spain but subjects to his Majestie that they being one day walking in a street at Antwerp called the Major Brugg where they reside with 4. or 5. others in their companie and there happening some speech amongst them about a book his majestie had then published against the Pope it fell out that one of them apprehending that opportunity said that he had subject enough to furnish a book which should more vex the King of great Brittain then his Majesties book could offend his Holinesse and if he could meet with a Schollar that were able to put it into a method and good latine he would be ready to perform his word Another of the troop made answer that he would undertake the work upon that condition and they both for a great whiles after were absent at Lovain even about the same time that the Libel was forged Perhaps some part of this may draw neer to the verity But they both depending upon the King of Spain as is before mentioned and being averse in religion I am much afraid I shall do little good upon them by examining them before the Arch Dukes Commissioners seeing they may delude me and the truth with equivocation and mental reservation Although he conceiveth that if they were called before a judge and summoned upon their oathes to speake the truth they would not refuse to discharge their consciences I have seriously intreated him to bestow his best indeavour in attempting what he can further learn about this relation and he hath accepted to perform my request The said Gentleman from whom I had it is not willing to be brought publiquely upon the Stage for this businesse lest thereby he should incurre the note of an informer then which nothing is or can be more odious in these parts Neverthelesse he hath promised if his Majestie like to have it so and will be pleased to give commandement for it to justifie what is before rehearsed to their faces Whether both these parties encounter upon one and the same authour or understand them to be divers men I can neither judge nor fortell yet it seemeth that one of them may hit on the right And as I will not spare any paines charges nor peril whatsoever to bring the parent of this child of darkenesse into the light so I hope his Majestie whose cause it is will not refuse to hazard a little mony to give himself satisfaction These things having passed in this manner I humbly beseech your Honour at a fit opportunity when the King is alone to acquaint him with these particulars and intreat his Majestie to keep them secret for I am of opinion being spoken under humble correction and without offence that had not his Majestie by communicating this businesse at the first to Mounsieur Borschot given him meanes to advertize it to his wife who by tatling divulged it and foyled the way we had never been put to half this trouble but had taken Flavius in the form and by him discovered the authour My intention is not that his Majestie should be induced to put 2000. Pistols or the summe that shall be allotted Laken into his hands before the service be done but that his Majestie would vouchsafe if he approve the project to cause so much mony as in his profound wisdom he shall think meet for this occasion to be forthwith remitted to me by Mr. John More by the meanes of Mr. Ducket a Marchant dwelling in Milk street in London to be repayed at Antwerp by Mr. Lionel Wake trading there or by the companie of our English Marchants at Middleborough in Zealand in the name of reward for service done or to buy Tapestries or linnen for his Majestie And I will either return it back again by exchange if this design cannot be effected or defaulk the remaines thereof upon my entertainment All that I would venture in this case should only be for those mens necessary expences that are to be imployed therein and that also I would have not to exceed but to be limitted within the compasse of 200. pounds sterling By apprehending these men the Arch-Dukes cannot take any just
the King and her children that when the Queen fell upon these Complaints they thought to fright her by Pretending to bring forth the Prince of Conde but that the Queen had astonished them by telling them That she was so far from opposing as she desired the liberty of the Prince That the Queens friends would be glad of his liberty for that it could not be prejudicial but rather advantagious at the least it would be honourable for them if his liberty were wrought if not by their intercession at least by their occasion further he told me That he was confident that the Queen would not be gained by their fair words but would persist in her resolution Which discourse of his with some other advertisements doth perswade me that this matter hath a farther root and is likely to bring forth some great alteration here in no long time And I doubt not but that Monsieur de Luine will find with repentance how much better it had been for him to have furthered your Majesties advice for the delivery of the Prince whereby he might have acquired to the King a reputation of Justice and to himself an obligation of a powerful friend in the Prince rather then to leave him to the adventure of the changes that time may produce But if your Counsel did prove fruitlesse to them by their misconceit of it yet it doth and will every day prove more honourable to your Majestie who by your wisdom have foreseen and by your goodnesse have premonished all your neighbours of the mischiefs that threatned them Peradventure they may overcome this effort of the Queenes by fair words to her Person and threats signified afar off and continue the state of affairs in the same condition that now it is which is in few words extreamly Romish Jesuitish and by consequence Spanish Mounsieur de Luine seemeth to me a man in himself capable of reason and by the death of the Marshal d'Anchre eternally bound to be a good Patriot but that he applyes himself wholly to the Kings person and that distrusting his own judgment relies upon the judgment of the Ministers of the State and principally * Du Agen. Du Augen the Chancellour and the Gardeseaux They utterly neglect all the Alliances of our Religion abroad and care not how inconsiderately they oppresse it at home Onely they seem desirous to entertain themselves well with the King of Spain by the intervention of the Nunce and do think that no advantage which they