ness, and to make the king grow less; and that all looked towards the rifing fun. Whereupon they advised the king, fays Rush(y) Vol. i. worth (y), to free himself from this captivity, P. 144. and imminent danger, and to cut off fo ungrateful an affector of popularity and greatnefs; and fo he should fhew himself to be, as he was reputed, the oldest and wisest king in Europe. Thefe, and many other things of a like nature, which were privately reprefented to his majesty by means of the Spanish ambassadors, wrought fo much on him, that he mufed much in filence, and entertained the prince and duke with mystical broken fpeeches. The duke now began to be alarmed, as well as the prince; but by the advice of Dr. Williams, lord-keeper, (who had, with great dexterity, found out the instruments of raising the king's fears and fufpicions, and had also revealed (E) them) he fol (E) Williams, with great dexterity, found out the inftruments of raising the king's fears, &c.] Williams was devoted to the duke of Buckingham, tho' the duke was far enough from being pleafed with him; and on this occafion he did him great fervice, as we learn by the following ftory. While the king was at Windfor with prince Charles, and Buckingham left behind, the lord-keeper, (who fpared for no coft to get intelligence of every hour's occurrences at court) having received fome information, went to the duke at Wallingford-houfe, whom he found lying on a couch, and would not rife up nor fpeak, though twice or thrice moved thereunto by the . • lord followed the king to Windfor, where he had gone without him, and kept fo near him, that The lord-keeper; who protested to his grace, that he came there only to prevent more harm, and to bring him out ⚫ of that forrow into the king's favour: and befought the • duke to make hafte to Windfor, and fhew himself to the king before fupper were ended; to deport himself ⚫ with all amicable addrefs, and not ftir from him day or night. For the danger was, that fome would push on the king to break with the parliament, and, upon that diffolution, they hoped to fee his grace in the Tower; and then, God knows what would follow. keeper adjured the duke to fecrefy, as to what he had told him, and to lose no time. And the duke parted with many thanks, and came to Windfor before he was • expected, and waited on his majesty with a constant < attendance. This happened on Saturday, and on • Monday morning the prince came to the lords house, ⚫ and told the keeper privately, how well he was pleased ⚫ that he had given the duke fuch faithful warning for his fafety; defiring him farther, to explain the cause which had got the duke and himself the king's ill-will. The keeper faid, that all he could gain to know was, that fome in the Spanish ambaffador's houfe had been preparing mischief, and four days fince had infused it into the king; and that this he had discovered from Don • Francifco Carondelet, who, being a scholar, and arch⚫ deacon of Cambray, took a liking to converfe with his lordfhip, who had discovered him to be a lover of our • English beauties, and particularly of one in Mark-lane, a witty woman, and one who must be courted with " news and occurrences. This woman the keeper had • bribed to fend him word of all that Carondelet had told her and thus he came by his news, thinking it lawful < (now the devil had made her a finner) for him to make ufe of her fin. Yea, fays the prince, do you deal in fuch ware? Faith, fir, faid the keeper, I never faw her face.' • But that no one had an opportunity to press any thing to his disadvantage. In the mean time, the But the keeper being willing to search further into the matter, contrived how he might gain fome intelli· gence from Carondelet himself, who was forbidden to come to his house for the space of a month, all communication between the Spaniards and the court being • forbidden by his majefty. Yet he found out a way, by ordering a purfuivant at arms to feize a popifh prieft who was dear to Carondelet, whereby to bring him to break through the prohibition. And accordingly Carondelet fent for leave to wait on the keeper upon that • occafion, and was admitted to come privately at eleven o'clock at night, when he interceded earnestly for the liberty of the prieft: but was told by the keeper, that it would be too great a hazard to fet a priest at liberty, ⚫ who was a dead man in law, during the feffion of a par<liament which was vigilant upon the breach of juftice, • especially in that point. My lord, fays Francifco, let not this parliament trouble you; for I can tell you, if you have not heard of it, that it is upon expiration. And from this hint, the keeper proceeded to get out ⚫ farther intelligence: to gratify