John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol 'A Relation of the Carriage of the Marriages that Should Have Been Made (3 January 1625)'

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A Relation Of the Carriage of the Marriages that should haue bine made betweene the Prince of England, and the Infanta Maior and alsoe after with the Younger Infanta. /

The Chardge which I hould hauinge soe ne cessarye Relation and dependencye on that place to which your Wisdome and desertes haue mooued his Magestye to call you, I haue thought it verry fitt in a matter of noe lesse consequence then a Treatye of Marriage for the Princes Highnes with a Daughter of the Kinge of Spaine Because I know Your Ho[nou]r shall receiue the carriage theareof seuerallie and differentlie related from many Princes his Magesties Allyes, and from all His Magesties Ministers residing abroade to set downe trulye, and exactlie the Originall course and Issue of the busines to the end that you (whoe vnder his Magestye are like hereafter to direct) maye be fullye accquainted w[i]th what formerlye passed And for that t'is likelye that the Manner of this Treatye shall not be onlye giuen oute, but censured accordinge to the diuersitye of mens affections And vnto you (as vnto the Center where all advertisements meete) thease contrarietyes will come. I therefore desired to arme You with this truthe which as I affirme vnto your selfe soe I am readye to Iustefie vnto the World, if you shall haue occasion or that your wisdome shall thinke it fitt to make more publique vse of this discourse The which contayne in it soe much truthe, that I care not what Eye sees it. For that I knowe noe man can contradict it. I shall therfore referre it to Your Honnor to make such vse thereof as shall best please you eyher to enforme others of thease proceedings or for your owne priuate satisfaction to which I cheifelye intend it. /

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To set downe to Yo[u]r Honnor perfectlye aswell the Introduction and beginninge of this bu sines as the course and yssue to which it is brought I must craue leaue to take it a litle higher then my owne tyme yet dare affirme what I shall saye therein to conteyne exactlie the truthe as that which hath passed by my selfe, for that I haue receaued it from his Mag[es]tiees owne mouthe and after from my Lord Treasurer and have found it accknowledged by the principall Miinster heere /

Not longe after the concludinge of the peace betwixt his Magestye and the Kinge of Spayne there fell out manye occasions of expostulatinge betweene them both for diuers wrongs offered to his Magestyes Subiects contrarye to the Articles of Treatye as allsoe for the readines which was perceiued in the Kinge of Spayne to receiue fower persons ill affected to his Magestye and the State, and thereuppon his Magestye was content that it should be play[n]lie tould to the Kings Embassadours residinge there Thet he obseruedsoe strange a proceedinge vpon the newe Amitye that he had Cause to suspecte That the former allienation was rather disguised for the contriuinge of some future end then soe extinguished as he might safely build vpon such a freindship whereuppon manye arguments beinge vsed by diuerse of the Kings Ministers in excuse of what had passed ymputing some thinge vnto the slowe style of theire proceedings in Spayne and some other to the concurrance in matter of conscience with those persons, that made theire retreate into the Kings Dominions, and for the better and yt Yntimateinge and expressinge of this Kings cleere and sincere affections towards his Magestye, both the Conde de Villa Mediana in his tyme and Don Pedro de Zuinga since declared and protested to knowe soe much of the Kings theire Masters minde and good intents vnto His Magestye as164r as if he would be pleased accordinge to nature and Custome by both which the man iss to speake, First to begin a motion for a marriage betwixt the Prince of Wales, and the Infanta the same should be soe well heard as should appeare [tha]t the Kinge desired not onlye to continnue in amitye but to vnite Himselfe by nearest alliance vnto His Magestye my selfe beinge at the same tyme appointed to come as His Magestyes Leidger Ambassadour into Spayne to supplye the place that had bine 2 yeares vacant with charge to procure some better satisfaction in the Marchaunts busines then theye had yet receiued and beinge soe neere my departure that I had my Instructions readye drawne and perfected and had allsoe taken my leaue of his Magestye thinkinge whithin a verrye fewe dayes to haue begun my Iourneye My Lord Treasurer vpon this newe Inuitation of the Ambassadours sent me downe to Royston vnto his Magestye to make him accquainted therewith whereuppon His Magestye was pleased to giue me order howe to behaue my selfe in the busines and caused a perticulare Direction to be added and adioyned to my former Instructions wherein before there was noe kinde of mention for any such motion an euident argument that the ouertures of the Ambassadours (and the assurance he gaue His Mageestye that the proposition should haue all kinde acceptance) were the onlye motiues which caused his Magestye to propound the matche this beinge the true forme in which this busines was by the Ambassadours reuiued and by which his Magestye and this Kinge haue proceeded. / .

