Hidden Works of Darkness Brought to Public Light, Letter 28
GOOD Mr. Secretary Calvert, I have not presumed in my present letter unto his Majesty, to write any thing in answer to his letters of the thirtieth of December, but only in that point which toucheth my obedience to his Commandement for my present returne, for the rest I intreat you to present unto his Majesty this my humble Answer; Whereas his Majesty is pleased to say, that having seene the Answer to our third Memoriall, he doth not a little wonder, that I then tooke his affaires to have been in so good a condition that I would have proceeded to the disposories of the Prince contrary to his order given; It is true his Majesty hath just cause to wonder, if he looke upon that Memoriall without the letter that accompanied it, or if he consider the estate of the affaires as they stood when the letter bore Date, which was the sixt of December; for then they stood by the infringing of the capitulation, as they heere do understand it, all disordered and imbroyled, in such sort as I had foreseene and advertized his Majesty. But the estate of affaires ten or fiveteene dayes before, when I intended to have passed to the disposotios, I confesse I supposed to be such, that I wish I had suffered much that they were againe upon the same tearme, if his Majesty have a desire to proceed with this Allyance and to settle the businesse of the Palatinate, by this Kings helpe and mediation.
First for the businesse of the Match, against which it hath beene the maine objection that it was never really meant, but only held in Treaty to abuse and entertaine the King, it was now certainly to have taken effect within three dayes, viz. on the twentieth of November, had not the restraint arryved here on the 26th: and all things would have beene most exectly and punctually performed according to the capitulation, and here was no thought of any thing but of providing Presents for the King and Prince, and settling of the Princesses Family, and preparations for the journey the first day of March, and the Princesse had begun to draw the letters which she intended to have written the day of the desposories to the Prince her Husband, and the King her Father in law.
For the businesse of the Palatinate, as it will appeare by the joynt dispatch which: Sir Walter Aston, and my selfe wrote of the 23. of November, that we were assured not by the Conde of Olivares only in this Kings name, but severally by all the Councellors, that a settled resolution was taken in Councell on the 16. of November That this King should procure his Majesties entire satisfaction, and hereof the Cardinall Capata and divers other Councellors that professed themselves particularly affected to the King and Princes service, came to give Sir Walter Ashton and my selfe the Parabien.
The Conde of Olivares intreated us both in this Kings name, to assure his Majesty thereof upon our honours, and upon our lives if need were and thus much was to have beene delivered unto us in writing before we would have passed to the Disposorios as will plainly apeare by this above mentioned dispatch of the 23. of November.
Besides the Princes had now made this businesse her owne, and had therein most earnestly moved the King her Brother, and written unto the Conde of Olivares, and had set her heart upon the making of her selfe gratefull and welcome to the King and Kingdome by overcomming this businesse: further, I conceive it hath been and is the general opinion of wise men, that his Majesty could have no such assurance of this Kings reall intention of giving his Majesty satisfaction, in the businesse of the Palatinate as that he proceeded really to the performance of the Match, and that this was the opinion of his Majesty, and all my Lords, and the ground whereupon I was to frame all my Negotiation in this particular; I shall procure very authenticall proofe, and if I had but halfe so cleare a warrant for the hazarding of the Match by the deferring of the Disposorios as I have for the making of the concluding of the match, the rule for my proceeding in the businesse of the Palatinate, I should not have replyed for a further explanation of his Majesties pleasure, nor have beene questionable for an intention of going against my Order.
For the point of the Portion, it was agreed that I should have had three hundred thousand Crownes paid at Twelfe-tide the other 30000. which were formerly spoken of to have been carryed in Jewells with the Infanta, they were content that the Princes should have carried 20000. Crownes in ready money, and only 10000. in Jewells: for the rest, if the maner of payment that was propounded had not liked his Majesty, they were resolved to have given his Majesty other satisfaction at reasonable dayes, as should be agreed of, although I must here crave leave to let his Majesty know, that having two Months before advertized this offer, I never understood of his Majesties dislike or rejection of it by his letters of the thirteenth of November, which likewise commanded the putting off of the disposorios.
And this was the true estate of his Majesties affaires, as it appeared unto me and those with whom I was to communicate his Majesties businesse, when I intended to have proceeded to the disposorios if in the interim I should not receive his Majesteis directions to the contrary, which I was most assured of in case his Majesty should not like of that intention.
