CONTENTS OF VOL II.

CHAPTER I.
Anxiety felt in England about the Spanish Treaty--Charles I. the first Male Heir for whom a Treaty of Marriage had been set on foot since Henry VIII.--Qualities of the Infanta--Called the Rare Infanta--Charles’s Personal Excellence and Elegance--Alliance received with Interest as Concerning the Palatinate--Question of the Dispensation--The Obstacles--Difficulty in fitting out a Fleet to bring the Prince back--James’s Apprehensions--Letter from Lord Kensington--Preparations at Southampton for the Reception of the Prince and Infanta--Attempts made in Spain to Convert Charles--His Firmness, and that of the Duke--Buckingham’s Impatience to return to England--Letters of Endymion Porter from Spain--The Romantic Adventure of Prince Charles in a Garden--His Short Interview with the Infanta accompanied by Endymion Porter--Hopes of the Treaty being fulfilled--The Betrothal fixed for St. James’s Day, but not accomplished--The Fool Archy’s Speech--Buckingham’s Pecuniary Difficulties--His Boldness--Unpopularity--Insanity of his Brother, Lord Purbeck--Amiable Conduct of the Duchess of Buckingham--Grand Entertainment given at Madrid--The Fuego de Cannas--Quarrels between Buckingham and Olivares--Bristol’s Despatches Unfavourable to the Prince--Preparations for the Prince’s Departure--The Infanta’s Marriage Deferred--Original Letter from Bristol--Leave-Taking at the Escurial--The Prince reaches Segovia--Valladolid--St. Andero--Perils in Returning from the Fleet to the Shore--Voyage Home--Touches at the Scilly Isles--Arrives at Portsmouth--At York House--At Royston--Public Rejoicings--Charles termed "England’s Joy"[1]
CHAPTER II.
Indisposition of the Duchess of Buckingham--The King’s Regard for her and her Child--Archbishop Laud’s Encomium on her Character--Queen Anne’s Chain presented to the Duchess of Lennox--Effrontery of the Countess of Buckingham--The Duke’s Deportment on his Return from Spain--More dignities conferred upon him--King James and the Clergy--The Royal Instructions for the Performance of Divine Service in Spain--Public Prejudice against the Spanish Match--The Wallingford House Cabal pronounce in Favour of a French Alliance--Popular Indignation against the Spanish Ambassador--Competition for Precedence between the Ambassadors of France and Spain--Character of the Lord Keeper Williams--His Opposition to the Proceedings of Buckingham--The Countess of Buckingham embraces the Catholic Faith--Controversy between the Dean of Carlisle and the Jesuit Fisher--Breach between Buckingham and Williams--The King manifests his Displeasure with Buckingham--The Spanish Court and the English Alliance--Conduct of the Infanta after the Departure of Charles--Preparations for the Marriage--A Commission appointed to inquire into the Conditions of the Spanish Treaty--The Lord Keeper in Favour with the King--Parliament counsels James to break the Treaty with Spain--Popular Rejoicings, and Disappointment of the Catholic Party--The Illness of Buckingham--Painful Illustration of the Bigoted Spirit of the Age--Inojosa accuses Buckingham of Treachery against the King--The Prophecy of Gamaliel Gruys--General Desire for War with Spain--Proposed Alliance of Prince Charles with Henrietta Maria of France--Restoration of Buckingham to the King’s Favour[55]
CHAPTER III.
Decline of the King’s Health--Case of Lord Middlesex--Proceedings in both Houses--Sir Edward Coke’s Exaggeration--Buckingham’s Participation in the Affair--Middlesex steals away to Theobald’s, and is followed by Charles--Found Guilty--Confined--Buckingham’s Dangerous Illness--Arthur Brett--Death of the King--Ascribed to Buckingham[133]
CHAPTER IV.
1624-1625.