At my arriuall heere in Spayne hauinge procured audience of this Kinge after I had presented vnto Him His Magestyes kinde and affectionate salutations withall princelye offers of his loue and freindshipp I tooke a perticulare notyce vnto him of the ouerture made by Don Alonsoe his Ambassadour and165r and in His Magestyes name gaue Him thankes for yeildinge soe cleere and apparent a testemonye of his affection and then I declared the extraordinarye vallewe and estimation His Magestye made of the person and fortune of the Infanta in euerye respect and that to shewe his willingnes to maytaine the amitye and encrease the allieance betwixt them he was willinge to laye hould of that which his Ambassadour had intymated and therefore had giuen me Instructions to propound a marriage vnto him for the Prince of Wales his Magestyes sonne and Heire with the Infanta his Eldest Daughter, the Kinge heerunto made answare that thease Testemonyes of his Magestyes loue, were verrye acceptable vnto him and tould me concerninge this busines, the Duke of Lerma should haue order to treate with me. .

Within 2 or three Dayes the Duke of Lerma came hoame vnto me to mye House to whome when I had signefied howe gratefull it was to His Magestye to vnderstand of his good inclynation towards Him and His estate I declared as much vnto him as formerlye I did vnto the Kinge and tould him that herein the Kinge had referred me to negotiate and treate with himselfe. / .

The Duke then begun with a greate protestation howe much he desired as greate strictnes and neerenes of amitye and alliance as might bee betwixt the Crownes of England and Spayne and that by his meanes this proposition had bine diuerse tymes handled both by the Conde De Villa Miediana and since by Don Pedro De Zuinga , as allsoe by Don Alonso nowe resident in England and that hee well knewe of howe greate consequence it were both for the good of Spayne and England to be soe neerelye and freindlye vnited one thinge there and which he apprehended as the greatest and onlye difficultye which was the desparatie of Religion for the accommodatinge Whereof hee would make165r make precise Iudgement beinge a thinge dependinge on the pope And in which neither the Kinge nor the State heere could make anye certayne determination I then made him answare, that the Kinge my Master would herein, haue to doe with noe other but the Kinge and his Ministers, And I supposed that if the popes Inclynation had not allreadye bine tryed herein and there might be a probabillitye of his giuinge waye vnto the matche, I should haue thought, there would not haue bine commission giuen to Don Alonso de Valasco to giue such encoarragements to the Kinge my Master for the propoundinge of it (That if I were not much mistaker I had heard. Don Alonso saye that the matche with Sauoyehad bine allready propounded vnto the Pope and that he should seeme not to be much auerse thereunto which match I conceiued had bine a preparation and a waye giuen to the other to which the Duke replyed that the Kinge dependeth on none but me, the Pope and that dependinge he could not nor must not denye it, neyther could hee proceede heerine without the Popes approbation, And as for the matter of Sauoye though the Pope should giue waye vnto it yet theire would be greate difference in thease Cases in Regard there might be greates hopes of the Ladye Elizabeth hir conuersation beinge matched to a Catholique Cuntrye whereas contrarye Wise there might be greate daunger of the Infantas peruersion, she beinge to bee matched and soe to be gouerned by a Prince that was not Catholike The which if the Kinge should suppose he could not nor would he doe thoughe it were for the sauinge of his Kingdome. / .

