Mothers approbation yet he must return her thanks for her after ordering them intimating thereby That she would rely and rest upon him but lodge his Son in her heart But before the Conclusion of this Treaty it pleased the Almighty to put an end to King James his dayes a Prince who all his life had kept this Kingdome in a continual Peace and quietness and had often been an Umpire in the difference of Neighbouring Princes who were in as continued Combustions about him whilest himself was never plunged in any War till now lately in one with Spain for the Restitution of the Palatinate Prince Charles upon the death of his Father is immediately declared his lawfull Heir and undoubted Successor whereof by his several Ambassadors he immediately acquaints all the neighbouring Princes But to the King of France he sends over the Earls of Carlisle and Holland not only to acquaint him with his Fathers death but to treat of an Alliance with the Princess Henrietta Maria which Negotiation was concluded in fewer months then Spain had spent years in her Treaty And soon after Letters of Procuration or Proxie were sent to the Duke of Chevereux of the House of Guise for espousing his Mistress and making her his Consort the Ceremony of which was celebrated on Sunday the First of May according to our stile but the Eleventh according to theirs in the Church of Nostre-dame at Paris with a great deal of pomp and magnificence she being given to the Duke of Chevereux in behalf of the King of England by her two Brothers the King and Mounsieur About a fortnight after the Duke of Buckingham put in Commission with the English Ambassadours there is with a train of the best quality to accompany him sent to attend the Queen and to bring her over to her Spouse in England whilest in the mean time King James's Funeral on the 14 of May was magnificently solemnized at Westminster King Charles himself contrary to the old custome attending the Obsequies On the second of June the now Queen of England set forward from Paris and at the Town of Amiens staid fourteen days by reason of the Queen her Mothers sickness and indisposition who would willingly have accompanyed her to the Sea side but at length was forced to leave her here and so with her Brother the Mounsieur she set forward towards Bulloigne a longer passage by sea to England then that of Calais but the infection there forced them to accept of this Here the Queen received the Duke of Buckinghams Mother with a Train of very many Ladies of quality from England whom Mounsieur so much honoured as to condescend to give her a visit at her Lodging for no other reason but her being Mother to the King of Englands chief Favourite and the Dutchess of Chevereux that great Princess both of Match and Blood was forced to give her the precedency The King had commanded a good part of his Navy Royal one and twenty Ships to attend the Queen on which she imbarques but in her passage findes the same rough and tempestuous weather which Mary Queen of Scots found when she was wafted over from Calais This some interpreted as an ill omen and have since taken it as a token of the succeeding tempests of her life Yet on Trinity Sunday the 13 23 of June she arrives at Dover about seven a Clock at night his Majesty the next Morning coming from Canterbury to meet her with joy received her at the top of the Stairs whilest she on her knee endeavouring to kiss his hand he seeming as it were surprized takes her up in his arms and salutes her with reiterated kisses And so conducting her into an inner Chamber after his congratulation of her safe arrival and expression of the sad fears of her danger at Sea finding her somewhat surprized and to let fall some tears to see her self now in the hands of a stranger whom she had never before seen he tells her That she was fallen into the effects of Gods Divine Providence to forsake her Kindred and cleave to her Spouse professing that he would be no longer Master of himself then he was a servant to her The Ceremony here was accomplished and the Duke of Chevereux having rendred her up to his Majesties bosom here and to his bed the same night at Canterbury they the next day set forward towards Gravesend the whole way being laned with millions of people who made the very air thunder with renumerated Ecchoes of God save their Majesties they were likewise accompanyed with a most gallant Train of the English Gentry who came from all parts of the Kingdom to wait upon their Majesties at so great a Solemnity At Gravesend on the Thursday after their Majesties entred into the Barge of State and accompanyed with an infinite number of other Barges and Boats went by water to Somerset-house whilest the Ships all the way being placed in ranks on both sides the River did volly out wellcomes to these two Princes The Third after their arrival at London their Majesties appeared in State to the Nobility both having seated themselves upon their royal Thrones And soon after the Marriage was publiquely proclaimed with excessive joy to all