Note 207 — Chapter IX

Nalson, ii. 788, 792, 804; Clarendon, ii. 84. The queen's behaviour had been extraordinarily imprudent from the very beginning. So early as Feb. 17, 1641, the French ambassador writes word: "La reine d'Angleterre dit publiquement qu'il y a une trève arrestée pour trois ans entre la France et l'Espagne, et que ces deux couronnes vont unir leurs forces pour la défendre et pour venger les catholiques." Mazure, Hist. de la Révol. en 1688, ii. 419. She was very desirous to go to France, doubtless to interest her brother and the queen in the cause of royalty. Lord Holland, who seems to have been the medium between the parliamentary chiefs and the French court, signified how much this would be dreaded by the former; and Richelieu took care to keep her away; of which she bitterly complained. This was in February. Her majesty's letter, which M. Mazure has been malicious enough to print verbatim, is a curious specimen of orthography. Id. p. 416. Her own party were equally averse to this step, which was chiefly the effect of cowardice; for Henrietta was by no means the high-spirited woman that some have fancied. It is well known that a few months afterwards she pretended to require the waters of Spa for her health; but was induced to give up her journey.