inuance of their
business, answered the King two hours after it had been brought before
them: 'but with all for fear of surprise gave order to the speaker and
the whole house to meet at four o'clock: where they conceived sat down
and entered this proposition enclosed which is nothing pleasing above
and for preventing where of there came a commission next morning to
adjourn the Parliament.' Cf. the Commons' protestation: Parl. Hist. v.
513.

CHAPTER IV.

NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCE OF WALES WITH A SPANISH
INFANTA.

It is a general consequence of the dynastic constitution of the states
of Europe that marriages between the reigning families are at the same
time political transactions, and as a rule not only affect public
interests, but also stir up the rivalry of parties: this effect
however has hardly ever come more prominently into notice than when it
was proposed to marry the heir to the throne of England with an
Infanta of Spain.

We have remarked that the scheme originated in Spain, had already been
once rejected, and then had been mooted a second time by the leading
minister of Philip III, the Duke of Lerma. It formed part of Lerma's
characteristic idea of fortifying the greatness of the Spanish
monarchy by a dynastic alliance with the two royal families which were
able to threaten it with the greatest danger, those of France and
England. This design brought him into contact with a current of policy
and personal feeling in England which was favourable to him: but at
the same time the great difficulty which the difference of religion
presented, came at once into prominence. Not that it would have been
difficult for King James to make the concessions requisite for
obtaining the Papal dispensation; on the contrary he was personally
inclined to do so: but he feared unpleasant embarrassments with his
allies and with his subjects. Count Gondomar, the ambassador, assured
the King that he should never be pressed to do anything which violated
his conscience or his honour, or by which he might run a risk of
losing the love of his people.[417]

[Sidenote: A.D. 1622.]

On this, negotiations which had already been opened for the marriage
of the Prince with a French princess were broken off. Besides, the
intermarriage with the house of Spain appeared to be far more
deserving of preference, as being likely to pacify the feelings of
English Catholics, who were accustomed to side principally with Spai