honestly. Upon which he said, with some
emotion, "Nay, by God, Stenny, you are much to blame for using him so:
he answered me directly to the question which I asked him, and very
honestly and wisely; and yet, you know, he said no more than I told you
before he was called in." However, after all this passion on both sides,
James renewed his consent; and proper directions were given for the
journey. Nor was he now at any loss to discover, that the whole intrigue
was originally contrived by Buckingham, as well as pursued violently by
his spirit and impetuosity.

These circumstances, which so well characterize the persons, seem to
have been related by Cottington to Lord Clarendon, from whom they are
here transcribed; and though minute, are not undeserving of a place in
history.

The prince and Buckingham, with their two attendants, and Sir Richard
Graham, master of horse to Buckingham, passed disguised and undiscovered
through France; and they even ventured into a court ball at Paris, where
Charles saw the princess Henrietta, whom he afterwards espoused, and who
was at that time in the bloom of youth and beauty. In eleven days after
their departure from London, they arrived at Madrid; and surprised
every body by a step so unusual among great princes. The Spanish monarch
immediately paid Charles a visit, expressed the utmost gratitude for
the confidence reposed in him, and made warm protestations of a
correspondent confidence and friendship. By the most studied civilities,
he showed the respect which he bore to his royal guest. He gave him
a golden key, which opened all his apartments, that the prince might;
without any introduction, have access to him at all hours: he took the
left hand of him on every occasion, except in the apartments assigned
to Charles; for there, he said, the prince was at home: Charles was
introduced into the palace with the same pomp and ceremony that attends
the kings of Spain on their coronation: the council received public
orders to obey him as the king himself.

Olivarez too, though a grandee of Spain, who has the right of being
covered before his own king, would not put on his hat in the prince's
presence:[*] all the prisons of Spain were thrown open, and all the
prisoners received their freedom, as if the event the most honorable and
most fortunate had happened to the monarchy:[**] and every sumptuary
law with regard to apparel was suspended during Charles's residence in
Spain. The infanta,