can give the Spaniard by this proceeding in other parts can equal that which they pretend to receive at home by suppressing the State and doctrine of those of the Religion If they proceed long in this train it will undoubtedly breed mischievous designes which there is no so ready way to prevent as to let them generally perceive that they are discovered whereby the proceedings of the Ministers of State will grow so detestable to all those here that have any sense of the love of their Countrey that it will produce either a change of their persons or of their Councels But I do humbly submit the Censure hereof to your Majesties most exquisite judgment whom I do beseech the Almighty long to preserve in health and all perfect happinesse Your Majesties Most humble Subject and Loyal Servant Will. Beechor To King James abignoto Most wise and Glorious Prince BEcause the departure of your Majestie doth not permit me to hope for the honour of seeing you and that the advertisements and orders which I have to communicate unto you do merit your speedy review and magnanimous resolution I have presumed to trust them unto this paper which I do humbly desire may rest in the hands of your Majestie alone The treaty of restoring all that had been taken by Sea which by a motion from Spain was put into the hands of some Ministers in Rome is accompanied with so little hope of obtaining the end that was pretended that by reason of their continuing at Naples to dissipate and waste such goods as they had taken in our ships and the Cardinal Borgias reservednesse to promise any thing that negotiation may be held as vain and as an insidious invention to gain time Neverthelesse my Masters marching still with a constant desire of purchasing the publique tranquillity have been content to render all such vessels as they had taken within their Gulph in hope that having gotten the advantage of the cause by this honest proceeding they might prevail in which they had made at Naples for the restitution of their Galeasses and of the ship called Rosse But the actions and operations of the Spaniards do not answer unto what is desired and hoped For in the Kingdome of Sicilie Naples and Calabria they do muster new Souldiers and they make great preparations for a war by the Sea The subjects of those Kingdomes are taxed with extraordinary Contributions of mony and in daily councels held by the duke of Ossuna the Marquesse Santa Croce and other ministers they do consult of the meanes of making war and doing hurt But that which is most important is that in the conjuncture there is likewise in divers parts of Spain a terrible concourse of great provisions For they have put in a readinesse armour for 30000. men they have ingrossed all the ammunition that could be purchased and have put in good equipage 60. tall ships which being added unto those they have already in the Streights make 80. at Naples they have 20 ships more besides all their own Gallies and an order they have obtained for the Gallies of Malta Florence and the Pope to joyn with them All the Italian Souldiers are quartered along the Coast of Apulia which is opposite to our Gulphe and they have 14000. foot of Walloons French and Spaniards lodged within the Kingdom of Naples In Flanders at this present they make a new Leavie of 6000. foot and a 1000. horse And in the state of Millan they do retain still 3000. horse supernumeraries All which forces and provisions as they do deserve for their greatnesse to be regarded and looked upon with a jealous eye of every one so those who do suffer at the present many injuries and acts of hostility at the hands of the Spaniards and in particular the State of Venice which is betrayed by their fraudulent treaties cannot chuse but fear and doubt more then any other Neither can any pretences of enterprises or designs against the Turk secure those who set the sword bended against their breasts and the fire kindled in their own houses Whereupon your Majestie is humbly desired that you will be pleased to consider seriously of what hath been remonstrated and to take such a resolution as may best befit your wisdom and Greatnesse and the safety and indemnity of a State so observant of your Majesty as ours is and of a member so important of the liberty of Italie and of Europe There is not at this day Invincible Sir any
am no way discouraged thereby from bearing devotion to the blessed Virgin when I see that men who are sick of love towards the Son are put even by a kind of Law of nature into pain till they revenge themselves upon the Mother I beseech Jesus c. From Bulloign φ Dr. Sharp to King James The Complaint of Europe our Mother aged and oppressed TO whom To the Kings and Princes of Europe Of whom Of the Pope of Rome For what matter For causing by his Catholique League so much bloud to be spilt within these few yeares in Europe To this effect as that excellent Poet speaks with a little change of his words Quis non Europaeo sanguine pinguior Campus sepulchris impia praelia Testatur auditumque Turcis Europaeae sonitum ruinae Qui gurges aut quae flumina lugubris Ignara belli quo Mare Civicae Non decoloravere caedes Quae Caret ora cruore nostro And what further danger is it like to breed Even to bring the Turk into Austria Italy Germany into Vienna and into Rome it self as it hath brought him into Pannonia and of late into Pollonia to the great danger of all Christendome Which danger she doth foresee and lament and telleth That no European King hath sought to compound these bloudy home-quarrels but the King of Great Brittain She most humbly desires the rest of the Princes that they would Commiserate her most afflicted estate her Cities taken her houses spoiled her children murthered her Matrons and Virgins defloured her waies full of Thieves her Seas of Pyrates all the helps of life taken from her in many parts her flocks and herds scattered her Tillage ceased her Trade decayed the Lawes silent Learning fallen good manners ruined neither fear of God left nor care of men that all things seem to tend to the first Chaos c. And therefore she doth beseech the Princes to whose trust God hath committed not to whose power he hath permitted his two Wards two Twins the Common Wealth and the Church as to Guardians that they will look better to their charge And first not suffer the Common Wealth