ictorious army to the
Lower Palatinate in order to complete the subjugation of this
province, notwithstanding all the protection of England. On the Lower
Rhine the forces of the Spaniards and of the States General confronted
each other in arms. Under these circumstances the Princes, who were
invited, refused to appear at an Assembly of the Empire,[412] for none
of them thought that he could leave his home without incurring evident
danger. The Infanta Isabella too in Brussels declined to conclude the
truce which Sir John Digby proposed.

While affairs were in this position, Parliament resumed its
interrupted sittings in November 1621. Dean Williams, who after
Bacon's fall had received the Great Seal, opened the session with a
request for the immediate grant of new subsidies, which he said would
be required even before Christmas. He promised that in the coming
February, when they resumed their sittings, the other affairs should
be brought under discussion.[413]

On this occasion as on a previous one, the King wished for nothing
more than a renewed and stronger demonstration. Even now he lived and
moved in a policy of compromise between opposite views. While his
son-in-law was being robbed of his country in the interest of Spain,
he adhered to the wish of marrying his son to a Spanish Infanta: he
thought that he would bring about the restoration of the Palatinate
most easily by the influence which this new alliance would confer. But
he thought that his friendly advances should also be accompanied by
threats, and he wished to be placed by the grants of Parliament in a
position to arm more effectually than before. It would have been in
accordance with his views, if Parliament had repeated its former
declarations, according to which it was ready to put forth all its
power in his behalf, in order to place him in a position to compel by
force of arms what might be refused to his peaceful negotiations.

It is worth noticing in all this that James not only met the wishes of
Parliament because he required support, but that he also encouraged
the disposition which it showed in favour of Protestantism, in order
to avail himself of it: he thought that he would always be able to
control it. But how often has a policy been shipwrecked, which has
thought to avail itself of great interests and great passions for some
end immediately in view!

How could it be expected that while religious parties on the continent
were meeting in a st