Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales, Phillip IV, King of Spain, and Pope Gregory XV 'Speeches and Letters Concerning the Spanish Match (1623)'

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The Effect of the Kinge of Spaines speeches When hee tooke his Leaue of the Prince. a[nn]o D[o]m[ini] 1623.

The since the haste of the Princes Iourney offered him not Com[m]oditie to accompanie him to the Sea side, as hee much desired to haue done, hee might intreate his highnes to excuse that, hee was Com[m]onlye to Conforme himselfe vnto that which hee sawe by his highnes desired: Intreatinge his highnes to beleeue, that hee would acknowledge [th]e obligac[i]on hee had put vpon him by this Iourney &all the dayes of his life: And that hee would not fayle in [th]e punctuall p[er]formance of all that had beene treated and Capitulated, betweene them; And would take vpon him to ou[er]come all difficulties, that might arise in the busines, And that if anie of his servantes or ministers that should goe aboute to crosse or Interupte [th]e alliance & freindshipp betweene them, hee would discord & Ruyne them. And in assurance whereof, hee then gaue him his hand and that hee would that mighte write as much to him with his owne hand./

The Princes Answeare.

The Prince gaue the Kinge thankes for his fauour & tould him that allthough that which his Ma[jes]tie had saied was as much as hee could desire, yet by the maine fauours his Ma[jes]tie had beene pleased to doe him hee was soe confident of his affection that hee expected noe lesse from him then that which hee had said. That his Ma[jes]tie might likewise bee assured, that hee would neuer faile him in aniethinge that hee had promised or that had beene agreed betweene them: Neither should anie person or accident haue power to breede in him anie alterac[i]on: But whoesoeuer should goe aboute to hinder or distroye this aliance or freindshippe betweene them, hee will Labour to distroye them, And therevpon likewise gaue the Kinge his hand./

Afterwardes282v

Afterwardes the Prince said hee had one fauour to request of his Ma[jes]tie which was that hee would assure [th]e Infanta of his true Loue and affection: That noe man in the world loued or esteemed anie bodye more then hee did her. And that shee should bee Confident, that in this his absence, that nothinge should alter or Deminishe this his affection: And therefore hee intreated his Ma[jes]tie likewise to doe all good offices in disposing and setlinge his sisters affection towardes him./

The Kinge seemed to bee much pleased with this profession of his highnes, And tould him that hee would deliuer his Messuage with a verye good will. And that in this his absence hee will serue him verye hartelie by dein doeinge all good offices betweene his highnes and Sister, and the Kinge spoke soe effectuallie that the Conde of Oliuares saide merrelie to the Prince Parece que tendra, Alteza ausencia muy bien Alcahuyde per diez. The Kinge Answeared suddenlie si tendra per diez. and soe the Kinge and the Prince with greate expression of Ioye and affection tooke theire horses./

The Princes Answeare to the Popes holinesse his Letter giuen at St Peters the xxth of April 1623. which L[ett]re is Imprinted.

I haue receiued your holinesse Letter with such thankfulnesse and respecte as is due to the loue and pietie with which your holinesse writt it And especiallie it gaue me much delight to read the neuer enough praysed example of my Ancestors which yo[u]r holinesse set before my Eyes to Imi-tate whoe although it bee true that they often adventred and put theire estate and liues in danger for no other reason then for the propagation of the Christian fayth283r fayth yet theire carriage hath not beene greater in settinge vppo[n] the enemie of Christ with open warr then shall bee my care that peace and vnitie which hath beene so longe exiled from the Christian Com[m]on wealth maye bee reduced to a true concorde For as the Enemye of peace and Father of discord hath laboured in sowinge hatred and discention amongst Christian Princes, Soe that I deeme it a Labour of much Glorie to Christ to procure their union. Neither doe I esteeme a greater honour to discend from such Renowned Princes, then to bee an Emulator in Emulating the holie and Religious manners where in they flourished. And the knowledge I haue of the Kinge my Lord & Fatheres pleasure and his earnest desire with all his forces to further his Intention doth much assist me for it greueth him to consider the greate misfortune & cruell slaughter which haue followed the discord of Christian Princes The feelinge which your holinesse hath and the Iudgment you gaue of desire intreatie of Alliance with the Catho-like Kinge by meanes of marriage with his sister is most conformable to your holinesse charitie & greate wisdome, For it is most certaine I would neuer soe earnestlie procure to tye my selfe in the straight band of marriage to a person whose Religion I Cannot endure Wherfore lett your Holinesse bee perswaded that my minde nowe is & allwayes shall bee farr from plottinge anie thinge contrarie to the Roman Catho-like Religion Nay rather will I seeke all occasions vniuersallye to blotte out of the mindes of all men the suspitions that might bee held of me That euen as wee all acknowledge one God in Trinity & vnitye & one Christ crucified in the same sorte wee may all professe one and the same fayth And to obtayne this I will refuse noe Labour although therein I hazard both my Life and Kingdome It resteth onelie that I acknowledge for a most singuler benefeit the Letter w[hi]ch your283v your Holinesse vouchsafed to send me and that I beseech God to protecte your Holinesse & to giue you in this life happie successe and in the next the felicitie that I desire./