Hidden Works of Darkness Brought to Public Light, Letter 1 – Letter 2
Instructions for our trusty and welbeloved Councellour Sir John Digby Knight, sent by Us, Ambassadour Extraordinary to the King of Spaine.
NO man can better informe you, then your selfe doe know (having been long Out Ambassadour Resident with the King of Spaine) that both informer times, and of late, speeches have passed between you and some Ministers of his, concerning a Marriage of our Deare sonne the Prince, and the Infanta or Lady Mary, second daughter of the said King; for the better assurance and strengthning of the Amity, which being begun, immediatly after our succession to the Crown of England, hath ever since continued: Which speeches, although they have bin so providently carried by your discretion all the time you were Ambassadour there, as that you never appeared therein as a publike Minister, but onelyonly in quality of a private Gentleman, and welwisher to the continuance and increase of friendship betweene the King and Us: Yet since your returne, and being of our Councell, the same speeches have so farre proceeded betweene you and the Ambassadour of the King of Spaine resident here, not without Our privity, as that we thought fit to acquaint a select number of our Councell therewith; who having heard the report of the former proceedings▪ have delivered to Us their Opinion; that they find very probable ground for Us to enter into a publike Treaty thereof, with as much assurance of good successe, as in such a case may be had.
Whereupon we have given you A Commission under our great Seale, in due forme of Law, Authorizing you to Treat and Conclude for a Marriage to be had and made between Our said Dearest sonne Charles the Prince, and the said Lady Mary, second daughter to the said King of Spaine, as you shall perceive by the tenor thereof: And for your better directions in a matter of so great Moment, Wee have thought good to accompany the said Commission with these Instructions.
Wherein, first, we think good to let you know, that if at your arivall at the Court, you shall find by good probability and other Circumstances, that there is in the said King and his Ministers as ready a disposition as formerly you have found to proceed further in such a Treaty; you may open unto them, that you are come accompanied and Authorized with power sufficient on Our part to Treat and Conclude. But if you doe discerne any alteration or coldnesse from the former demonstration, not onelyonly of a sincere meaning, but of a very great desire to give us satisfaction; you may then forbeare to make use of your Commission (which we must referre to your discretion) and advertise us what you perceive,
If you shall find things in such Case as you shall have cause to fall to Treaty of particulars, then for your direction therein, you shall understand.
That this businesse doth consist of two principall parts; The one concerning matter of Religion, and the other of civill considerations, matter of Portion, and other charges on their part; and Dower, and assurance of Dower on our part.
The matter of Religion is to Us of most pri…cipall consideration; for nothing can be to Us dearer, then the honour and safety of the Religion which we professe. And therefore, seeing that this Marriage and Alliance (if it shall take place) is to be with a Lady of a different Religion from Us; It becommeth Us to be tender, as on the one part to give them all satisfaction convenient, so on the other, to admit nothing that may blemish our Conscience, or detract from the Religion here established. And although We cannot for the present give you precise and particular direction and warrant for all points that will come in question in this subject of Religion, yet in generall, we have thought good thus farre to authorize you: that whereas while you were in Spaine, certaine Articles for matter of Religion, after a Consultation had by some of their Divines were delivered to you, as poynts they were like to insist upon; which seeming to you unworthy to be by Us hearkned unto, you did utterly reject and refuse; yet afterward upon a private conference between you and some others, to whom that cause had been committed, there was between you a qualification conceived therein, though never delivered as a matter approved there.
We have perused those Articles, and added something to them by way of explanation, for Our clearer satisfaction; and have signed them with our owne hand in a Schedule hereunto annexed: And doe let you know, that if they shall be admitted there as we have signed them, and no further matter in poynt of Religion urged, We can be content you proceed and expresse your liking, and that you hope it will give Us satisfaction: And that you will speedily advertise Us; but you shall not so farre consent or conclude at to bind Us, untill you have advertised Us, and received Our expresse pleasure and assent.