And from thence their Majesties by reason of the great infection then in and about London removed to Hampton-Court Where and in all other places they for many years lived in the greatest content and enjoyment of conjugal love that possibly could be The King most singularly indulgent of his Royal Consort and she correspondent with him not only in personal affection but also in bringing him forth a Progeny of Royal Princes and Princesses The best for Alliance and Stock that ever the Earth had being immediately descended from the blood Royal of England and France allied to the Emperour Kings of Spain and Denmark and all the most potent Princes of the Western World So that if ever any these might most properly be said to be sprung de semine Divûm of the seed of the Gods Yet there happened an accident on the first of July in the year 1626. which not only created a difference betwixt Lewis the thirteenth King of France and his Majesty of England but might likewise have caused a breach between him and his dearly beloved Queen and Consort had not her incomparable prudence taught her how to submit to her Husbands pleasure The King had several times been informed of misdemeanours committed by some of the Queens Domestiques towards her person and his Majesty and therefore on the first of July having the same day sent a Message commanding all the Queens Servants to be there in readiness he came to Somerset-house attended by the Duke of Buckingham the Earls of Holland and Carlisle and other principal Officers and tells them Gentlemen and Ladies I Am driven to that extremity as I am personally come to acquaint you that I very earnestly desire
your return for France True it is the deportment of some amongst you hath been very inoffensive unto Me but others again have so dallyed with my patience and so highly affronted Me as I cannot I will not longer endure it This accusation though not determined to any particular made all guilty and every single person was concerned to clear himself Whereupon the Bishop of Menes answered Sir If this accrimination be levelled at me let me I beseech you know my fault while I am here to make defence And Madam St. George said Sir I make no question but the Queen will give me a fair Testimonial to your Majesty But the King replyed no more then I name none and so commanded their speedy return to France This suddain action of the Kings overwhelmed the Queen whose tender years were not yet fit for so harsh an encounter with a great deal of impetuous passion against the King she at first taking it as the greatest extremity of unkindness that having so small a company of her native friends and servants to attend her they should in an instant be all cashiered and in lieu of them she to expect not a Train of Honour but a Guard of disaffected persons not so much to attend her as her actions whereby she should be treated more like a Prisoner then a Princesse That there could not be a higher affront put upon a Daughter of France or Queen of England The King observing her transportation endeavoured by all sweet and gentle perswasions to pacifie her but finding her inexorable he resolves to be so too and therefore the beginning of the next Month the French were all sent packing having their Salaries paid them to a penny and some of them large Gratuities given them contrary to that scandal of a Modern French Historian who writes That they were dismissed without their Wages and appointment Yet the doom fell heavy upon some of them who having sold all they had in France out of hopes to raise themselves Fortunes under the Queen in England were by this cashierment almost totally ruined Their misdemeanours were of several sorts The Ecclesiasticks stood charged with imposing several unhandsome and unbecoming Penances upon the Queen as particularly the forcing her to make a Progress bare-foot to Tyburn there to present her Devotions which action the King said could have no greater invective then the Relation The Bishop of Mends was blamed likewise for contesting with the Earl of Holland about the Stewardship of those Mannors which were setled upon the Queen as her Joynture that Office being conferred on the Earl by the King whilest the other claimed a Grant from the Queen Madam St. George was accused for having endeavoured by cunning insinuations to beget a disaffection between the King and Queen wherein she had gone so far that whatever she suggested found more credence with the Queen then whatsoever the King could alleadge an affront not to be comported And it appeared clearly after their departure that the Queens frowardness proceeded not from any natural disposition or inclination of her own but from their evil counsels and the products of their malicious spirits for ever after the Queen comported her self with so loving a complacencie and complyance that the whole world could not afford a couple more mutually endeared to one another Yet notwithstanding the Majesty of France highly resented the sending away of his Sisters Servants