of Christendom by their armes at the Popes secret instigation to be destroyed and to this end she first useth the example of good Heathen Emperours to perswade them as Augustus Vespasian Titus Nerva Trajan Antoninus Marcus Aurelius Alexander Severus Probus that they will settle peace at home and by joynt Forces make War abroad upon the Common enemy of their Kingdomes and so make the Common-Wealth to Honour them being made by them rich in wealth strong in power famous in glory honest in manners the felicity of every earthly Common-Wealth Now for the other Ward or Twin the Church the Heavenly Common-Wealth because she hath before professed that as she had been long a Pagan so now by the Grace of God hath long been a Christian and did take this to be her greatest honour to be the harbour of the Christian Church she stirres them up to be more careful by the example of the best Christian Emperours Constantine Jovinian Gratian Theodosius Arcadius Honorius Charlemaign and his Sons Lotharius and Lodovicus to defend her from heresies within and from violence without And now she begins to tell them That as one walking with others in the Sun not thinking on it must needs be Sun-burned so she walking with her reformed children in this new-risen Sun of the Gospel of Christ did feel her self coloured as it were with the Spirit of Christ by observing the differences between the two Churches with great indifferencie Here because she hath before challenged the Pope and the Jesuites of cruelty and perswading first that as men they should spare humane bloud Secondly as Europeans they should spare European blood Thirdly as Christians they should spare Christian blood She is first thus answered by the Pope speaking for himself and his Jesuites That they are not the authors of shedding Christian blood but haeretical blood And that her reformed sonnes as she terms them are not Christians because they be no Catholiques And therefore Hereticks to be taken away by death according to the sentence of St. Paul Haereticum hominem post unam aut alteram admonitionem devita Hoc est de vita tolle as Cardinal Allen doth expound it and according to the Decree of the Councel of Lateran And where I pray you was this your Reformed Church before Luther And as for my Jesuites you call them bloudy even as you call your Physitians bloodie who for driving away a Pestilential Feaver do take more corrupt and putrified blood from the party then they would And thereupon he doth twitt Europe as an old doting Sibylla in her youth being the Concubine of one Taurus whom she feigned to be Jupiter to cover her fault with the greatnesse of her lover who did also give her the name of this divided World that by the honour of her title she might excuse the shame of her fact And bytes the fond Oratour that put this person upon her a whelp of Luthers that makes this Minion to accuse him before the Princes of Homicide or an insensible piece of Earth to plead his Cause To which Europe answereth First for her self Then for the Church This Summe I thought good to present to your Majestie if it please your judgment I shall bring the whole work to your Majestie when I am recovered And thus craving pardon of your Majestie for troubling your greater thoughts though this tend to the good of Christendome which you intend I rest Your Majesties Most humble Chaplain Leonel Sharp Dr. Sharp to the Duke of Buckingham May it please your Grace IT is not my purpose to advise but to attend what others shall determine of the Match of the Palatinate but if that be broken off and this not restored according to promise every one may conceive that Peace must give place to War abroad but with whom and where and how it is to be made it is for an higher Councel then for any private man to resolve Peace were best if it had Nihil insidiarum as Tully saith but it is to be feared that the malice of the Catholique League doth and will hinder the work of the Kings most Noble and Christian heart and then it will be a War wrapt in the name of Peace A just War is the exercise of Faith as Peter Martyr well collects out of those Wars which those Worthie Kings and Princes Heb. 11. fought for their God and his Israel so war is just which is made for the maintenance of Gods true religion and for the safety of the Common Wealth either for the keeping of that we have or recovering of that we have lost Every one therefore doth rejoyce to see the King and his Subjects so joyned in love together and in the purpose of this defence every one I mean that is a true Christian and good subject and do wish that two things presently were added care at home
then by informing his Majestie that our Prince whom he had ever so much valued would be as I conceived free and dis-ingaged from our Spanish Treatie by reason that the King could not find them answer his expectation in those things that made him principally desire their Conjunction the which your Lordship seeing you have exercised your interest and credit with the King your Master and the Prince to convert those thoughts towards his Majestie from whom you were perswaded nothing but truth and honour would be returned the which at this time more then ever would be an infinite advantage to both these Kingdoms and that I believed if his Majestie would shew a disposition as affectionate to receive Propositions to this purpose as the King my Master had to make them a long time would not passe before the effects of this might appear the which would shew the report raised here of the ends of my coming to be false and me to be free of all other designs then those which I had expressed unto him He told me that he had not heard that the Spanish Match was yet broken the which justly might give him cause to be reserved yet thus far be would assure me in the general That whatsoever should be propounded unto him from the King of Great Brittain he would most heartily and affectionately receive it but this was with such a fashion of Courtesie as shewed that he desired cause to have said more and I am fully satisfied not onely from him but the Queens and most of all of Madam her self who shewes all the sweetnesse and contentment that may be and likewise from all the Officers of the Crown and State that they can desire nothing equal with this alliance A better and more large preparation then this my