CHAP.

V.

1661.

ginning a war with Spain: that he would alfo comply with what his Christian majesty desired refpecting the treaty with Holland, and send him from time to time an account how it fhould advance; and that he would not conclude any thing without his Christian majefty's privity."

Thus the first objects of this fecret négociation were fettled to the fatisfaction of all the parties concerned: Baftide was delighted to find his mesfage fo cordially received: the king was not lefs pleased, for the reafons before affigned; and the chancellor regarded the whole as a providential event to fecure the completion of the treaty with Portugal, to fave his own character, to increase the importance of his fervices, and enable him to defy the intrigues of the earl of Bristol, or of the queenmother's formidable party. But in these hopes he was miferably disappointed. The managing of this private correfpondence with France betrayed him into a weak compliance with many of the king's pernicious measures, the whole blame of which was thrown, though very unjustly, upon the chancellor*. His enemies did not fcruple even

*If we admit the fiction in law, "That kings can do no wrong," which feems to throw all responsibility upon their minifters, Clarendon was not unjustly, as is here pretended, but neceffarily blamed for those fecret intrigues with France, in the carrying on of which he was for fome years Charles's principal agent.

to

to affert, that he had been bribed by France; but this was fo far from being true, that at the time of receiving the above meffage from that court, he gave a strong proof of his difinterested, and incorruptible integrity: he rejected with indignation a prefent of ten thousand pounds fent him in a very artful and delicate manner by the French minifter, as an earnest of the like fum every year, or of more, if neceffary, to defeat the efforts of faction, and to make himself friends by acts of generofity and bounty.

CHAP. V.

1661.

obferved previous to the

conclufion of

the treaty

with Portu

The king having now made up his mind re- Formalities specting the treaty with Portugal, fent for the embassador, and after converfing with him very fully upon the fubject, and receiving his letters, he referred him to the lords with whom he had formerly gal. conferred, to give them an account how all particulars were adjusted in Portugal. This the embassador did in the following manner :

"For the portion," he said, "the queen régent having refolved not to difpofe of any of the money that was provided for the war with Spain, had fold her own jewels and much of her plate, and had borrowed both plate and jewels from the churches and monasteries; by which means fhe had the whole portion ready, which was all fealed up in bags, and depofited where nobody could take it to apply to any other ufe :

VOL. A

Dd

“ As

СНАР.

V.

1661.

"As to the delivery of Tangier," he informed the lords, "that the old governor, in whom the queen could not confide, was removed, and another fent to take that charge, who was a creature of the queen's and was so far trusted, that he knew for what end he was fent thither, and chearfully undertook to perform it: that the fleet, to be sent by his majesty for the infanta, fhould first go to Tangier, and take poffeffion thereof; and that the infanta fhould not embark till after the delivery of that place into his majesty's hands, and till all the money promised should be put on board:

"And, with refpect to Bombay, that the like steps fhould be taken to fecure to his majesty the poffeffion of that island: that the prefent viceroy of Brazil, to the government of which Bombay is annexed, should be forthwith recalled, and another, of whom the queen had all affurance, fent to that high charge; and fhould go thither in his majesty's fleet, and deliver the island to the perfon whom his majesty should appoint for that purpofe."

The embaffador added, "that there would be another fecurity, greater than any of the reft, and fuch a one as had never been given before in fuch a cafe that the infanta fhould be put on board the fleet and conveyed to England, before he was married; which was fuch a truft as had never been

repofed

repofed in any prince, nor offered to any other but his majesty, who, if he would break his word, might put an everlasting reproach upon their nation.”

The cause of the last extraordinary propofal was truly this the power of Spain was fo great in the court of Rome, that, notwithstanding the interpofition of France, and a menace thrown out by her embassador, that Portugal should chufe a patriarch and have no longer dependence on the pope, yer neither Urban, in whofe pontificate Portugal fevered itself from Spain, nor Innocent, nor Alexander would acknowledge the duke of Braganza's title as king, nor receive an embaffador, or other minifter from him. Hence the court of Lisbon forefaw, that, if they should in what manner foever demand a difpenfation at Rome (without which the marriage could not be celebrated in Portugal) the intereft of Spain would cause it to be denied, or granted in the most exceptionable manner, by mentioning the infanta only as the daughter and fifter of the duke of Braganza. Before Portugal, therefore, would receive that affront, the most jealous and most apprehensive nation in the world chofe rather to fend the daughter of the kingdom to England, upon his majesty's promise of marriage, and not to require her being married till she should come hither.

CHAP.

V.

1661.

CHAP.
V.

1661.

The king declared himself perfectly fatisfied in all the particulars; and the lords, of course, made no exceptions. His majefty then ordered a report of the whole proceedings to be made to a full meeting of his privy council, whofe free fentiments he affected to confult, faying "that he had not yet fo firmly refolved on the marriage, but that he might change his mind, if he heard reasons to move him." The members, being all prepared, feemed to agree in one opinion; and recommended to his majefty the fpeedy conclufion of fo advantageous a treaty. The king anfwered" that he looked upon their unanimous concurrence as a good omen; and that he would follow their advice *."

These were all the tranfactions of any moment that took place at court, between the diffolution of the parliament in December and the affembling of the other in the May following.

* Here we fee the farce of pretended deliberations in privy councils laid open. Every thing is first settled behind the curtain, and mere forms alone are left to the oftenfible agents. Poor Clarendon fell the victim of his weak acquiefcence: the late earl of Chatham's fuperior virtue and spirit guarded him probably from the like infults and the like difgrace.