I seeinge the Duke stande vppon soe stricte tearmes desired him not to mistake my manner of proposition which was with these propositions conditions and restrictions That if the motion should not be reeceiued with full as much forwardnes of disposition from the Kinge of Spaine as from the Kinge my Master in his desires of hauinge it effected this busines will quickelye bee165v be at an ende For that I haue noe Commission to treate vntill I should be assured both that the proposition in generall was verrye wellcome vnto him and that theie should vndertake the Cleeringe of such Difficultyes as one theire sydes might arise. Soe that vnlesse this by them might be vndergone, the yssue of this busines I conceiued would or was like to be noe other; but the Kinge my M[aste]r had expressed a willignes to laye hould of any Intimation, that this Kinge should make, of workinge a greater neerenes and strictnes betweene them The Duke then seemed to be a litle altered with theise my directions and began to quallefie his manner of Speechee tellinge mee hee well knewe greate good and happines that might arise not onlye to the Crownes but to the Christiaan world in generall if this matche might take effecte and that which hee nowe had sayd was not ny waye of answare but by waye of proposition of the onlye difficullties he foresawe, But that the Kinge had giuen him order that herein shortlye I should receiue an answare the care whereof hee would vndertake, Willinge me to assure my selfe that it should be such as should be agreeable both to the Kinge my Masters honnor and full satisfaction vppon thease tearmed then, wee parted. / .

I then suffered them to take theire leisure of a monthe or Six weekes withoute suffering th vsinge any newe instance vntill theire staye was such as, I held it expedient to presse them, for an answare and to make meanes for a newe accesse vnto the Kinge one whome I was Commaunded to waite at the Escuriall my audience with him was verrye shorte beinge againe referred by him to the Duke of Lerma whome I then found verrye sicke of a Fever, and soe offered to haue attended him. some other daye, or hower, of his better disposition but he intreated me to sitt downe by him and tould me he would breiflye signefye vnto me the Substance of the Kings answare which should be more166r more at large declared vnto me by Don John de Ideaques whoe was there then p[re]sent, he then willed mee to signefie vnto the Kinge my M[aste]r that this proposition

And gratefull to this Kinge takinge it as an assured Testemonye of his affection and good will towards him And as he had found a direct and worthye proceedinge from the Kinge, in the propoundinge it soe would he vse much sincerritye and directnes in the answare, For that the truth was, that before his ouerture made by me in the Kings name for the Prince of Wales with the Infanta the Lady Anna the Kinge was elswheare engaged, And that the reason whye my answare had byne soe longe delayed was to see howe other Treatyes might which were allreadye one foote proceeded To the end that if the King should haue found himselfe free of all such engagements and promise as he had formerlye made he might haue giuen that acceptance which he desired to this proposition The which he nowe could not doe on the behalfe of the eldest daughter the Ladye Anna because those promisses and encouragements which he formerlye had made were proceeded in with greate likelyhood of taking effect. But such was his perticulare desire of giuinge satisfaction to the Kinge That hauinge other Daughters borne of the same Father and Mother and of equall deerenes and esteeme vnto him, that if for eyther of them it should please the Kinge, to make a motion for the Prince of wales, yf that the Kinge did thinke the matter of Relligion might be accommodated and withoute daunger that this Kings Daughter to be altered or peruerted from in Relligion, The Kinge there wwould be verrye willinge vnto it and would vpon His Magesttyes answare heerine which he wished me to procure giue order for the negotiatinge heerin to the Kings full contentment he then tould me what he sayd should be more amplye deliuerd vnto me by Don John Ideaques 166v Ideaques to whome I might likewyse saye anye thinge I had to speake for that his Indisposition was such that with much payne he had forced himselfe to saye thus much And soe I was accompanyed to my Chamber, by Don John Adenques, and Don Roderigo Calderon from Don John I receiued the same answare in effecte, that I had done though somewhat more enlarged, w[i]th whoume though I held it to litle purpose to argue or expostulate. Yet when theye vrged the Kings former argument to bee longe before my ouerture, I replyed that I much wondred at it since the motiues which had incyted the Kinge my M[aste]r to this ouerture, had proceeded from Don Alonso theire Ambassadour nowe Resident in England whoe had not onlye assured the Kinge my M[aste]r formerlye That if he should be pleased to make his motion it should receiue a gratious acceptance and an honorable answare But likewyse of late vppon the Instant of my de parture he confirmed that he was newelye instructed from the Kinge That in case the Alliance with the Prince were then spoken of, not onlye not to refuse it, but to ymbrace it, as a matter that should be most agreable to his Kinge if matter of Relligion might be accommodated, Don Roderigo suddainlye and peremptorilye denyed his hauinge any such directions from hence, seeinge it could not be for that this Treatye had bine manye monethes in speeche but Don John Ideaques seemed to quallefye or rather wittelye to excuse it by takinge of the generall word alliance, sayinge it might be that he might haue directions in Case the Alliance withof the Prince with Spayne should be spoken of he should not refuse it For that it then was and is still desired though not perticulerlye with the Kings Eldest Daughter concerninge whome the167r the Kinge had byne allreadye manye moneths engaged by promise theie seemed much to desire that the Kinge might rest satisfied with his answare Tellinge me, that there was litle aduantage in the mayne, with Daughters, for that the Kinge much esteemed and would doe as much for the Younger as for the Elder. / .