and Domestiques who filled his ears with many lyes and scandals one of which was the aforementioned That they were sent away without their Salary Whereas they had not only their full Debenters paid them but large Rewards besides Yet King Lewis his ears were so open to their complaints that he dispatches the Marshal de Bassompiere extraordinary Ambassador to the King of England to demand the restitution of the Queens Domestiques taxing our King with breaking the 14th Article of the Matrimonial part by which it was agreed That all the Domestique Servants which the Queen should bring over into England should be naturall French and Catholiques chosen by the most Christian King And in case of death she to choose other Catholiques of France provided the King of Great Britain should assent Yet this Embassage proved vain and ineffectual for it could not be expected but that although by the Articles the King of France was to choose the first set of Servants for the Queen yet they could not binde the King not to turn them away in case of misdemeanour for if so his power was so restrained that those Servants might take upon them to contradict his Majesty In sum their re-admission was utterly refused Whereupon King Lewis proceeded to an utter breach of the peace between both Kingdoms by seizing and securing the English Merchants Ships in the River of Bourdeaux and by employing the Vantguard and the other six Ships formerly lent to the French against Rochell contrary to Articles and their first Predestination This War proved unfortunate to the English for their first second and third attempts were all unsuccessefull and the Great Duke of Buckingham who commanded in chief in the first Expedition for relief of Rochell being to set forth again upon the same design was by one John Felton an obscure fellow stabbed to death at Portsmouth The Qu. in the Spring of the year 1629. was delivered of a Child which coming somewhat before its time lived not much above an hour yet having some life in it the Priests which attended the Qu. were very earnest to baptize it but the K. stepping in prevented them and commanded Dr. Web one of his Chaplains to officiate and name him Charls which immediately after he had done the Childe expired But on the 29th of May in the Year ensuing was her Majesty delivered of a Son both living and lively to the surpassing joy and exultation both of the Court and whole Kingdome Heaven it self seeming to rejoyce For at the time when the King rode to St. Pauls Church to give thanks to God for the Queens safe delivery of a Son though it were then neer Noon-day there visibly appeared a Star in the Firmament upon which these Verses were presented Rex ubi Paulinas accessit gratus ad aras Immicuit medio lucida stella Polo Dic divina mihi tractans aenigmata coeli Haec oriens nobis quid sibi stella velit Magnus in occiduo princeps modo nascitur orbe Moxque sub eclipsi regna Orientis erunt Thus Englished by Mr. Sanderson When to Pauls-cross the grateful King drew near A shining Star did in the Heavens appear Thou that consults with Divine Mysteries Tell me what this bright Comet signifies Now is there born a valiant Prince i' th West That shall Eclipse the Kingdoms of the East On the 27 of June following was the Prince baptized at St. James's with most refulgent pomp and Princely Ceremony and named CHARLS the Godfathers and Witnesses at
Son who entred into the world on the twentieth of July 1640. and was Christned Henry and after created Duke of Glocester She had before been delivered of her third Daughter on the 17th of March 1636. who was Christned Anna and died before her Father And shortly after the Duke of Glocesters birth in the same year the Ambassadour Leiger of Holland made some overtures of a Marriage between the young Prince William of Nassau Prince of Orange and the Kings eldest Daughter the Lady Mary Which Overtures were willingly assented to by the King and likewise agreed upon by the Parliament who expressed much joy at the Kings inclinations to marry his Daughter to a Protestant Prince though somewhat inferior to her in birth and nobleness So on Sunday the second of May the Marriage was with a great deal of Solemnity performed in the Kings Chappell at White-hall Notwithstanding the Parliaments former suspension of all proceedings against the Kings servants who collected the Benevolence amongst the Catholiques for the Kings necessary supply in his Expedition against the Scots yet a strange report after there was of the Parliaments intentions to draw up Articles of High Treason against her And indeed some resolutions there were of the Parliaments upon a fond conceit that the Queen had so much power with the King as to misadvise him either to perswade her to withdraw her self aside by some fears wherewith they would possess her or else to drive her away perforce which the King finding and thinking the first the surest course thought it better to have her go as it were voluntarily and therefore acquainted the Parliament That he was