Note 234 — Chapter VII · THE EVE OF THE WAR

See particularly the dispatches of Montreuil (MS. Français, 15,995) and Salvetti (Add. MS., 27,962), and Rosetti's remark in a letter to Cardinal Barberini (August 10th, 1640) that if something were not done the Puritans would so increase "che metteranno un giorno in pericolo di distruggere la monarchia di Inghilterra!"—Roman Transcripts P.R.O.

[235]Mme de Motteville: Mémoires (1783), I, 244. Cf. Montglas: Mémoires (1727), t. II, p. 67. "Il [Richelieu] avoit toujours des sommes d'argent entre les mains pour distribuer à l'insu de tout le monde à gens inconnus qui faisoient ensuite des effets mervellieux qui surprenoient tout le monde: comme depuis par la guerre civile d'Angleterre dont il étoit auteur et qu'il fomentoit pour empêcher les Anglois jaloux de la prosperité de la France de traverser ses desseins."

[236]Aff. Etran. Ang., t. 47.

[237]MS. Français, 15,995.

[238]Bellièvre, the French ambassador in England, wrote, in August, 1639, of a femme de chambre of the Queen who was going to France, that she was "très bien sans l'esprit de la Reine sa maitresse."—Aff. Etran. Ang., t. 47.

[239]The following account is from a private letter written by a Catholic: "Mr. Montague and Sir Kenelme appeared, the former said little but what was barely necessary to answer their interrogations which were about superiours of orders engaged in that business and his answers were soe sparing and wary that they told him he squiborated with them and co[~m]anded him next day to attend again. The latter spake soe home and soe frankly as he left them little to saye against him but to co[~m]and his attendance the next daye: the su[~m]e of what he said was being the Scotts were declared rebells by the Kinge and Counsell his Ma^tie actively in the field against them, that all the Nobility, Counsell, Bishops, Judges and Innes of Court having contributed voluntarily to the warre, he could make noe doubt but hee and all Catholickes were obliged to followe their examples, and this the rather because her Ma^tie was pleased to aske parte of all that his Ma^tie might have taken without askinge such being the condition of Catholickes in England whereof he confessed himselfe to be one."—Archives of See of Westminster.

[240]The Queen's message to the House of Commons is printed in Green: Letters of Queen Henrietta Maria, p. 36.

[241]P.R.O. Roman Transcripts. See Appendix, No. II.

[242]P.R.O. Roman Transcripts. See Appendix No. II.

[243]Barberini also refers to the reports which were about concerning the complicity of France in the Scotch rebellion.

[244]It is probable that the offer was made by the Queen alone at this time, as Barberini says that security from the Parliament or in some other way would be necessary. "Non parendo bastante la promessa della Regina."—Barberini to Rosetti, February l6th, 1641. P.R.O. Roman Transcripts.

[245]The tenor of the Cardinal's answer is gathered from his letter to Rosetti. P.R.O. Roman Transcripts.

[246]P.R.O. Roman Transcripts. Henrietta Maria to Barberini, February 6th, 1641.

[247]"Je vous remest à Montagu pour faire savoir le particulier de tout et les moyens que je propose pour continuer l'intelligence ce que je desire passionement."—Henrietta Maria to Barberini, February 6th, 1641. P.R.O. Roman Transcripts.

[248]P.R.O. Roman Transcripts. Walter Montagu to Barberini, February 6th, 1641.

[249]This statement rests on the authority of Mme de Motteville. It seems incredible that the Queen went out alone into the street; it is probable that she went to the apartments of noblemen living in the palace.

[250]"Cette princesse dict à plusieurs personnes qu'elle n'avoit que Mr. Goring et son fils en qui elle se pût asseurer si les Escossais continuent leur manche en Angleterre." April 18th, 1641. MS. Français, 15,995, f. 226.

[251]"Che la ferisce al vivo."—Salvetti. Add. MS., 27,962, I, f. 232.

[252]François Faure, in his funeral sermon on Henrietta Maria. Mme de Motteville in her memoirs makes almost the same remark (ed. 1783). I, 261.

[253]Diurnall Occurrences, May, 1641.

[254]Add. MS., 27,962, I, f. 233. Cf. the remark of Giustiani, May 24th, 1641: "Li piu savii pero pronosticano a piena bocca che l'habbi ben tosto a reduirsi questa monarchia a governo interamente democratica."—P.R.O. Venetian Transcripts.

[255]A little later (October 30th, 1641) the French ambassador in England, remembering that Father Philip belonged to the anti-Richelieu party, wrote asking if he should work for his "l'esloignement." Aff. Etran. Ang., t. 48.

[256]Charles left the room after a few words with Rosetti, leaving his wife to make the offers described above, but there is no reason to doubt that she had his authority.

[257]Lettres de Henriette Marie à sa soeur Christine, August 8th, 1641, pp. 57-9.

[258]Pym, Hampden, Haselrig, Holles, Strode, in the Commons; in the Lords, Lord Kimbolton, the brother of Walter Montagu, who had been the King's personal friend and had accompanied him to Spain in 1624.

[259]George Lord Digby, eldest son of the Earl of Bristol.

[260]The narrow majority by which the Grand Remonstrance passed the House of Commons marked the formation of the constitutional Royalist party.

[261]This version is a corruption of the real prophecy of Grebner, which was contained in a book given by him to Elizabeth and by Elizabeth to Trinity College, Cambridge. See "Monarchy or no Monarchy in England: Grebner his prophecy by William Lilly, student in Astrology" (1651).