instructions cannot make and I wonder to see it thus fair considering the hinderances and defacings the Spanish Embassadour desires to cast upon it who besides the Rodomontado's and threatenings of the preparations of his Master doth here take a contrary but cunning way letting them know that the Prince cannot have two Wives for their Infanta is surely his onely to create a jealousie and shienesse in them towards me that he suspects labours to do offices that are not to his liking You will therefore I hope speedily put this State out of these doubts and clearly and freely proceed with them Upon my credit and reputation they are all of that disposition that we can wish them to be and it appears by their tender care of the States and their resolution to ayd them And likewise in sending Captain Coborn that came from the Duke of Brunswick to demand a supplie of men who is returned with answer unto him that he shall have double what he required and great satisfaction to the Count Mansfelt that sent a Gentleman hither to let the King know he was not yet in such disorder but that he could assemble his Troops to such a number as might do his Majestie good service if he would be pleased to take him into his protection and favour And the King hath sent a Gentleman of the Religion a Sedanois to Leige to give information to this State of the proceedings of the Spaniards there and to be ready to receive if the Town shall seek it the protection of them But these passages I am sure you continually understand from our Embassadour the which makes me omit many particularities in this kind that I could inform you of I have sent this Bearer of purpose the which I beseech your Grace return with some speed and with him the resolutions of our dear and Sacred Master whom God ever blesse and keep to our glorie and comfort My Lord I am The humblest and most obliged of all your Graces servants Kensington The Lord Kensington to the Secretary the Lord Conway Right Honourable ACcording to his Majesties order which your last of April the 14. derived unto me I have represented such reasons to the King and his ministers of State here against the sending of any person in what quality soever to the Duke of Baviers as they acquiesce in them speciallie for that they come commanded under his Majesties desire which they professe to be very willing to comply with not only in this but in any other occasion wherein his Majestie may directly or indirectly be any way interessed I took the same opportunity of preparing the way a little farther to a formal treaty of alliance by feeling once again their pulse in matters of religion and find that it beats so temperately as promises a very good Crisis of any thing that may concern that particular I dealt plainely with the Marquesse de la Veiville touching the course that his Majestie may be driven to hold against Jesuites and Priests of banishing them the Kingdom and of quickning the lawes against the other Catholiques as well out of necessity of reducing them within the bounds of sobriety and obedience as of keeping good intelligence with his Parliament without which he could not possibly go thorough with such a weighty work as he is now to undertake He approved of the course for the ends sake under hope notwithstanding that his Majestie would not tie his own hands from some moderate favour hereafter which is all they pretend unto and desire it may flow from the mediation of this State upon an alliance here for the saving of their honour who otherwise will be hardly reputed Catholiques In representing a facility in these things I leave no other difficulties to be imagined Their good inclination to the match in general they are willing to demonstrate as by many other evidences so by the care they are now under of lodging and defraying my Lord of Carlile and my self in a more splendid and Magnifique manner then ever yet they did any Embassadour whatsoever for such is the language that Ville-aux Cleres holds to me upon that subject The Count of Soissons sees it and stormes and manifests his discontent towards me who am the instrument more fellie then discreetly I encountred him the other day and gave him the due that belonged to his rank but instead of returning me my salute he disdainfullie turned back his head I was somewhat sensible thereof and I told Mounsieur de Grandmont of it and as he and I were discoursing of it the day following Soissons offered himself full butt upon us a second time I again repeated my courtesie and he is childish in civility Grandmont found it strange and intimated to the Marquesse de la Valette a familiar and confident of the Counts both my observation and his own distaste of such an uncivil kind of proceeding Valette conveyes the same to Soissons himself who answered that he could not afford me a better countenance not for any ill will he bore unto my person but to my errand and negotiation which were it not in the behalf of so great a Prince went so near his heart as he
his Majesties wisdom in case he judge this office necessarie whether it be fit to be done by Letter or Message the former of which will be of greater vertue but the latter lesse subject to crosse construction of the Arminian faction which your Honour knowes how potent it is here amongst those who have chief rule in this State Thus I humbly take leave ever resting Your Lordships most faithfully to be commanded Dudley Carleton Hague this 24. Febr. 1616. Stil Vet. Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke of Buckingham My most honourable Lord IMmediately upon receipt of your Lordships Letter concerning Sir John Ogle I moved the Prince of Orange not onely for his leave for Sir John to go into England but likewise for his Letters of recommendation whereby to give your Lordship subject upon some such testimonies of his Excellencies good satisfaction to set him upright in his Majesties favour both which he granted unto me though against the first he alledged the absence of all the English Colonels and touching the latter he called to mind old matters which notwithstanding upon what I undertook for Sir John's future intentions he was content to forget I did once again upon Sir John's instance put his Excellencie in mind of his dispatch wherein I found no difficultie Since I find Sir John hath changed his purpose of going and his excuse will be made at his intreatie by his Excellencie who hath since let me know Though he would not deny me his leave yet he is better content in regard he is so slenderly accompanied with Colonels in a time when the State hath need of their service with his stay So as Sir John hath the obligation to your Lordship of a favourable recommendation and for his not prevailing himself of his leave when it was granted I must leave to himself to render a reason For my part having accomplished what I find by your Lordships Letter to be agreeable both to his Majesties pleasure your Lordships I thought it my dutie to advertize That there is an ancient difference between Sir Horacio Vere and Sir Edward Cecyl about the extent of their Commands whereupon followeth a great inconveniencie to the dishonor of our Nation which as it appears when they were last in the field before Reez are divided hereby and march and lodge in several bodies and quarters Much endeavour hath been formerly used in these parts to reconcile them but all in vain by reason of some ill Instruments who wrought upon both their discontents to set them farther asunder Now they are both in England and are both written for to come over It were a work worthy of your Lordship to make them understand one another better and what they will not yeeld to of themselves to over-rule by his Majesties authoritie I may not conceal from your Lordship that I am intreated by the Prince of Orange himself to do this office both with his Majestie and your Lordship wherein he would not be seen himself because having dealt between them fruitlesly heretofore he doubteth of the like successe now But when their agreement shall be made he will acknowledge his obligation to your Lordship and for the better proceeding therein I sent your Lordship a Copie of an order formerly set down betwixt them with the translate of Sir Horacio Vere's Commission both which I had of his Excellencie and likewise the beginning and proceeding of their difference as I have collected the same in brief out of other mens reports The projects I sent your Lordship with my last of a West-Indian Companie having been proposed to the States of Guelderland for their ratification who have the leading voice in the Assemblie of the States general end were ever least forward in that businesse hath thus far their allowance that they will concur therein with the rest of the Provinces But withal I do understand they have given their Deputies secret charge not to give way thereunto in case they find it prejudicial to the Truce Which makes the matter evident that the project of the Company though it be never so advanced will stand or fall according to the proceeding of the Truce The expiration whereof approaching so neer and here being advertisements from Paris that a French Gentleman one Belleavium who was lately imployed hither to the Prince of Orange about the difference betwixt him and the Prince of Conde had secret instructions to sound the States how they stood affected to the renewing thereof I have used all diligence to know how far he went and am well informed he hath done nothing therein of Consideration onely this past between him and his Excellencie He telling his Excellencie from Mounsieur Desdiguieres and some of the French Kings Councel how acceptable the extraordinarie Embassage intended from hence will be in that Court and thereupon perswading a speedie imbracing the opportunitie From whence said his Excellencie after his round manner cometh this alteration To speak plainly said he they fear in France you will renew the Truce without them and therefore by your Embassadours they would interpose themselves Here are good advertisements both from Bruxels and Paris that the Spaniards intent is not to renew the Truce but to have a Peace proposed with these plausible conditions That the King of Spain will pretend nothing in the Regiment of these United Provinces nor require any thing of them in the point of Religion but leave all in terms as it now stands with recognition onely of some titular Soveraigntie which he cannot in honour relinquish This is already proposed to France as a glorious work to establish a settled Peace in these parts of the world but with this condition That if it be not imbraced here then France shall refuse to give this State any further support or countenance of which it is here believed that Spain hath already obtained a firm promise in that Court. And that either the like overture is already made or will be within few daies to his Majestie Under which doth lie hidden many mysteries much to the advantage of the Spaniard and prejudice of this State for the very proposition of a new Treatie will distract them here very much in regard of their unsettlednesse and aptnesse upon any dispute to relapse into faction besides many Considerations of importance belonging properly to the Constitution of their Government but the acceptation of the old by renewing of the Truce upon the former terms for so many years more or lesse as shall be thought fitting will in my poor opinion which notwithstanding is not slenderly grounded take place without much difficultie The importance of this businesse hath made me give your Lordship this trouble and your Lordship may be pleased to let his Majestie understand as well that little as is done by Mounsieur Belleavium as what they here conceive to be further intended by the Spaniard So I most humbly take leave ever resting Your Lordships Most faithful servant Dudley Carleton Hague this 10th