which, he released the prieft, with a charge that he should prefently depart beyond fea. The copy of the main paper, fcratched in fome places by Don Colonna's hand, (known to the lord-keeper) was not brought to him till four nights after. But all that had paffed between him and Carondelet that night, he wrote down then, and gave on the morrow to the prince, defiring that he might not be discovered in this intelligence to the king, which the prince promised; and then went chearfully to Windfor, and fhewed the papers (which were not written in the keeper's hand) to the duke, and both of them prefent⚫ly defired a private audience, and gave the papers to the king, who read them with great fatisfaction; and told the prince and duke, that he was forry that he had grieved them by a jealoufy fomented by no better than • traitors; the prince, having received proper inftructions from Williams, waited on his father with Hacket's abridged, p. 'traitors; and told them, that their innocency fhone as bright as noon-day; and afked who it was that made this discovery. The prince ftood mute, and the duke • vowed he did not know. But the king gueffed that it was the keeper, to which the prince affented. And • God do him good for it, faid the king: I need not tell you both what you owe to him for this fervice; and he hath done himself this right with me, that I difcern ⚫his fufficiency more and more (z). The delicacy of (2) Bishop the keeper's wit, fays a certain writer, in unriddling memoirs of this mystery, came not fhort of that of Cicero, in find- the life of ing out the bottom of Cataline's confpiracy (a).' I archbishop will not at all detract from the wit and dexterity of Wil- Williams liams, in unravelling this affair to the prince and duke; 72, 73, 740 (tho' how confiftent this correfpondence with a curtezan Lond. 8vo. was with the character of a bishop and a lord-keeper, 1715. the reader will determine :) but I cannot let this piece of (a) Lives of hiftory pass without obferving, 1. The obfequioufnefs of chancellors, this right reverend and right honourable father in God, vol. ii. p. Williams, towards the duke of Buckingham; and how 117, Lond. follicitous to curry favour with him, though remarkable 8vo. 1712. for vile behaviour, both political and moral. Doubtlefs, he must have been very mindful of the duties of both his functions, who fpared no coft to get intelligence of every hour's occurrences at court, and devoted his midnight hours to unravel political intrigues. 2. The ftrict connexion between the prince and Buckingham, is from hence very apparent. As is, in the 3d place, The diffimulation of James, fo very remarkable through his whole life. For tho', on the fight of the papers prefented, he affected to talk of the Spanish ambaffadors as no better than traitors; of his being grieved for having fufpected them, and of the clearness of their innocency; yet 'tis very probable, that in his heart he never forgave Buckingham, nor was wholly pleased with the prince, who adhered to him, and acted C con the lord with the duke, and they were both received into their former favour, at leaft as to outward appearance. The Spanish match being now entirely broken off, and a war with that nation determined, a match was propofed with France, and the lords Kenfington (afterwards well known by the title of earl of Holland) and Carlisle were appointed to negotiate it. In a fhort time, every thing was agreed on, and great rejoicings were made, both at Paris and London, on account of the conclufion of the marriage-treaty, which contained articles equally as favourable to the English catholicks as that fworn to with Spain. But the death of James, which happened March 27, 1625, (not without caufing (F) suspicions against Buckingham, and even prince Charles) prevented the confummation of it; though contrary to his exprefs will and defire in the impeachment (b) See Cla- and fentence of the earl of Middlefex (b). rendon, vol. j. p. 23, 24. cal account (F) The death of king James, which happened not without caufing fufpicions against the duke of Buckingham, and even prince Charles, &c.] The grounds for fufpecting that Buckingham poisoned king James, I have (c) Hiftori- very particularly fet forth in another place (c). But the cal and criti- fufpicions against Charles, his fon, are now to be menof the life tioned; the impartiality of history requires it. "Tis well and writings known the house of commons, among other articles of of James 1. impeachment against the duke of Buckingham in 1626, inferted one concerning the plaisters administered by him to king James, which, according to them, occafioned his death. The duke, in his defence, denied the charge, Lond. 8vo. *753. and |