the
blooming countenances and graceful appearance of the English, whom their
bigotry, inflamed by the priests, had represented as so many monsters
and infernal demons.

* La Boderie, the French ambassador, says, that the house of
commons [Greek: ][Greek: ]was composed mostly of Puritans.
Vol. i. p. 81.

** Parl. Hist. vol. v. p. 98, 99, 100.

*** See note UU, at the end of the volume.

**** Rymer, torn. xvi. p. 585, etc.

v Winwood, vol. ii. p. 27, 330, et alibi.

Though England, by means of her naval force, was perfectly secure during
the latter years of the Spanish war, James showed an impatience to put
an end to hostilities; and soon after his accession, before any terms
of peace were concerted, or even proposed by Spain, he recalled all the
letters of marque.

In this respect, James's peace was more honorable than that which Henry
IV. himself made with Spain. This latter prince stipulated not to assist
the Dutch; and the supplies which he secretly sent them were in direct
contravention to the treaty.[*] which had been granted by Queen
Elizabeth. Archduke Albert had made some advances of a like nature[**]
which invited the king to take this friendly step. But what is
remarkable, in James's proclamation for that purpose he plainly
supposes, that as he had himself, while king of Scotland, always lived
in amity with Spain, peace was attached to his person; and that merely
by his accession to the crown of England, without any articles of treaty
or agreement, he had ended the war between the kingdoms.[***] This
ignorance of the law of nations may appear surprising in a prince who
was thirty-six years of age, and who had reigned from his infancy; did
we not consider that a king of Scotland, who lives in close friendship
with England, has few transactions to manage with foreign princes, and
has little opportunity of acquiring experience. Unhappily for James,
his timidity, his prejudices, his indolence, his love of amusement,
particularly of hunting, to which he was much addicted, ever prevented
him from making any progress in the knowledge or practice of foreign
politics, and in a little time diminished that regard which all
the neighboring nations had paid to England during the reign of his
predecessor.[****]

* 23d June., 1603.

** Grotii Annal. lib xii.

*** See Proclamations during the first seven years of King
James Winwood, vol. ii. p. 65.