'Articles for the Marriage between Prince Charles and Henrietta Maria (1624)'

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Articles agreed uppon betweene the Commissioners of the most excellent King of greate Brittaine on the one parte and of the most Christian King of France and Nauarre on the other parte, for the marriage betweene the most excellent Prince of Wales, sonne of the said most excellent King of greate Brittaine, and the Ladie Henrietta Maria Sister to the most Christian King of France.

Left margin: 1. The most Christian king to discharge himself of that, whereunto his dignitie and pittie doe oblige him, and to enable him w[i]th the more suretie of conscience to treate of the marriage nowe in hand, undertaketh to obtaine a dispensac[i]on for the same w[i]thin 13 Monethes w[i]thout anie prefixions or delaies. /

Left margin: 2. The articles and conditions of the said mariage being agreed on and signed on both sides, The king of greate Brittaine will appointe such p[er]sons of quallitie as hee shall thincke fitt to affiance the Ladie in the Princes name and in the forme accoustomed in the romishe Churche:

Left margin: 3 The marriage shalbee cellebrated in France according to the order and forme obserued in Her deceased kings marriage w[i]th Queene Margarit93v Margarit, and that of the Dutchesse of Barre, his Sister.

Left margin: 4 The said Ladie shalbe brought into England, as soone as may bee after the cellebrac[i]on of the said marriage, and conducted att the most Christian kings Charges unto the Towne of Callice, where shee shalbe consigned unto such as the king of greate Brittaine shall appointe for that busines. From Callice into England the king of greate Brittaine shall defraie the Charges, in such sorte on both sides as shalbee fitting for [th]e dignitie and greatenesse of a Princesse of France joined in alliance w[i]th an heire of England. /

Left margin: 5 The marriage being donne and cellebrated in France; It is agreed that the Ladie being arriued in England, shall take a tyme when the king of greate Brittaine, the Prince of Wales and hirself being in some large roome of some of the kings howses, furnished according to theire dignities, a publique reading shalbee made of the Conditions of the marriage betweene the Prince and hir, togeather w[i]th the Priuiledges and Procurations by vertue whereof it was made, after w[hi]ch the said contracte shalbee newlie ratefied by the said king and the Prince his sonne, in the presence of such as it hath pleased the most Christian king to appointe thereunto and of the cheefe of the kingdome94r kingdome of greate Brittaine w[hi]ch shalbee assisting at this action, at the performance whereof, there shall not anie Ecclesiasticall ceremonie bee used. /

Left margin: 6 Free exercise of the Catholique Apostol: Romaine relligion, shalbee graunted unto the said Ladie and all hir followers, and unto the Children w[hi]ch shalbee borne unto hir followers officers, For w[hi]ch pourpose the said Ladie shall haue a Chappell in all the kings Howses, or anie place of the kingdome of greate Brittaine, where shee shall bee in or dwell, w[hi]ch Chappells shalbee fitlie decked, and the care and garde of them committed to such as shee shall appointe to preache the word of god and administer the Sacram[en]t of the Masse. And all divine seruice shalbee solemplie and freelie p[er]formed after the romaine manner, yea and all indulgencies and Iubilies w[hi]ch shee shall obtaine from the Pope shall bee there admitted. There shall likewise a Church Yard bee allowed hir in London, in w[hi]ch hir followers deceasing shalbee buried after the Romaine fashion, w[hi]ch shalbee modostlie performed; w[hi]ch Church Yard shalbee enclosed and shutt upp for feare of profanac[i]on.

Left margin: 7 Shee shall also haue a Bishopp for hir greate Almoner, whoe shall haue all jurisdicc[i]on and aucthoritie in cases concerning relligion, proceeding94v proceading against the Churchemen under his Charge accorrding to the Cannonical constituc[i]ons. And in case anie secular Courte, shall ceaze uppon anie of the said Ecclesiasticall persons, about anie crime concearning the state and indite him, they shall send backe the said Ecclesiasticall person unto the said Bishopp togeather w[i]th the inditem[en]t and proceading made against him, that he maie iudge of the case, the w[hi]ch being priuiledged, he shall putt him againe into the handes of the said seculer Courte, after he shall haue degraded him. Butt in all other cases, those Churchmen shalbee sent to the aforesaid Bishopp; that he may proceade against them according to the Cannonicall constitutions, and in his absence or sicknesse, He whom he shall appointe for his cheefe viccaire shall haue the like power. /

Left margin: 8 The said Ladie shall haue 18 Preestes or Churchmen allowed hir about hir howse, comprehending in that number hir Almoners and Chaplaines, to supplie the aforesaid Chappelles as shalbee ordained them, and if anie amoungst them bee a Regular, he shall haue power to leaue his habbitt. /

Left margin: 9 The king and the Prince shall by oathe oblige them selues, not to goe about by anie meanes to procure95r procure the Ladie to renownce hir Catholique Apostolique, Romaine Relligion, nor urge hir to anie thing contrarie thereunto. /

Left margin: 10 The Ladies Howshould shalbee ordered w[i]th asmuch dignitie and w[i]th as greate a number of officers as ever anie Princesse of Wales hath had, or was ever graunted to the Infanta of Spaine by the last treatie. /

