To the Lord Lieutenant he wrote the same day another and separate letter, viz.—[25][13]
“We are all here much amazed at the news of the Lord Herbert’s imprudent action (to say no more of it) which hath most extremely prejudiced his Majesty and his affairs here. Your Excellency, and the Council there, will herewith receive a full and particular relation from his Majesty, of all that he can call to mind concerning that business, wherein as the Lord Herbert hath dealt very unworthily with his Majesty, so it is believed, that even the Roman Catholics themselves will condemn him for his imprudent proceeding therein. For if his pretended Warrant had been authentic, yet to do anything thereupon without your Excellency’s privity, was a madness, rather than a folly; and the concealing so long what he had done argues something worse. The King hath commanded me to advertise your Lordship, that the patent for making the said Lord Herbert of Raglan Earl of Glamorgan is not passed the Great Seal here, so as he is no Peer of this kingdom; notwithstanding he styles himself, and hath treated with the rebels in Ireland, by the name of Earl of Glamorgan, which is as vainly taken upon him, as his pretended Warrant (if any such be) was surreptitiously gotten. And I am sure, that honour cannot be conferred upon him under the signet (as firmly as under the Great Seal, to all intents and purposes) as his Lordship’s pretended warrant and power is alleged to be, though there be no signet to it.”
In a letter from the King dated Oxford, March 22nd, 1645–6, addressed to the Queen while in France, he says:—[16]
“Dear Heart,
* * * “I find that Sir Edw. Nicholas his gloss upon Lord Glamorgan’s business hath made thee apprehend that I had disavowed my hand, but I assure thee I am very free from that in the understandings of all men here, for it is taken for granted the Lord Glamorgan neither counterfeited my hand, nor that I have blamed him more than for not following his instructions, as Secretary Nicholas will more at large show thee.”
On the 3rd of February, 1645, the King addressed the Earl himself, by his title, which we have just seen disputed:—
“Glamorgan,
“I must clearly tell you, both you and I have been abused in this business; for you have been drawn to consent to conditions much beyond your instructions, and your treaty hath been divulged to all the world. If you had advised with my Lord Lieutenant (as you promised me), all this had been helped. But we must look forward. Wherefore, in a word, I have commanded as much favour to be shown to you as may possibly stand with my service or safety; and if you will yet trust my advice (which I have commanded Digby to give you freely), I will bring you so off, that you may be still useful to me; and I shall be able to recompense you for your affection. If not, I cannot tell what to say. But I will not doubt of your compliance in this; since it so highly concerns the good of all my Crowns, my own particular, and to make me have still means to show myself
“Your most assured friend,
Charles R.[I]