Church illightened with good Preachers as an heaven of Stars your Judges learned and learning from you just and just by your example your Nobility in a right distance between Crown and People no oppressors of the people no overshadowers of the Crown your Councel full of tributes of Care faith and freedom your Gentlemen and Justices of Peace willing to apply your Royal Mandates to the nature of their several Counties but ready to obey your servants in awe of your wisdome in hope of your goodnesse The fields growing every day by the improvement and recovery of grounds from the desert to the garden The City grown from wood to brick your Sea-walls or Pomerium of your Island surveyed and in edifying your Merchants imbracing the whole compasse of the World East West North and South The times give you Peace and yet offer you opportunities of action abroad And lastly your excellent Royal Issue entayleth these blessings and favours of God to descend to all posterity It resteth therefore that God having done so great things for your Majestie and you for others You would do so much for your self as to go through according to your good beginnings with the rectifying and settling of your estate and means which onely is wanting Hoc rebus defuit unum I therefore whom onely love and duty to your Majestie and your royal line hath made a Financier do intend to present unto your Majestie a perfect book of your estate like a perspective glasse to draw your estate neer to your sight beseeching your Majestie to conceive that if I have not attained to do that that I would do in this which is not proper for me nor in my element I shall make your Majestie amends in some other thing in which I am better bred God ever preserve c. The Lord Chancellour to the Marquesse of Buckingham 25. March 1620. My very good Lord YEsterday I know was no day Now I hope I shall hear from your Lordship who are my anchor in these flouds Mean while to ease my heart I have written to his Majestie the inclosed which I pray your Lordship to read advisedly and to deliver it or not to deliver it as you think Good God ever prosper your Lordship Yours ever what I am Fr. St. Alban Canc. The Lord Chancellour to the King March 25. 1620. It may please your most excellent Majestie TIme hath been when I have brought unto you Gemitum Columbae from others now I bring it from my self I flie unto your Majestie with the wings of a Dove which once within these seven daies I thought would have carrried me a higher flight When I enter into my self I find not the materials of such a tempest as is come upon me I have been as your Majestie knoweth best never authour of any immoderate Counsel but alwaies desired to have things carried suavibus modis I have been no avaritious oppressor of the people I have been no haughty or intolerable or hateful man in my conversation or carriage I have inherited no hatred from my father but am a good Patriot born Whence should this be for these are the things that use to raise dislikes abroad For the house of Commons I began my Credit there and now it must be the place of the Sepulture thereof And yet this Parliament upon the Message touching Religion the old love revived and they said I was the same man still onely honesty was turned into honour For the Upper House even within these daies before these troubles they seemed as to take me into their arms finding in me ingenuity which they took to be the true streight line of noblenesse without Crooks or angles And for the briberies and guifts wherewith I am charged when the books of hearts shall be opened I hope I shall not be found to have the troubled fountain of a corrupt heart in a depraved habit of taking rewards to pervert Justice howsoever I may be frail and partake of the abuses of the Times And therefore I am resolved when I come to my answer not to trick my innocency as I writ to the Lords by Cavillations or voidances but to speak to them the language that my heart speaketh to me in excusing extenuating or ingenuous confessing praying God to give me the grace to see to the bottom of my faults and that no hardnesse of heart do steal upon me under shew of more neatnesse of Conscience then is Cause But not to trouble your Majestie any longer craving pardon for this long mourning Letter that which I thirst after as the Hart after the streams is that I may know by my matchlesse friend that presenteth to you this letter your Majesties heart which is an abyssus of goodnesse as I am an abyssus of mercy towards me I have been ever your man and counted my self but as an usufructuary of my self the property being yours And now making my self an oblation to do with me as may best conduce to the honour of your Justice the honour of your Mercy and the use of your Service resting as Clay in your Majesties gracious hands Fr. St. Alban Canc. Magdibeg to his Majestie May it please your most excellent Majestie I Make bold after a long silence to prostrate my self before your Majestie and being the Ambassadour of a great King that counteth it an honour to stile himself your friend I do beseech you to afford me that justice which I am sure you will not refuse to the meanest of your Subjects At my first arrival into this your happy Kingdome I was informed by the general relation of all that had recourse unto me that one here who had the title of Ambassadour from my Master did vainly brag that he had married the King of Persia's Neece which kindled in me such a vehement desire to vindicate my Masters honor from so unworthy and false a report that at my first interview with him my hand being guided by my dutie I endeavoured to fasten upon him a Condigne disgrace to such an imposture But the caution that I ought to have of my own justification when I return home biddeth me the more strictly to examine the truth of that which was told me whereon my action with Sir Robert Shirley was grounded and to have it averred in the particulars as well as by a general voice Therefore I humbly beseech your Majestie that out of your Princely goodnesse you will be pleased to give such order that this point may be fully cleared Wherein for the manner of proceeding I wholly and humbly remit my self to your Majestie And this being done I shall return home with some measure of joy to ballance the grief which I have for having done ought that may have clouded your Majesties favour to me And so committing your Majestie to the protection of the greatest God whose shadowes and elect instruments Kings are on earth I humbly take my leave and rest c. The Copy of a Letter written by his Majestie