But if you find any haesitation or doubt made upon them, or any new matter added to any of those poynts, which you shall find to varie from the true sense of them, you shall suspend your proceeding to the approving of any such Alteration, and advertise VsUs thereof, and attend Our further direction and pleasure, &c.
Given at Lincolne the 14. day of Aprill 1617. Tho. Lake.
The Articles for Religion (specified in these Instructions:)
THat for the taking away of all scruples,NOTA. and the better Justification of the Match, The Dispensation of the Pope is to be procured, but thereof His Majesty need to take no kind of notice, but to be the meere Act of the King of Spaine.
That the Children of this Marriage shall no way be compelled or constrained in poynt of Conscience of Religion, wherefore there is no doubt that their Title shall be prejudiced,NOTA. in case it should please God that they should prove Catholiques.
That the Family which the Infanta shall bring with her (being strangers) may be Catholiques, and that the Nurses which shall give milke unto the Childre…, shall be chosen with her consent, and shall be accounted of her Family.
That the place which shall be appointed for Divine service shall be Decent, Capable, Free and publike for all those of her Family, and that there shall be Administred in it the Sacraments and Divine service, according to the Use and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome.
That in case the Infanta her selfe shall onelyonly have a secret and particular Oratory: There, shall be appointed for her Family a setled Chappell for the Administring of the Sacraments, and for the burying of the dead of the said Family; and that this publike Exercise of Religion begin from her first entrance into England.
That it shall be lawfull for the Ecclesiasticall and Religious persons of her Family, to weare their owne Habit.
That after the Dispensation granted by the Pope, the Marriage shall be celebrated in Spaine, per verba de praesenti, by a Procurator, according to the Instruction of the Councell of Trent.
And that the yeers and ages …e without supplement, waiting the ten dayes; and the Infanta receiving the Nuptiall Benediction: But that within certaine dayes to be Limited after her arrivall in England, there shall be (infacie Ecclesiae) used such a solemnization, as by the Lawes of England shall make the Marriage valid, and takeaway all scruple touching the Legitimation of the Issue.
That shee shall have a competent number of Chaplaines, and a Confessor, being Strangers; and that amongst them shall be one that shall have power and authority for the government of the rest of her said Family, in matters concerning Catholique Religion.
That there be sitting Assurances given for performance of the said Conditions.
Given at Lincolne the 4. of Aprill 1617. Tho. Lake.
KIng Iames being so farre wrought upon by the Popish Faction, as thus publikely to engage himselfe in this Marriage Treaty with one of the Romish Religion, wherein the Popes owne Dispensation must necessarily be first procured, ere the Match could finally be accomplished; they then begin to play their game to the best advantage, and by tedious delayes and new demands, gaine more and more ground upon the King in favour of the Roman Catholiques, and their Antichristian Religion.
First, the Commissioners designed for this Treaty, multiply and enlarge the former Articles touching Religion, in reference to the Infanta and her Family; which after two yeers debate, were fully concluded on by the Commissioners, and both Kings: But their agreements were to little purpose; the consent of the Roman Pontife (the Archcontriver and Directer of this Plot for the best advantage of the Catholique Cause) must be likewise procured and super-added to compleat the Articles; without which they were but Nullities, and no Dispensation could be expected from him; which is first of all provided for in the Conditions.
Hereupon the Articles were sent to Rome, to Pope Gregory the xv. who then held that Chair of Pestilence; who after many tedious consultations, alters and enlargeth divers of the Articles (by the advice of his Conclave) for the furtherance of the Roman Catholique Religion; and unlesse our King and Prince would condescend to those alterations, there was no possibility of any Match or Dispensation.
The answers and alterations of the Pope to each particular Article, you may read at large in theeTom. 9. Anno 1623. …. 517. to 522. French Mercury in that language; but I shall represent you with the Articles, the Popes alterations of them and some additionals from Spain to them, with King Iames his answer thereto after their returne from Rome and Spain, in Latin, found amongst the Lord Cottingtons Papers with this Indorsment.
Responsio Sanctissimi Domini PP. Gregorii xv. ad Articul…s Matrimonij Britannic… …actenus inter Reges conclusos.