As for the other point, that I should have intended to have passed the disposorios contrary to the order given me, certainly I erred not with any malice or intention of having stolne a Mariage upon my Master against his will, for if I had, supposing I wanted sufficient warrant to have stayed the Disposorios, I would have concealed it, and so passed on, and not have, sent with so much diligence to have a cleare u… derstanding of his Majesties pleasure, neither would I with so great industry and great displeasure have prolonged the twentie foure to thirtie dayes, and then so exactly and readily obeyed, when I had a cle…e understanding of my Masters will: for the first thing I did, was instantly within few houres to send backe Peter Killigrew to let his Majesty know, that his orders should be most punctually obeyed, and soe they should have been before, if I had not understood that the nomination of a holy day in Christmas (whereof I wonder how his Majesty could want due information of the expyring of the the Powers) had not overthrowne all his Majesties intention… and desires in his very letter expressed, and hereof by due obedience unto the Prince his order formerly, upon the scruple of the Infantaes entring into Religion, may be a sufficient argument.
I will not trouble you with any further Apologie, only I shall humbly offer unto his Majesty and my Lords consideration: First, that I understood the Infanta to be my young Masters Wife, or spouse at least, for such was now her stile, and as such was I enjoynd to serve her, and as such my Lord Duke and my selfe, and all the English kissed her hands, as her servants and Vassalls.
Secondly the Powers were drawne by the intervention of both parties, The King of Spaine accepting the substitution, and the Prince delivering of them legally to the King of Spaine and his Brothers use.
These powers were deposited in my hands upon trust as Embassador of the King of great Brittain, with publique Declaration, how and when I was to deliver them, and this drawne into an Instrument by Iuan de Cirica as publique Notarie; and this point is here much pressed, and I conceive many Pens will be imployed about the case.
Thirdly I ever understood, that my Master infinitly desired the Match, and the Prince in his letters at the very same time expresseth, that he much desireth it: besides the ingagements that have here passed recyprocally, are publicke to the world.
I shall willingly now submit my selfe to any censure, which, whether were the honester, dutifuller, or more prudent way upon inference and collections to have put a disgrace and disrespect upon so great and worthy a Princesse that was to be his Masters wife, to have no way insisted for the makeing good of the publicke trust reposed in him, by two so great Monarchs, when the powers were deposited in his hands, but to have put a great scorne upon the King of Spaine by nominating a day for the Mariage when the powers should be expired, to have hazzarded the overthrowing of so great and important a businesse (for to that issue it was brought, and I required to take or leave, either to proceed according to their capitulations, or that this King would hould himselfe freed of them, and the issue now sheweth the truth thereof (or on the other side) to have represented unto his Mastjesty with truth and syncerity the true estate of all things, with his humble opinion the wrong and disgrace that the putting off the Mariage will be esteemed to the person of the Infanta, the scorne that would be judged to be put upon the King of Spaine, by the nominating of a day when the powers were expired. The hard construction that would be made upon the detention of the powers without some new and immergent cause. The danger that the Mariage would be in if hereby it should be disordered; The likelyhood that the Match would be the greatest security for the restitution of the Palatinate, and i… case these reasons should not be able to perswade his Majesty to proceed, then there was intimated, that there wanted sufficient warrant for the detaining of the powers, which was desired might be clearly sent unto him. In this interim all the above… said inconveniences were deferred, & that busines held up upon faire tearmes, that his Majesty might have his way and choyce unsoild before him, untill his Majesty was pleased clearely and positively to declare his pleasure in the point, whereunto there was ready and exact obedience given: soe that I shall willingly submit my selfe to the censure of the world, whether an inintention so well and honestly grounded, seconded with so exact and ready an obedience shall make me blame worthy, I must confesse that if with out cleare and sufficient warrant, I had so much disordered the affaires of his Majesty as I now conceive them to be, I should have had a heavy and sad heart, which I thanke God I now have not; but confident of mine owne innocency, I can be no wayes diffident of my Masters accustomed Grace and favour. And so earnestly intreating you to present this my humble Answere to his Majesty and my Lords the Commissioners, I remember my service affectionatly unto you, and leave you to Gods holy protection.
Mad. the 28. Octb. 1623. Your affectionat freind to doe you service. BRISTOLL.
To this Letter the King returned this ensuing Answer.