Gentlemen of Navarra which are here with the Marquesse let fall by a kind of supposition affirming the matter to be as yet in the womb and not fully shaped and digested words to this effect That if the King of Spain should make a double marriage with the second Brother of France and his Sister and bestow the Palatinate as a Dower upon his sister in what case were we then I answered That we should be then in no worse case for ought I knew then we are now but that Germany might be in a far better case Peradventure it was but a word let fall to terrifie me withal But your Grace may make that use of it as to understand the language if your Grace shall hear any mention thereof hereafter I am very glad and do give God thanks par le mejora de su hijucla hermosissima And do rest c. Surely the French Embassadour is secret and more suspected then formerly by the People Mr. John Packer to the Lord Keeper 21. January 1623. May it please your Lordship SInce my coming hither finding my Lord at good opportunity I have acquainted him in what perplexity I found your Lordship at my coming from Westminster and upon what reason And though I am sorrie I can make no comfortable relation of his answer yet because it so much importeth your Lordship to know in what terms you stand I could not conceal it from you being agreeable to those reports your Lordship hath already heard saving that his Grace told me he doth not seek your ruine as some others had related but onely will hereafter cease to study your fortune as formerly he hath done and withal added the reason that your Lordship hath run a course opposite to him which though he had cause to take ill at your hands yet he could have passed it over if it had been out of conscience or affection to his Majesties service or the Publique good but being both dangerous to your countrie and prejudicial to the cause of religion which your Lordship above all other men should have laboured to uphold he thought he could not with reason continue that strictnesse of friendship where your Lordship had made such a separation especially having divers times out of his love to you assayd to bring you into the right way which once you promised to follow but the two last times you met in Councel he found that you took your kue just as other men did and joyned with them in their opinions whose aim was to tax his proceedings in the managing of the Princes businesse But instead of laying it upon him they did no lesse then throw dirt in the Princes teeth For either they would make him a minor or put the refusal of the Ladie upon his Highnesse and to lay an aspersion upon his carriage there His Lordships Conclusion with me was that for any carriage of his he desireth no other favour but that the greatest Councel in England may be judge of it and the like he wisheth for other mens actions Yet I did what I could to perswade his Grace to expostulate the matter with your Lordship which he told me he would no more do having done it already but found no other satisfaction but that by your practise you rejected what he had said and besides divulged what had passed between you as he evidently perceived meeting with it among others Whereby you gained onely thus much that they esteemed of you as of a man fit by reason of your passion to set all on fire but held you not worthy of trust because you that would not be true to him would never be so to them My Lord this is a part I would never have chosen but being imposed by your Lordship I could do you no better service then faithfully and plainely to discharge it leaving the use to your Lordships wisedom and ever resting Your Lordships most humbly at command J. P. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 2. Feburary 1623. May it please your Grace NOt presuming to write unto your Grace being so offended at me but resolved with sorrow and Patience to try what I was able to suffer without the least thought of opposition against your absolute pleasure his Hignesse hath encouraged and commanded the contrary assuring me which I cannot repeat again without teares that upon his credit your Grace neither did nor doth conceive any such real distast against me but did onely suspect I had conceived his Highnesses mind in that full manner which his Highnesse himself is now fully satisfied I did not In the which errour and mistake of the Prince his resolution for want of conference with your Grace or some other I did as I freely confessed offend his Highnesse but not your Grace at all Being ever resolved to stand or fall though diversified in opinion Your Graces most faithful and constant servant I humbly therefore beseech your Grace first to receive back this enclosed Letter of Mr. Packers and to burn the same then to receive my soule in gage and pawn 1. That I never harboured in this breast one thought of opposition to hurt your Grace from the first hour I saw your face 2. I never consulted much lesse practised with any Lord of that Committee to vote on the one or the other side 3. I do not know that Lord in England that hath any design against your Grace and when I shall know any such whosoever it be I shall be his enemy as long as he continueth so unto your Grace 4. I do not know nor do I believe but that your Grace stands as firm in his Majesties favour and in his Highnesse as ever you did in all your life 5. I never made the least shew of siding with any opposite Lord unto your Grace and I defie any man that shall avow it 6. I never divulged your Graces or the secrets of any man In the next place I do most humbly and heartily crave your Graces pardon for suspecting that is the utmost of my offence so true real and Noble a friend Yet that I may not appear a very beast give me leave once to remember and ever after to forget the motives which drew me so to do And I will do it in the same order they came into my head 1. Your Graces charge upon me at York house that I was a man odious to all the world 2. Michels Voluntary Confession that my Lord Mandevil shewed him a Letter from Spain avowing that the first action your Grace would imbarque your self in should be to remove me our of this place which the least word of your mouth unto me is able to do 3. A report of the Venetian Embassador that amongst others your Grace intended to sacrifice me this Parliament to appease the dislike of immunities exercised towards the Catholiques 4. Your Graces motion unto my self concerning my place which now I absolutely know proceeded out of love at White-hall 5. A most wicked lie that one