I tould them I knewe not, how the Kinge my M[aste]r might rest satisfyed herewith yet I could not but receiue manye differences betweene the Younger and the eldest daughter First that Kingdomes come not into diuision and then that a Prince of Nyne yeares of age should be marryed to a Ladye Elder then himselfe and annother of Eighteene should be mooued to tarrye for an Infanta of six Yeares.

And this is the effecte of that which passed at that tyme whereof I presentlye gaue an accounte vnto His Magestye and thereuppon receiued directions to make vnto them this replye That the Kinge my M[aste]r found theire answare two certaine {in} it soe manye incongruityes and vnexpected passages, that he had held it fitt to call this Kings Ambassadour to a conferrence with the Lords of his Councell for the Iustefyinge of what had passed from him and had likewyse Commaunded me to vnderstand from this Kinge the reasons of thease proceedings which he found both vnsuteable to his expectation and noe waye to answare the promise of his Ambassadour for that he had not onlye assured my M[aste]r in former tymes that if he should be pleased to propounde a Match, for the Prince of Wales with the Infanta this Kings Eldest Daughter, he should receiue an honourable end or kinde answare, but allsoe verrye fewe dayes before my departure he confirmed his former speeches ofin his Kings name aff accknowledginge that167v that by a late direction from hence, he was newlye instructed that in case the Alliance of the Prince of Wales were spoken of England that he should not onlye not refuse it, but ymbrace it as a thinge That should be most agreable to his Magestye if matter of Relligion might be accommodated Nowe the Kinge my M[aste]r Seeinge that those encouragements giuen by the Ambassadours were soe contrarye to what he found heere For hauing but 2 Moneths before receiued assurance that if hee propounded the matche for the Prince with the Infanta maior it should finde kinde acceptance, that he should nowe receiue answare that shee was nowe allreaaddye disposed of his Magestye could not heere but Iudge That eyther his Kings proceedings were not with that cleerenes that he expected or that the Ambassadour whome the kinge mye M[aste]r had cause in all things to beleeue, hauinge the Publique faythe and credence of his Kinge had heerein much exceeded wherein his Magestye desired first to receiue satisfaction, for that he was aduertized from my selfe That some of the Kings principall Ministers here absolutelye denyed to me That any such directions wereor Com[m]ission was giuen to the sayd Ambassadour His Magestye therefore thought it fitt ro haue this point cleered whither he had anye warrant from his Kinge to speake that which was spoken or not For that whensoeuer it should appeare that any publique Minister should soe much forget himselfe as to deliuer that in the person of his M[aste]r which is but his owne or hauinge spoken the truth should afterwards be disavowed by those that ymployed him one of thease 2 things must followe That he is eyther become unworthye of his place he houldeth by his owne Act, or made vnworthie by his M[aste]r Hauinge declared this both to the Kinge a Duke of Lerma, from the Duke in the168r the Kings name I receiued this answare That it was true, That his Magestye had greate reason to take exceptions and to be displeased with this manner of proceedinges, yf that this Ambassadour had in this sorte dealte with his Magestye but that hee heerein must absolutlye, Cleere the Kinge whose proceedings were and euer should be with much loue and sincerritye vnto His Magestye and that the blame and faulte thereof must light uppon the Ambassadour, whoe hath receuiued noe such Commission, nor Direction from hence tellinge me it was Iustice, first to heare there Ambassadour before theye could proceede against him but in Case he should not Cleere himselfe But that hee had proceeded in the matter which I had sett downe, The Coursse which his Kinge would take with his Ambassadour, should be both fullye and sufficientlye to giue his Magestye satisfaction, and witnes that this Kinge had giuen noe such Commission he then desired to knowe the perticulares which I alleaged, the Ambassadours had sayd to his Magestye The which I repeated vnto him in this Manner. . /