pressed by the States Ambassadours to send the Princesse Maria into Holland to her late Espoused Husband and that the Queen desiring it he had given her leave to goe with her And so the good Queen was got out of their Clutches the King accompanying her and the Princess to the Sea-side at Dover and she carrying with her all the Jewels belonging to the Crown the Pawn of which afterwards with some additional supplyes from the Prince of Orange assisted the King in his extreamest necessities The King was extreamly troubled at the Queens departure which made him fall into this rare Soliloquie of her in which because he who knew her best gives the best Characters of her that possibly can be given I shall here insert it ALthough I have much cause says the King to be troubled at my Wives departure from me and out of my Dominions yet not her absence so much as the scandal of that necessity which drives her away doth afflict me That she should be compelled by my own Subjects and those pretending to be Protestants to withdraw for her safety This being the first example of any Protestant Subjects that have taken Arms against their King a Protestant For I look upon this now done in England as another act of the same Tragedy which was lately begun in Scotland the Brands of that fire being ill quenched have kindled the like flames here I fear such motions so little to the adorning of the Protestant Profession may occasion a further alienation of minde and divorce of affections in her from that Religion wherein we only differ Which yet God can and I pray he would in time take away and not suffer these practices to be any obstruction to her judgement since it is the motion of those men for the most part who are yet to seek and settle their Religion for Doctrine Government and good manners and so not to be imputed to the true English Protestants who continue firm to their former setled Principles and Laws I am sorry my relation to so deserving a Lady should be any occasion of her danger and affliction whose merits would have served her for a protection amongst the savage Indians whilest their rudenesse and barbarity knows not so perfectly to hate all vertues as some mens subtilty doth among whom I yet think few are so malicious as to hate her for her self the fault is she is my Wife All justice then as well as affection commands me to studie her security who is only in danger for my sake I am content to be tossed weather-beaten and shipwrackt so as she may be in a safe harbour This comfort I shall enjoy by her safety in the middest of my personal dangers That I can perish but half if she be preserved to whose memory and hopefull Posterity I may yet survive the malice of mine enemies although they should be satiated with my blood I must leave her and them to the love and loyalty of my good Subjects and to his protection who is able to punish the faults of Princes and no lesse severely to revenge the Injuries done to them by those who in all duty and Allegiance ought to have made good that safety which the Laws chiefly provide for Princes But common civility is in vain expected from those who dispute their Loyalty Nor can it be safe for any Relation to a King to tarry among them who are shaking hands with their Allegiance under pretence of laying faster hold on their Religion 'T is pity so noble and peacefull a Soul should see much more suffer the rudenesse of those who must make up their want of Justice with inhumanity and impudence Her sympathie with me in affliction will make her Vertues shine with greater lustre as Stars in the darkest nights and assure the envious World That she loves me not my Fortunes Neither of us but can easily forgive since we do not much blame the unkindnesse of the generality and Vulgar for we see God is pleased to trie both our Patience by the most selfpunishing sin the ingratitude of those who having eaten of our Bread and being enriched by our bounty have scornfully lift up themselves against us and those of our own Houshold are become our enemies I pray God lay not their sin to their charge who think to satisfie all Obligations to duty by their Corban of Religion and can lesse endure to see then to sin against their Benefactors as well as their Soveraigns But even that policy of mine enemies is so far venial as it was necessary to their designs by scandalous Articles and all irreverend demeanour to seek to drive her out of my Kingdoms lest by the influence of her example eminent for Love as a Wife and Loyalty as a Subject she should have converted to or retained in their Love and Loyalty all those whom they had a purpose to pervert The lesse I can be blest with her Company the more I will retire to God and mine own Heart whence no malice can banish her Mine Enemies may envy but they can never deprive me of the enjoyment of her Vertues while I enjoy my self Let the world then judge by this noble character given her by him who of all men in the world best knew her how ill she deserved those many scandals and reproaches upon