Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 10.djvu/78

 beth in the Palatinate by force of arms. He had therefore, while on ` journey, sent instructions to Bristol not to use the proxy left with him without further orders, and his first object after rejoining his father was to urge him to a breach with Spain. ‘I am ready,' he said, ‘to cover Spain if you will allow me to do it.' He succeeded in persuading James to make the restitution of the Palatinate a condition of the marriage, a demand which practically put an end to the negotiation.

Under tha influence of Buckingham, Charles wanted not merely to break off the marriage treaty, but to embark England in a war with Bpstn. llis father was reluctant to follow him thus far, but James's own policy had so thoroughly broken down that he was compelled to follow his son's lead. Parliament was summoned, and met on 19 Feb. 1624, Both houses condemned tha treaty with Spain, and were eager for war. Yet already appeared a note of dissonance. The commons wanted a maritime war with Spain, while James wished for a military expedition to the Palatinate. Charles who had no policy of his own, joined Buckingham in supporting far-reaching schemes for a war by land and sea. The commons, sympathising with his warlike ardour, but wishing to keep this final conclusion in their own hands, voted a args sum of money for rations, and placed the disposal of it inthe hands of treasurers apppointed by parliament. It was understood that a diplomatic attempt to secure allies was to be made in the summer, and that in the autumn or winter parliament was again to meet to vote the money required for the actual prosecution of war, if war was decided on.

It was not improbable that the difference of opinion on the scope uf the war between the House of Commons ou the one side and Charles and Buckin ham on the other would lend to a rupture. The difference was further accentuated by a difference of opinion about Charles's marriage. Before the Spanish treaty was finally broken off overtures had been received from France, and Lord Kensington, created soon afterwards Earl of Holland, was sent tu Paris to sound the queen mother and Louis XIII on their willingness to bestow the hand of the king] sister, Henrietta Maria, on the Prince of Wales. Charles readily believed, as he had believed when he set out for Madrid, that political difficulties would give way if a friendly personal relation were once established. France, he hoped, would join England in a war against the house of Austria, and would not put forward any extravagant demands on behalf of the English catholics. Knowing the strong feeling of the commons on the latter point, he made a solemn declaration in their presence on 9 April that ‘whensoever it should please God to bestow on him any lady that were popish, she should have no further liberty at for her own family, and no advantage to the recusants at home.' Before parliament was prorogued he urged on the impeachment of Middlesex, who was accused of corruption, but whose real fault was his wish that the king was to remain at peace with Spain. During this affair, as dunng the earlier proceedings of parliament, Charles appears aa the mere tool of Buckingham, bearing down his father‘s aversion to war, and thoughtlessly weakening the authority of the crown by the want of consideration with which he treated its possessor. He and Buckingham, as James told them, were but preparing a rod for themselves in teaching the commons to impeach a minister [see ].

On 29 May a parliament was prorogued. On the 17th the Earl of Carlisle had been sent to Paris to join Kensington in negotiating the marriage treaty. He soon found that the French would only treat, if the same solemn engagements on behalf of the English catholics which had been given to the king of Spain were now given to the kin of France. Charles as soon aa he received the news was for drawing back. He had, as the French ambassador in London reported, ‘little inclination to satisfy France in these essential points.' Buckingham, however, whose mind was inflamed with visions of war-like glory, was induced to advise concession, and Charles was like wax in Buckingham's hands. Louis and Richelieu, who was now the chief minister of Louis, professed themselves ready to assist England in sending the German adventurer Mansfeld to recover the Palatinate, if the engagement about the English catholics were given. In September Charles joined Buckingham in forcing upon his father the abandonment of his own engagement to the English parliament, that nothing should be said in the articles of marriage about protection for the English catholics. James gave way, and the marriage treaty was signed by the ambassadors 10 Nov. and ratified by James and his son at Cambridge 12 Dec. All that was conceded to the English government was that the engagement about the catholics might bs given in a secret article apart from the public treaty.

This déection of Charles from his promise voluntarily given was the point and origin of that alienation between himself and his panliament which ultimately brought him to the