First uppon the Motion of the Matche with Sauoye he tould his Magestye that in case he would be pleased to make the like ouerture vnto the Kinge his Master for the Prince his highnes with the Infanta his Kings daughter hee did assure himselfe that his Magestye should receaue a kinde and honorable answare. / .

Secondlye in Aprill 1611. hee confirmed his former speeches in the Kinge his Masters name accknowledginge to be newe instructed from Spaine that in Case the Allieance for the Princes Highnes were spoken of in England he should not refuse it but ymbrace it as a thinge which should be most agreeable to his Kinge if matter of Relligion might bee accommodated. / .

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Thirdlye and lastlye he confirmed in a Conferrence with the Lords of his Magestyes Priuye Councell that he was warranted, and Authorized to heare and ymbrace any ouerture for the PrincesHighnes concerninge the Ifanta maior and that vppon Iust and reasonable Conditions soe that meanes might be made, for the matter of accommodatyinge Relligion all which; Coniunction and without allowinge some thinge and disannullinge the rest. The Duke of Lerma in his Kings name absolutlye disauowed denyinge that any such Commission had byne giuen vnto him The Duke then seemed much to Labour to expresse his Kings affection and good intents to his Magestye alleadginge indeed that it was true that theire had bine formerlye some Speeche of the Conueniencye of this matche but seeinge it in noe kinde proceeded in The Kinge had taken the resolution which was nowe likelye to take effecte For the bestowinge His eldest daughter vppon the Kinge France, But that all other meanes of entringe into alliance with his Magestye by bestowinge anye other of His Daughters vppon the Prince, His Kinge had Willinglye offerred and was readye to performe, (yf matter of Relligion might be accommodated askinge me whither I had noe answare concerninge this offer which his Kinge had made vnto him I tould him I had therein as yet receiued noe answare directions at all, and for this tyme we concluded and parted this beinge in the midest of September 1611. .