The Remarks of Sir Henry Wotton upon Buckingham’s Uninterrupted Prosperity during the Reign of James--His Most Perilous Time yet to Come--The Character of Charles Difficult to Manage--His Affections Divided--Request of the Privy Council Regarding the Late King’s Funeral and the Young King’s Marriage--Good Taste displayed by Charles in his Conduct at the Funeral--The Influence of Buckingham still Paramount--Roger Coke’s Remark upon King James’s Regret on observing that his Son was overruled by the Duke--The Three Great Kingdoms of Europe at this Period ruled by Favourites--The Marriage of Charles and Henrietta Maria--Motive attributed to Buckingham--Preliminary Steps--Letter from Lord Kensington to the Duke of Buckingham detailing his Interview with the Queen-Mother--Description of the Young Princess--The Duke prepares for his Journey into France to fetch home the Bride--The Expense of his Mission objected to by the Nation--The Two Ambassadors Described--Rich--Lord Kensington, First Earl of Holland--His Beauty of Person, Address, and Early Favour at the Court of James--His resting solely upon Buckingham--His Marriage with the Daughter of Sir Walter Coke, the Owner of the Manor of Kensington--The Earl of Holland regarded by some as a Rival to Buckingham--James Relied more on the Earl of Carlisle--Character of the Two Noblemen by Bishop Hacket--Successful Interviews on the Part of Lord Holland with Mary de Medici--Her Disposition to favour Charles as a Suitor to her Daughter--Anecdote of Henrietta Maria and of Charles’s Portrait--Encomiums on Henrietta--The Duchess de Chevreuse--Her Influence over Anne of Austria--Her Splendour--Resentment of the Count de Soissons on Account of the Marriage Treaty with England--The Willingness evinced by Henrietta Maria to the Marriage--Lord Kensington’s Flattery of the Queen-Mother--Their Conversations on the Subject of the Spanish Match--The Marriage Finally Concluded--Charles’s Conduct to the Recusants regarded as a Proof of his Aversion to Catholic Hopes[161]
CHAPTER V.
Buckingham’s Embassy to Paris--He despatches Balthazar Gerbier to select and purchase Pictures--Letter of the Painter to him--The Magnificence of the French Court--Buckingham’s Appearance at the Parisian Court--His Aspiring to the Favour of Anne of Austria--The Manner in which his Homage was received by Anne, as stated by Madame de Motteville--The Freedom of Manners, termed by Anne "L’Honnête Galanterie," permitted by the Queen--The Dazzling Appearance of Buckingham--Anecdote of the Jealousy of the French--Point of Etiquette between Buckingham and the Cardinal Richelieu--Buckingham attends Henrietta Maria to the Coast--Anne of Austria accompanies her Sister-in-law to Amiens--Incident there in which Buckingham betrayed his Mad Passion--He receives a Rebuff from the Queen--His Love-Suit not checked by her Reproof--He sheds Tears on parting from Anne--Journeys on to Boulogne and returns to Amiens--His Interview there with Anne--He then pursues his Journey to England--Letters, and Affecting Conduct of his Wife--The Meeting of Charles and Henrietta Maria--Buckingham retains his Influence over Charles I.[203]
CHAPTER VI.
Unjust Appreciation of Buckingham’s Character--His Energy in respect to the Navy--Sir Walter Ralegh’s Works on Maritime Affairs--Prince Henry’s Predilection for them--His Miniature Ship--His Death--Lord Nottingham’s Neglect and Venality--His Powers--60,000l. yearly allotted for the Navy--Buckingham’s Efforts--Example set by Richelieu--Ignorance of Ship-Building in those Days--Buckingham draws up a Plan of Defence--Fear of the Spanish Armada--The Duke proposes to form a Company for the West as well as the East Indies--Plan of Taxation--Also of Defence on Shore[243]
CHAPTER VII.
Unfortunate Result of the Principles early instilled into Charles I. by his Father--The Affair of the Palatinate--Its Connection with the Spanish Marriage--Mad Desire of Charles and Buckingham for a War with Spain--Letter from the Earl of Bristol--The First Unfortunate Expedition to Cadiz--Resentment of the People--Charles assembles a Parliament--The Supplies Refused--Impeachment of Bristol--Impeachment of Buckingham--His Thirteen Answers--Rash Conduct of the King--His Expression of Contempt for the House of Commons--Sir John Elliot and Sir Dudley Digges sent to the Tower--The Intolerant Spirit of the Day--Influence of Laud--Sermon of the Vicar of Brackley--"Tuning the Pulpits"[273]