uld be such a dis-obligation to the prince, who had
now set his heart upon the journey, after his majesty's approbation,
that he could never forget it, nor forgive any man who had been the
cause of it[*]

* Clarendon vol. i. p. 16.

The king, with great earnestness, fortified by many oaths, made his
apology, by denying that he had communicated the matter to any; and
finding himself assailed, as well by the boisterous importunities of
Buckingham, as by the warm entreaties of his son, whose applications had
hitherto, on other occasions, been always dutiful, never earnest, he had
again the weakness to assent to their purposed journey. It was agreed
that Sir Francis Cottington alone, the prince's secretary, and Endymion
Porter, gentleman of his bed-chamber, should accompany them; and the
former being at that time in the antechamber, he was immediately called
in by the king's orders.

James told Cottington, that he had always been an honest man,
and therefore he was now to trust him in an affair of the highest
importance, which he was not, upon his life, to disclose to any man
whatever. "Cottington," added he, "here is baby Charles and Stenny,"
(these ridiculous appellations he usually gave to the prince and
Buckingham,) "who have a great mind to go post into Spain, and fetch
home the infanta: they will have but two more in their company, and have
chosen you for one. What think you of the journey?" Sir Francis, who was
a prudent man, and had resided some years in Spain as the king's agent,
was struck with all the obvious objections to such an enterprise, and
scrupled not to declare them. The king threw himself upon his bed, and
cried, "I told you this before;" and fell into a new passion and new
lamentations, complaining that he was undone, and should lose baby
Charles.

The prince showed by his countenance, that he was extremely dissatisfied
with Cottington's discourse; but Buckingham broke into an open passion
against him. The king, he told him, asked him only of the journey,
and of the manner of travelling; particulars of which he might be a
competent judge, having gone the road so often by post; but that he,
without being called to it, had the presumption to give his advice upon
matters of state, and against his master, which he should repent as long
as he lived. A thousand other reproaches he added, which put the poor
king into a new agony in behalf of a servant, who, he foresaw, would
suffer for answering him