In the beginninge of Februarye next followinge I havinge occasion for manye businesses of the Marchaunts to repaire vnto the Duke after longe discourse therein he expressinge an extraordinarye desier that all things might be carryed with as much loue and freindshipp betwixt theire Magestyes and that a greater neerenes might be wrought betwixte169r betwixte them if it were possible, asked me whither I had yet noe directions concerninge his Kings last proffer I tould him not, Then fallinge into manye discourses of hauinge England and Spaine vnited he tellinge me there were verrye fewe Kings Daughters nowe left in Christendome, And that in the Matches of greate Princes there were commonlye greater inconueniences then the disproportion of some fewe yeares urgedand vrginge me to speake what I conceiued thereof I tould him that oute of the confidence I had in him, and forthe expressinge of my owne good inclynation, of doeinge all good offices betwixt theire Magestyes, whome I conceiued were both well inclyned, to vnyte themselues more neerelye, if a fitt meanes could be found for them I tould him both what I thought in this perticulare and what should be the most probable meanes of workinge such an effecte, I then sayd that the Kinge my M[aste]r hauinge onlye 2 sonnes I supposed he would regarde noe one thinge, soe muche in the matche of the Prince as the hope of a plentifull, and speedye yssue, And the Prince beinge allreadye at mans Estate, and his Kings younger daughter, beinge but six yeares of age, hee should be forced to the attendance of manye yeares and the prime of his Youth be spent before hethere could hauebe hope of any yssue by him which considderation , I apprehended was the causs which made his Magestye , take soe much deliberation in giuinge answeare vnto this proffer, But yet if he would giue me leauee meerelye, and as s priuate gentleman, and hauinge noe other Commission, but the Warrant Dormant, which all other Leidger Ambassadours haue,to propound and discourse of all things, which theye thinke maye tend, to the encreasinge of Amitye, and good correspondencye, betwixt169v betwixt the Princes where theye are ymployed I should be glad to expresse my good intentions and desires in nthis kinde by declaringe vnto him all the most likelye and probable wayes w[hi]ch I should foreseen for the producinge of such an effecte and soe amongst other things tould him that I supposed a Daughter of Sauoye beinge soe suteable in Yeares and soe neere in blood to his Kinge might by being taken into his care and beinge as it were adopted a Daughter of his and made fitt by him in regard of hir fortunes as shee was in all things else to be a wife vnto the Prince shee might verrye well proue a fittinge Subiect to sett the mutuall desires which I conceiued were in both theire Magestyes of vnityng themselues a Workinge, . / . /

The Duke thanked me verrye muche both for the free proceedinge with him And for the good Inclynation which I expressed of workinge a greater neerenes betwixte theire Magestyes tellinge me He would considder of what I had sayd seeinge much to approue it and shortlye againe would send for mee that wee might conferre further thereof. I earnestlye entreated him because that this was a meere proiect or proposition of my owne without anye kinde of Authorritye and direction that it might passe with much sylence and secresye and that it should appeare vppon better considderation, not conuenient that it should be proceeded further in That it might dye betwixt vs two, least my good intentions might perhaps { img } turne vnto preiudice the which he was pleased not onlye to promise but verrye Sollemnlye to sweare vnto it. / Within some Fewe dayes the Duke sent to call me vnto170r vnto him, and then signefyed vnto me howe well my good intents and desire of doeinge all good offices were accepted and perticularelye my last discourse that I had with him, and that he would requite my proceedings with a reall Freenes, for that though the busines of Sauoye wherein I had spoken, might haue my probabillitye of takeinge effecte Yet as the Case nowe stoode, he thought the present noe fitt tyme to deale in it. For in regarde that his Kinge had made an offer of his owne Daughter to which his Magestye as yet had giuen noe answare hee held it conuenient that this or any other proposition of this nature might be respited and suspended vntill the busines of his Kings owne Daughter might be fullye clee red in which he conceiued his Magestye had nowe taken muche leasure and therefore required me heerein to require his Magestyes resolution. Thereuppon I wrote vnto his Magestye, that in a late conferrence betweene the Duke, and my selfe, in which manye discourses passed betwixt vs, and I utteringe my pruiate thoughts, of such things as I held probable to produce, a greater amitye, and neerenes betwixt theire Magestyes the Duke declared vnto me, that the Kinge his M[aste]r was in expectation to receiue from His Magestye a directe and certaine answare, concerninge the ouerture for a matche betweene the Prince of Wales and this Kings second daughter. I writt vnto you this passage though it were a thinge meerelye my owne without anye kinde of instructions from His Magestye for thease two regardes, First, For that I ame heerein soe desirous to sett downe the truthe that I cannot conceale soe essentiall a Circumstance, thoughe I were certaine to incurre greate blame for it. / .