desire to match with the house of Austria it seemed good to use most affectionatetly to commend this your intent and to give clear testimony that at this time your person is the most principal care that our Church hath For seeing you pretend to match with a Catholique Damosel it may easily be presumed that the antient seed of Christian pietie which so happilie flourished in the minds of British Kings may by Gods Grace reverberate in your breast For it is not probable that he that desires such a wife should abhor the Catholique religion and rejoyce at the overthrow of the holy Romane Church To which purpose we have caused continual prayers to be made and most vigilant orisons to the Father of Lights for you fair flower of the Christian world and only hope of great Brittain that he would bring you to the possession of that most Noble inheritance which your Ancestors got you by the defence of the Apostolique authority and destruction of monsters of haerisies Call to memorie the times of old ask your forefathers and they will shew you what way leades to heaven and perceiving what path mortal Princes passe to the Heavenly Kingdom behold the Gates of heaven open Those most holy Kings of England which parting from Rome accompanied with Angels most piously reverenced the Lord of Lords and the Prince of the Apostles in his Chair Their works and examples are mouthes wherewith God speaks and warneth you that you should imitate their customes in whose Kingdomes you succeed Can you suffer that they be called Heretiques and condemned for wicked men when the faith of the Church testifieth that they reign with Christ in Heaven and are exalted above all the Princes of the Earth and that they at this time reached you their hands from that most blessed Country and brought you safely to the Court of the Catholique King and desire to turn you to the womb of the Romane Church wherein praying most humbly with most unspeakable groans to the God of mercy for your salvation to reach you the arms of Apostolical charity to imbrace most lovingly your children so often desired and to poynt out as it were with a finger the blessed hopes of Heaven And truly you could do no act of greater comfort to all Nations of Christendom then to return the possession of those most Noble Isles to the Prince of the Apostles whose authority for so many ages was held in England for the defence of the Kingdom and divine Oracle which will not be uneasie to do if you open your breast upon which depends the prosperity of those Kingdoms to God who is knocking And we have so great desire of the honour and exaltation of your Royal Name that we wish that you should be called through thee whole world together with your most Serene Father the Freer of Great Britain and restorer of her antient Religion Whereof we will not lose all hopes putting them in mind in whose hands the hearts of Kings lie and he that rules all nations of the world by whose Grace we will with all possible diligence labour to effect it And you cannot choose but acknowledge in these Letters the care of our Apostolical charity to procure your happinesse which it will never repent us to have written if the reading thereof shall at leastwise stir some sparks of Catholique religion in the heart of so Great a Prince who we desire may injoy Eternal comfors and flourish with the Glorie of all virtues Given in Rome in the Palace of St. Peter the 20. of April 1623. In the third of our Pontificado The Princes answer to the Popes Nuntio that brought him this Letter I Kisse his Holinesse Feet for the favour and honour he doth me so much the more esteemed by how much the lesse deserved of me hitherto And his Holinesse shall see what I do hereafter and I think my Father will do the like So that his Holinesse shall not repent him of what he hath done The Prince of Wales his Reply to the Popes Letter Most Holy Father I Received the Dispatch from your Holinesse with great content and with that respect which the pietie and care wherewith your Holinesse writes doth require It was an unspeakable pleasure to me to read the generous exploits of the Kings my predecessours in whose memorie posterity hath not given those praises and Elogies of honour as were due to them I do believe that your Holinesse hath set their examples before my eyes to the end I might imitate them inall my actions for in truth they have often exposed their estates and lives for the exaltation of the holy Chair and the courage with which they have assaulted the enemies of the Crosse of Jesus Christ hath not been lesse then the care and thought which I have to the end that the peace and intelligence which hath hitherto been wanting in Christendom might be bound with a true and strong concord for as the common enemy of the peace watcheth alwaies to put hatred and dissention amongst Christian Princes so I believe that the glory of God requires that we should endeavour to unite them And I do not esteem it a greater honour to be defcended from so great Princes then to imitate them in the zeal of their piety In which it helps me very much to have known the mind and will of our thrice honoured Lord and Father and the holy intentions of his Catholique Majestie to give a happy concurrence to so laudable a design for it grieves him exceedingly to see the great evils that grow from the division of Christian Princes which the wisdom of your Holinesse foresaw when it judged the marriage which you pleased to design between the Infanta of Spain and my self to be necessary to proture so great a good for 't is very certain that I shall never be so extreamly affectionate to any thing in the world as to endeavour alliance with a Prince that hath the same apprehension of the true Religion with my self Therefore I intreat your Holinesse to believe that I have been alwaies very far from Novelties or to be a partisan of any faction against the Catholick Apostolick Roman Religion But on the contrary I have sought all occasions to take away the suspition that might rest upon me and that I will imploy my self for the time to come to have but one Religion and one Faith seeing that we all believe in one Jesus Christ Having resolved in my self to spare nothing that I have in the world and to suffer all manner of discommodities even to the hazarding of my estate and life for a thing so pleasing unto God It rests onely that I thank your Holinesse for the permission you have been pleased to afford me and I pray God to give you a blessed health and his glory after so much pains which your Holinesse takes in his Church Signed Charles Steward The Pope to the Duke of Buckingham Gregorie P. P. XV. Nobleman health and the light