Left margin: 11 All the Ladies attendants w[hi]ch shee shall bring into England, shalbee Catholicke, chosen by his most Christian Ma[jes]tie w[hi]ch chancing to die or to bee changed, shee shall take other Catholiques in theire roomes Frenche or Englishe, in case the king of great Brittaine consent thereunto. /

Left margin: 12 These domesticalls shall tender an oathe, unto the king, Prince, and Ladie according to the forme followinge. /

Left margin: 13 I Sweare and promise fidellitie unto the most excellent Iames King of greate Brittaine, unto the most excellent Charles Prince of Wales, and unto the Ladie Henrietta Maria daughter of France, w[hi]ch I will faithfully and inviolablie Keepe And if I Knowe of anie attempte against the persons, honnor or dignitie of the aforesaid King Prince or Ladie or against the state or commonweale95v Commonweale of the said Kings Kingdome, I will presently reveale it to the said King, Prince or Ladie, or unto some others whome it shall concearne. /

Left margin: 14 The foresaid Ladies dowrie shall bee eight hundered thowsand crownes (three french francks apeece) of w[hi]ch somme the most Christian kings Ma[jes]tie shall disbourse the one halfe on the Eeve of the Espowsails in London, and the other halfe w[i]thin one halfe yeare beginning from the daie of the first payement. /

Left margin: 15 If it chance that the Prince decease before the Ladie and w[i]thout Children of theire marriage, the dowrie monie w[hi]ch shee brought w[i]th hir, shall bee wholie restored to dispose thereof at hir pleasure, be it that shee either staie in England or retourne into France, in w[hi]ch case shee shall carrie it backe againe w[i]th hir

Left margin: 16 But if there remaine anie children of the said marriage, the restituc[i]on of the dowrie shalbee but in p[ar]te only vizt. of two third p[ar]tes of the same, the other third p[ar]te remayning as mooveables, be it that either the Ladie goe backe in to France or staie in England, and in this case shee shall haue during hir lief a rent out of the said third p[ar]te or mooveable dowrie the 20th pennie. /

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Left margin: 17 The Children proceading of this marriag shalbee kept and brought upp unto the age of thirteene yeares at the Ladies dispose even from theire infancie. /

Left margin: 18 The Children of the said Marriage shall moreover inherritt after the Ladies decease, the twoe thirdes of the dowrie restored, except shee had married againe and had more children by the latter matche in w[hi]ch case, the one and the other issue shall haue parte in the two third p[ar]tes in the said twoe third p[ar]tes of the said dowrie restored. /

Left margin: 19 And if it happen the Ladie decease before the said Prince and w[i]thout Children of the said marriage, His Ma[jes]tie agrees that the halfe of the said dowrie shalbee reallie restored, but in case of Children, that then the whole dowrie doe remaine unto him, as his own propper goods.

Left margin: 20 The said Ladie shall haue in Iointure eighteen thowsand pounds sterling yearelie, ammounting in Frenche monnie unto three score thowsand Frenche crownes. /

Left margin: 21 The king of greate Brittaine will giue unto the Ladie in considerac[i]on of the marriage aforesaid, to the vallue of fiftie thowsand frenche crownes in Iewells, w[hi]ch shalbee propperly hir owne & hirs, aswell as anie other shee hath96v hath allreadie or shall bee geiuen hir heereafter.

Left margin: 22 He shall enterteine the said Ladie and hir Houshould and in case shee become a widdowe, shee shall enjoie hir dowrie and other conditions graunted unto hir. /

Left margin: 23 And in case the Prince chance to predecease, having children or not, the said Ladie shall freely injoie hir dowrie and other conditions graun =ted unto hir jointure (what place soever shee please to dwell in) w[hi]ch shalbee assigned hir in Lands Castles and Howses thereon depending of w[hi]ch one at leaste shalbee such as wherein shee make hir aboade furnished as is fitting for a Princesse of hir quallitie. The free disposition of the poffitts and Commodities of the said Lands, whereof some shall haue the Title of Dutchie or Comtie, shall appertaine unto the said Ladie. /

Left margin: 24 It shalbee lawfull for the said Ladie, be it that she haue children or noe, to retourne into France and to carrie w[i]th hir hir mooveables and Iewells besides hir dowrie as is specified by the articles before mentioned. And in this case the king of greate Brittaine shall bee bounde to see hir conducted at his expences unto Callice in decent manner aaccording to hir quallitie

Left margin: 25 The said Ladie shall renownce all paternall and matternall successions and all Collaterall, con =cerning97r crowne lands and other royallties, subiectt to reversion, partage or otherwise. /

Left margin: 26 This contract of marriage shalbee enrolled in the Court of Parlyam[en]t at Paris, and ratefied in all inferior Courtes in other places. The said king and Prince promising to obserue all the clawses and conditions thereof. /

Left margin: 27 It is agreed that either of the twoe kings w[hi]ch shall faile in the accomplishem[en]t of this present marriage, shalbee bounde to paie the somme of fower hundered thowsand french crownes for the penaltie of his defaulte. /

Left margin: 28 Don and concluded by the Commissioners of the king of greate Brittaine and of the most Christian king the 20th daie of nouember 1624 and under signed Carlile and Holland Ambassadors, and the Cardinall de la Rochefoucault, Armand Cardinall de Richelieu, Halegre, Schomberg, de Lomenie. And unto each theire seale of Armes in rancke and order. /