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Secondlye for that this occasion drewe from his Magestye his answare to thi Kings offer, of his yonger daughter whereby the busines beinge againe reuiued hath bine brought to that Finall yssue where I conceiue it is like to staye.

His Magestye uppon this Instance of myne, for his answare First directed me to alleadge the reasonnes which hitherto deteyned him from makinge any replye and then to make answare in this manner That in the offer made by this Kinge of his Younger Daughter both as it was deliuered vnto himmyselfe and likewise as it was confirmed by this Kings Ambassadours there his Magestye still founde this Clause and condition incerted That his Kinge would be most willinge to entertaine a motion for a matche betweene the Prince of Wales and any of his younger Daughters if matter of Relligion might be accommodated, And therefore to the end that all proceedings betweene them, might be with much Cleerenes he commanded me to mooue the Kinge that he would be pleased to declare the intent of this clause, and what was meant and accepted in the accommodatinge of matter of Relligion and whye that difficultye was soe often represented Thus much I deliuered vnto the Kinge and to the Duke of Lerma From whome after the deliberation of two monethes I receiued this replye, That the Kinge His M[aste]r out of the desire he had to make alliance with his Magestye, had consulted with the Pope, and other graue personnes, requesite for soe weightye a busines, and yf that for the accommodatinge of Relligion the Prince would become a Romaine Catholike he would willinglye embrace and esteeme him as his owne deere sonne I tould him that in such Treatyes and negotiations betweene Princes there was a greate differrence betwixt what might be wished and desired, and what was resolutelye demanded and that I conceiued the Kinge rather expressed heerein what he would be glad might be then what I expected should be171r should be but that my directions should were to intreate this Kinge what he would be pleased to declare not what he could wishe but what he could demaund The Duke then answared that without the Princes beinge a Catholike it was not possible but that the peruersion of the Kings Daughter must needs be hazarded which for the world hee would neither be the directe nor indirect Cause of Heereuppon I signefied to the Duke that the Kinge my M[aste]r had giuen mee directions Howe to behaue my selfe accordinge to the answare which I should receiue And therefore I intreated him for a daye or two to giue me leaue to conferre this answare with my directions. And that he would giue me leaue accesse vnto him and procure me audience with the Kinge for the further proceedings in tthis busines as the Kinge my M[aste]r had Commanded me.

Within 2. or 3. dayes after I was appointed to retourne againe vnto the Duke to whome at First I made repetition of the answare which the last daye I had receiued from him the which he likewyse confirmed then And I then desired him to considder some fewe grownds which I should laye unto him the which beinge p[re]supposed, I conceiued he could not but thinke that the replye which the Kinge my M[aste]r had Commanded me to make was grownded uppon much equitye and honnor The First thinge I desired the Kinge should considder, was that when his Magestye dealte with him and his Ministers he p[re]sumed soe much of the Equitye of this Kings Iudgement and promissed himselfe soe much of his affections, and respect vnto him, as hee should neuer heare from him anye demand vnworthye of him or which this Kinge would not iudge {f}ittinge to be propounded vnto himselfe, were the Kinge my M[aste]rs Case his owne. /

The second thinge which I desired was that this Kinge should knowe and beleeue was that there was noe Prince whatsoeuer more confident and certaine in the truthe of his Relligion then the Kinge my M[aste]r was171v was in his in which he was not onlye to liue, and dye but for the protection and defence thereof had by seuerall meanes declared himselfe as farre and would euer be readye to aduenture as much for the maintnance thereof as any Prince liuinge should doe. . / Thirdlye I desired it might be remmembred that thoughe it be true that the Kinge my M[aste]r caused the proposition for the Prince with the Infanta maior to be made yet hee was First moued and incyted thereunto by the assurance which the Kings Ambassadors gaue unto him howe welcome this motion would be vnto his M[aste]r and for that which nowe hath passed in this of the second daughter it hath likewyse onlye stirred and mooued from hence by the offer of hir made by this Kinge And to this offer beinge thus accompanied with thease demannds and Condic[i]ons I was oute of thease grownds by the directions of the Kinge my M[aste]r to make this answare that whereas it is demaunded that to matche with this Kings second daughter the Prince should become a Romane Catholike the Kinge my M[aste]r desires to referre it to the Kings owne Iudgement what Censure that Kinge should deserue, both from the hand of God and the World, that haueinge soe manye wayes expressed his Constancye and loue to the Faythe and Relligion which hee professeth should shewe himselfe soe full of impietye and dishonnour as to perswade his sonne to make a Change of a Soule for a Wife or any earthlye fortune whatsoeuer, And if this Kinge would not for a world, (as he professeth) be the directe or indirecte Cause of the hazard of his daughters peruersion The Kinge maye be pleased to considder That if hee therein be exacte as befittethe a Kinge in point of Relligion and Honnor The Kinge my M[aste]r is likewyse in noe degree lesse and therefore hath Commanded me plainlye to declare that though he could not but make a kinde and Princelye Construction of172r of the offer which this Kinge made of his Daughter as iudginge hir most worthie of any Prince whatsoeuer, Yet for this demaund of the Prince his beinge a Catholike becomeinge a Romane Catholike the Kinge my M[aste]r holdethe it vnworthie him and would absolutlye refuse to bestowe the Prince His Sonne uppon thease Conditions off were the performe offered sole heire of the Monarchye of the whole world Heerunto the Duke made litle answare not expecting I conceiue soe direct and conclusiue a proceedinge , onlye sayd that his Kinge did suppose that good might haue bine pleased to haue made this the meanes for reduceing the Prince, and England to the Catholike Relligion and soe from the Duke I went vnto the Kinge with whome I was appointed at that tyme to haue audience vnto whome I made a full and ample relation of the Whole course of the businesse and perticularelye signefyed vnto him, the answares which in his name I had receiued from the Duke of Lerma and likewyse his Magestyes replye he tould me Hee tould me the duke of Lerma had in all things proceeded as hee directed him and therefore he would onlye confirme thease answares which I had allreadye receiued from him.

Thus hauinge made vnto you a true and exacte relation howe this busines hath bine hitherto carried I will referre the Iudgement thereof to your owne wisdome, onlye those passages I haue Commended vnto you as most remarkeable. / First thethat his Magestyes proposition for the Kinge of Spaine his Eldest Daughter was oute of the seuerall inuitations of the Spannishe Ambassadours neither can the dishonnor of theire indirecte proceedings be remooued but that annother will necessarilye fall uppon them, For if Princes shall not giue Creditte and beleife vnto Ambassadours and likewyse sente publike172v publike Ministers one after annother all meanes of negotiateinge betweene them wilbe taken awaye heerein theye p[re]tend for the giuinge of his Magestye satisfaction they haue reuoked theire Ambassadour and likewise sent Don Pedro de Zuinga vntill the Commandinge of Don Diego Sarmento de Acuna whome they haue nominated to that purpose and ymployment. / .

Secondlye in this busines concerninge the Younger Daughter, neuer was in anye kinde any motions of his Magestyes but meerelye an offer of the Kinge of Spaine Which God I conceiue appointed a fittinge and a worthye meanes for his Magestye to make declaration both to them heere and to the world of his Constancye and resolution in the professinge and protectinge his Relligion, Soe that I will conclude that if any thinge hath passed heerein lesse honorable or lesse syncere then befitted the greatnes of 2 soe mightye Princes there cannot soe much as any reflextion of it lighte uppon his Magestye whose proceedings Cleane throughe haue bine withall direct nes Wheareas theye if theie maye not iustlye incurre the censure of some falshoode yet it cannot be but a greate unlukines vnto them in a matter of soe greate consequence to be forced to renounce theire Ambassadours neither haue theye anye aduantage in point of honnor that a Daughter whose sex giueth euer the Priuillidge to be sought beinge assured had not beene accepted